Anne is a criminal defence specialist who is frequently instructed as leading or junior counsel. She has extensive experience in all areas of serious crime including murder, manslaughter, terrorism, fraud, confiscation, firearms, large scale drug trafficking, and serious sexual offences. Anne has a strong interest in human rights, private prosecutions and regulatory and disciplinary work.

BACKGROUND AND EXPERTISE:

Anne has appeared as leading counsel in numerous high-profile cases involving serious allegations of fraud, manslaughter, and serious historical sexual cases.
Her cases include one of the most complex terrorism defence cases of the last ten years; the 21/7 London bomb plot. She successfully appealed the case to the ECHR, and the decision is now the leading European authority on assessing whether a restriction on access to a lawyer is compatible with the right to a fair trial under Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
She is qualified to represent members of the public directly in accordance with the Bar Council’s Direct Access Scheme.
She is a highly experienced and skilled advocate, well used to presenting complex legal arguments before the Court of Appeal and the European Court of Human Rights.
Anne also has particular expertise in cases involving vulnerable witnesses, including children and the elderly, and in representing corporations in highly sensitive criminal and civil proceedings, and in proceedings for the confiscation of property.
She has extensive experience conducting appeals and judicial reviews. She has recently been instructed to advise on civil and criminal fraud in respect of a significant property fund.
As a former radiographer, Anne has a keen interest in regulatory work and clinical negligence. She is an approved counsel for the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and has conducted cases on their behalf. She has advised on medical negligence cases and related medico-legal work.
She successfully passed the Irish Bar Exams – and was admitted to King’s Inns, Dublin and called to the Irish Bar in July 2017.

Further Professional Information

• Middle Temple Advocacy Trainer
• Pupil Supervisor
• Organiser of the Annual Legal Dinner for Co-Operation Ireland, a charity promoting peace in Northern Ireland. The Queen and the President of Ireland are joint patrons of the charity

Civil

• Personal injury, criminal injury and clinical negligence

Crime

• Confiscation
• Criminal law (including fraud)
• Fraud
• Health and safety
• Mental Health
• Serious fraud
• Sexual Offences
• Terrorism

R v H, 2019
Defendant charged with Causing Death by Dangerous Driving. Anne represented the Defendant, who was an HGV driver who collided with, and killed, a cyclist. The Prosecution relied upon expert evidence from a Senior Collision Expert who undertook a reconstruction of the collision in order to try and demonstrate that the Defendant was driving dangerously. Anne successfully secured an acquittal. Woolwich Crown Court.

R v S and others, 2019
This was a multi-handed Conspiracy to Supply Class A Drugs and Conspiracy to Possess a Firearm with Intent to Endanger Life. Anne secured an acquittal in respect of the offence of Conspiracy to Possess a Firearm with Intent to Endanger Life, (the Defendant had pleaded guilty to the Conspiracy to Supply Class A). Croydon Crown Court.
News report here

R v M, 2019
The Defendant was indicted to stand trial with respect to two counts of Attempting to Cause Grievous Bodily Harm with Intent, Dangerous Driving and Harassment contrary to section 4. The Defendant pleaded guilty to the offence of Dangerous driving at the PTPH hearing.
The prosecution alleged that the Defendant had used his car as a weapon to drive at his ex-partner and her three-year-old daughter. Anne successfully excluded electronic communication evidence on the basis that it had been improperly served and was one-sided pursuant to section 78 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act. Following lengthy legal argument in respect of this issue, the prosecution decided not to proceed to trial on the Harassment Count. Following trial, the Defendant was found not guilty of the two counts of attempting to cause Grievous Bodily Harm with Intent. Isleworth Crown Court.

R v IA, 2015–16
Successful appeal to the ECHR of one of the most complex terrorism defence cases of the last ten years, the 21/7 London bomb plot. The Grand Chamber of the ECHR found there had been a breach of Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Criminal Cases Review Commission have decided to refer the conviction back to the Court of Appeal.
Please see link. See Criminal Law Week (16/34/2) and articles in the Guardian and the Independent.

R v T, 2016
As leading counsel, secured acquittal in a gross negligence manslaughter case arising from restraint by security staff at a nightclub. Case involved complex medical evidence as to cause of death and consideration of law of negligence. Central Criminal Court.
See BBC article.

R v H, 2016
Secured the only acquittal in a multi-handed historical rape case spanning three decades. Woolwich Crown Court.

R v C, 2011
Historical cold-case rape involving a voire dire in respect of the interpretation of LCN DNA evidence and an interlocutory appeal to the Court of Appeal. This complex case is now a leading authority on the use and interpretation of LCN DNA.

R v P, 2015
Serious drugs conspiracy concerning the supply of 22kg of Class A (cocaine). Heard at Southwark Crown Court

FRAUD & FINANCIAL CRIME:

R v C, 2019
This was the first fraud of its kind to be litigated in the U.K.
The operation involved a 5-year conspiracy to cheat the public revenue and concerned the submission of hundreds of false claims to the Redundancy Payment Service (RPS).
Three of the Defendants (who were convicted) were accountants who worked for various accountancy firms between 2010 and 2015.
As a result of the fraud, the Insolvency Service paid over £459,000 of Government money into bank accounts linked to the guilty Defendants. Those Defendants were convicted of converting criminal property, and of claiming a further £401,000 by way of Redundancy Payments. The total fraud exceeded £860,000.
Anne’s client, who was accused of cheating the public revenue and converting criminal property together with the other Defendants in the operation, was unanimously acquitted.
News report here

R v S-B, 2012
Represented principal defendant in case involving a sophisticated operation to mass produce counterfeit discs containing film, games and music. Anne successfully argued that confiscation proceedings were time barred; confiscation proceedings were discontinued.
Luton Crown Court.

R v G, 2010–11
Multi-handed case involving money laundering and mortgage fraud. Anne secured the only acquittal at trial. Luton Crown Court.

R v Pajasalu, 2006
Junior for the defence in the largest ever bank card fraud in UK and associated money laundering. Case involved 20,000+ documents and the defendant’s extradition from Estonia. Southwark Crown Court.
See BBC News and Evening Standard.

SERIOUS SEXUAL OFFENCES

R v L, 2014
Successfully defended in a case alleging historical sexual abuse spanning 20 years involving the defendant’s son and sister. The case also involved psychiatric evidence. Luton Crown Court.

R v M, 2014
Successfully defended in a case alleging historical sex abuse involving the defendant’s daughter and sister-in-law. Luton Crown Court.

R v G, 2013
Successfully defended man accused of attempted rape in the Olympic village during the Olympic Games. Wood Green Crown Court.