Amy operates at the highest levels of criminal advocacy, specialising in Terrorism, Serious Crime, and RASSO (Rape and Serious Sexual Offences) cases.  Amy’s role involves both prosecuting and defending in some of the most complex and high-profile criminal matters.

She is regularly instructed as leading counsel or Junior alone and occasionally led in particularly sensitive or significant cases.

Amy provides clear, strategic, and robust advocacy and advice across a broad spectrum of serious offences, often involving complex legal and factual issues.

Amy is experienced not only in the Crown Court but also the Court of Appeal, regularly drafting grounds of appeal or respondent notices and arguing the safety or otherwise of convictions and sentence on appeal.

In her defence practice, she has acted as Junior alone in a complex terrorism trial before a High Court Judge and has represented many defendants in sensitive rape cases, including those involving children. She has also defended in serious drug cases involving coercion and modern slavery. She is currently instructed in several ongoing rape trials and a murder trial involving allegations of domestic homicide in front of children.

Amy has also led for the prosecution in complex and lengthy rape trials, as well as large-scale, multi-handed drugs conspiracies. In 2023, she prosecuted the murder of Tommy Cooper’s niece as a junior alone. In 2024 she prosecuted a mother for attempting to murder her two children by poisoning them in a ‘suicide pact’.  She is currently prosecuting two multi-defendant conspiracies to convey prohibited articles into prison, as well as prosecuting allegations of rape and misconduct in public office against a serving police officer involving multiple victims over several years.

Through her balanced practice, she brings a strategic and measured approach to both prosecution and defence work. Her ability to manage complex, high-profile cases — often with vulnerable witnesses or sensitive material — has earned her trust from both the CPS and defence solicitors.

Amy is consistently instructed in cases that require a high level of legal skill, discretion, and advocacy under pressure.

Amy has been trained specifically in relation to the handling of vulnerable witnesses and has a lot of experience of cases involving young and vulnerable witnesses and defendants.

Amy’s dedication, preparation and hard-working approach make her a popular choice for complex cases. She is regularly instructed in high profile matters and has an excellent reputation for handling difficult and sensitive cases.

Appointments

Grade 4 on CPS Advocate Panel.

Grade 4 on the CPS Specialist Panels : Counter Terrorism, Serious Crime & RASSO.

Recorder Sitting in Crime – January 2022

 

Military

• Military Law Group

• R v Keating. Labelle and Hussain : Leading Counsel in multi handed international drug importation and money laundering case involving millions of pounds worth of cocaine. Issues included admissibility of Encrochat evidence.
(6 week Trial : Jan 2024 / Newton Hearing Jan 2025 / Sentence April 2025 / SCPOs and POCA applications ongoing)

• R v Dumble & Dumble. (Jan 2025) Led Junior in Murder trial, by driving car at a group of young men. Leading Counsel unavailable to start trial, so case opened to the jury and evidence called by Ms Packham.

• Prosecution of mother for attempting to murder her children by poisoning them in a ‘suicide pact’. (Dec 2024) Psychiatric defence advanced. Detailed and forensic XX required of Psychiatrist and Psychologist.

• R v DC: Defence counsel representing a man facing accusations of raping his step daughter. (Dec 2024). Sensitive s28 XX conducted. Successfully argued to sever a 2nd complainant from this indictment.

• R v PB : Defence counsel in allegations of non recent sexual abuse between male babysitter and child neighbour. Defence opening of issues deployed which led to some witness irregularities, having been told what the issues would be. Following detailed representations about how a trial could not proceed fairly the prosecution offered no evidence and a not guilty verdict returned. (Sept 2024)

• R v YV: Prosecution counsel. Murder by 16 year old of 17 year old. (May 2024)

• Defence Junior alone in prosecution of young man for Terrorism offences linked to Far-Right extremism and possessing a plan to blow up a Synagogue. (April 2024)
Case preparation involved a huge volume of digital material, instruction of experts about susceptibility of young people with certain characteristics to radicalisation and the difference between online activity or claims and real life activism.

• R v Joseph Head : Leading Counsel in complicated rape trial. D convinced his friend he had multiple personalities and that when ‘they’ appeared they could be violent, aggressive and could hurt her or him. He manipulated her and subjected her to awful sexual abuse and humiliation. Convicted after trial. (Sept 2023)

• R v RR : Ms Packham represented a female teacher for a group assault in a nightclub. Applications for disclosure led to material being obtained which supported the defendant’s account and undermined the Prosecution case entirely. Mid-trial the prosecution offered no evidence against her and she was found not guilty.

• R v AT : Ms Packham represented an adult male with learning difficulties accused of raping a female from the same community group. S28 XX of complainant. XX of complaint witness at trial drew out inconsistencies and undermined the complainant to such an extent, the Judge ordered an acquittal at half time. (June 2023)

• Leading Counsel in large and complex 15 handed County Lines investigation and prosecution. Advising the police on evidence and charge.

• Junior alone representing defendant in County Lines drugs trial running Modern Slavery defence. Issues included calling an expert on modern slavery as part of defence case. (Nov 2021).

• Junior alone successfully defending Care Worker accused of raping a patient. Complex issues of previous complaints of a sexual nature made by same complainant. (Oct 2021)

• Junior alone representing defendant with mental health issues in large scale drugs trafficking trial involving kilogram quantities of cocaine being moved between Liverpool and Surrey. (Sept 2021)

• Leading Counsel prosecuting young Defendant for raping or sexually assaulting 7 young women resulting in convictions and finding of dangerousness. (Summer 2021.)

• Prosecuted two Cadet leaders for abuse (2021).

• Secured conviction for inciting racial hatred online (2021).

• Prosecuted in a grooming case involving a 14-year-old victim (2021).

• Secured conviction of Scout Leader in first trial held at Lewes Court post-lockdown (2020).

• Represented CPS in the Court of Appeal, responding to an application for leave to appeal conviction with unusual jury irregularity (2020).
• Secured grandfather’s acquittal after allegations of sexual abuse (2019).

• Secured convictions in County Lines Drug Case (2019).

• R v Adebayo & Hemmens (2019): Prosecution of County Lines drug dealer for multiple stabbing and of 81 year old getaway driver charged with assisting an offender.

• R v CD (2019): Fraud by abusing her position as Lawful Power of Attorney over her mother’s finances whilst mother lacked capacity due to suffering from dementia.

• R v Phanor, Saili and Samuels (2019): Multi-handed County Lines Drug conspiracy. Complex
presentation of cell site and telecomms evidence. (Prosecuting)

• R v Malcolm Maxted (2019): Robbery of hedge fund manager in own home by men in balaclavas with a sawn off shotgun. Defending : Acquitted.

• R v R v ** (2018): Prosecution of BA pilot for reporting for duty under the influence of alcohol

• R v Hooper (2018): Allegations of historic sexual abuse of child with learning difficulties. Defending.

• R v Everest(2018): Serial rapes of vulnerable young women (Life sentence).

• R v Madden (2018) Causing death by dangerous driving.

• R v Jackson (2018) Rape of 14 year old biological daughter. (Extended sentence)

• R v Oxley (2107) High profile case of causing death by dangerous driving having crashed into a family of five pedestrians.

• R v Bissett & Lawrence (2017) Gang rape of 15 year old young female.

• R v Gully (2017) High profile trial of stranger rape in public toilets of a boy. Defendant was
an internationally renowned sex therapist.

• R v Doos (2017) Stranger rape.

• R v ** (2017) Rape of 4 year old niece.

• R v Huggett (x6) Fraud involving six members of the same family abusing responsible positions to defraud employers.

• R v Cutler (2016) Rape of a child.

• R v Cooper (2016) Attempted murder. (Life sentence)

• R v Simon, Simon et al. (2015) False imprisonment and perverting the course of justice.

• R v Mann (2015) Attempted murder. Defence of insanity.

• R v Toth et al. (2014) Conspiracy to traffic people into the UK for the purpose of prostitution.