Call: 1999

She has defended in cases of significance but in recent years the majority of her practice has involved prosecuting serious organised crime including national and international multi-handed commercial frauds, particularly VAT frauds and excise frauds, direct tax frauds, large scale drug offences, immigration offences and money laundering offences. As such she is thoroughly familiar with all aspects of disclosure, public interest immunity and confiscation issues.

In many of her cases her involvement has begun pre- charge. As a consequence she has been involved in advising and dealing with all aspects of the prosecution from advising on charge, obtaining of evidence from both here and abroad, the conduct of trial, confiscation and subsequent appeal and in some cases retrial.

She is fully conversant with the working practices of, and has frequently engaged with, various government agencies. This includes recent instruction by the Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office (RCPO), the CPS Serious Fraud Office, the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) and the SOCA legal department. She has previously had experience of advising the Treasury Solicitor’s Office.

She has gained experience of proceedings in the Bankruptcy Court and the VAT Appeal Tribunal.

Most cases that she has prosecuted have required consideration and achievement of confiscation.

She has also gained experience in relation to the seizure of sums of money under POCA legislation. She has been and is currently instructed by the Asset Forfeiture Department of the RCPO.

She has extensive experience of Part 1 RIPA material and the use of undercover officers and informant involvement both in this jurisdiction and abroad (notably Spain, Dubai and South America). She is alert to the competing issues in relation to QE witnesses.

Many of the cases that she has prosecuted have involved working with accountants and computer experts to create reconstructions and understanding of commercial trading history of companies to identify and demonstrate concealed fraudulent transactions and activities. A number of cases that she is currently instructed in feature the use of the First Curacao International Bank (FCIB) material. She welcomes instructions in any case of financial and / or factual complexity.

The majority of the cases that she has prosecuted have involved international (Colombia, Taiwan, Turkey, Brazil, Spain, Iran, Dubai, Holland and Ghana amongst others) and cross-jurisdictional issues. Consequently she is very familiar with the Mutual Legal Assistance process, drafting Letters of Request and other cross-jurisdictional issues.

Many of the prosecutions have involved examination and cross examination through an interpreter. She is also familiar with the electronic presentation of evidence in court (EPE).

Whilst she has been led in many of the cases in which she has been instructed, she has shared the responsibility of witness examination and the presentation of arguments and applications with those who have led her. In 2005-2006, she was instructed as sole counsel to prosecute two individuals in relation to the importation of 40 kilos of cocaine. (Operation Gallipoli.)

Her Master’s and undergraduate degree have also given her some insight into matters relating to fitness to plead, mental health and a defendant’s fitness to be tried. She is comfortable dealing with psychiatric issues and psychiatric reports.

She has also acted as legal advisor to the BBC (Judge John Deed)

Selection of work undertaken

Below are a selection of some of the more relevant prosecutions:

1. Project Galloway from 2003 to 2007. Junior disclosure counsel, led by Shane Collery, overseeing the disclosure exercise in an operation targeting Class A drug importations. Over 100 seizures and some 300 targets. The seizures in the UK amounted to approx 6 ½ tonnes of Class A drugs with more seized abroad. In addition to the seizure of various class A drugs, there were a large number of POCA seizures under the umbrella of this operation. This was the most successful operation of its type, both in regards to the quantity of drugs removed from the streets and the fact that it was of very significant pecuniary advantage. It was Customs intelligence led, but a substantial number of the cases were investigated and prosecuted by the Police (in part because of links to firearms). This was a formative insight in how to manage such operations from arrest to trial from both a law enforcement and a prosecution basis. She created systems to manage the disclosure process and ensure Prosecuting Counsel (instructed by both the CEPO/RCPO and the CPS) were sufficiently instructed and supported.  She also prosecuted a number of the Customs cases generated.
2. 2003-2004 Operation Shatter. Junior Counsel prosecuting the importation of 100 kilos of cocaine. This involved the calling of a QE witness. She was led by Jane Bewsey in this case.
3. 2003-2004 Operation Chalons. Junior counsel prosecuting a trial involving the importation of 45 kilos of cocaine.
4. 2003-2005 Operation Ypres. Junior counsel prosecuting a long running conspiracy to import cocaine. 700 kilos seized. Various cross-jurisdictional issues and the involvement of the Treasury Solicitor. She was involved in advising the Treasury Solicitor’s Office in consequence of an allegation that Operation Ypres should be stayed as a result of alleged lack of care of a defendant by HM Prison Service whilst he was on remand.  There were complications as a result of the Defence medical expert being the Prison Service appointed psychiatrist.  She was led in this case by Shane Collery.
5. 2003-2006 Operation Dieppe. Junior counsel prosecuting a five-handed trial of two Spaniards and three Colombians convicted of importing 45 kilos of cocaine. These convictions followed two trials and a lengthy Abuse of Process argument that was successfully resisted. The defence argued that there had been “a systemic failure” in the disclosure process. She conducted the consequent confiscation proceedings in this case. She was led in this case by Gerard Pounder.
6. 2004-2006 Operation Fontenoy. Junior counsel prosecuting a nine-handed Colombian cocaine case involving the importation of cocaine, and the onward processing of it in a cocaine factory. These convictions were successfully upheld at the Court of Appeal. The grounds related to the conduct of defence counsel and enquiries made of jurors post conviction. R v Zamora-Abello (Luis Fernando) (2006.)  She conducted the consequent confiscation proceedings in this case. She was led in this case by Gerard Pounder.
7. 2005 Operation Riga. Prosecuting a six-handed Colombian cocaine case involving 108 kilos of cocaine. She successfully conducted the resulting confiscation proceedings. She was led in this case by Shane Collery.
8. 2005 Operation Kohima. Prosecuting a money laundering case involving seven Colombians. She successfully conducted the resulting confiscation proceedings. She was led in this case by Shane Collery.
9. 2005 Operation Gallipolli. Prosecuting as sole counsel a case involving 40 kilos of cocaine. Whilst investigating this case, a large amount of child pornographic material was discovered on one of the defendant’s computers. She advised as to classification and charge in relation to this material and a successful stand-alone prosecution resulted.
10. 2006 to the present day Operation Devout. The ongoing prosecution of 26 defendants in relation to a £37.5m MTIC fraud. From this case she gained experience of proceedings in the Bankruptcy Court. She is currently instructed as disclosure counsel by the Revenue & Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO) and she is further instructed by the Asset Forfeiture Department of the RCPO, in the resulting ongoing multi-million pound confiscation proceedings. She is being led in this case by Sir Derek Spencer QC.
11. 2007- 2009 Operation Lampro (SOCA). Junior counsel prosecuting two individuals for their involvement in a cocaine factory. The prosecution centred around the seizure of half a tonne of Phenacetin, a cutting agent used to cut cocaine, and its use in a conspiracy to supply cocaine. A vast amount of probe material featured in this case. She was responsible for reviewing and analysing the resulting 90 days worth of probe material. The audio was translated from Dominican Spanish to English. She edited and selected excerpts of the material and condensed it into a schedule that went before the jury.
12. 2008-2009 Safe Solutions. This was a multi-handed Corporation Tax fraud prosecution involving the manipulation of the IR 35 regulations. She was instructed by the RCPO as the prosecution junior. In addition to the prosecution there were lengthy restraint proceedings (RCPO v. Hill and others [2005] EWCA Crim 3271). She dealt with the majority of the hearings relating to disclosure, Abuse of Process and one of the defendant’s fitness to be tried, on her own against Queens Counsel. This case featured the movement of money offshore through various elaborate and complicated trusts and consequently she gained significant experience in relation to these financial vehicles. In this case she advised in relation to the protection given by s.433 of the Insolvency Act 1986. 
13. 2008 Independent counsel in relation to privileged material. She was instructed by the CPS Serious Fraud Office. She carried out a detailed review of material uplifted from a solicitor’s office.
14. 2008-2009 Operation Abruption (SOCA). This was a multi-handed Iranian money laundering case. This case involved the system of a form of “Hawala Banking” or “Credit Swap” arrangements. She was instructed in this case by the RCPO as disclosure counsel.
15. 2008-2009 Operation Brushfield (SOCA). This was a multi-handed prosecution in relation to the importation of approximately 250 kilos of Turkish heroin. This prosecution featured a large amount of probe material. The audio was translated from Turkish into English. She was instructed by the RCPO as disclosure counsel.
16. 2008-2009 Operation Echogramme. This was a multi-handed money laundering prosecution. It involved the laundering of the proceeds of MTIC fraud through property. This prosecution followed a lengthy Abuse of Process argument in which the defence were relying upon the doctrine of res judicata and alleging a  manipulation of the process by the Prosecution in relation to the contrasting regimes of the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) 2002 and the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) 1988. She was instructed by the RCPO as disclosure counsel.
17. Operation Onset. This is a multi-handed prosecution in relation to VAT liability approaching £150m. She is instructed by the RCPO as prosecuting junior counsel.
18. Operation Tangelo 1. This is a multi-handed prosecution, under the Fraud Act 2006, in relation to the criminality of the financial institution UMBS Online Limited and the individuals behind or connected to it.  It is believed to be one of the first major prosecutions undertaken following the Fraud Act coming into force. £5.4m has been seized and is currently restrained. It is suspected that the institution was effectively conceived to enable the proceeds of criminal conduct notably MTIC fraud to be laundered. She is instructed by the RCPO, as the prosecuting junior counsel.
19. Operation Tangelo 2. This is a multi-handed, multi- million pound conspiracy to cheat prosecution. It relates to both Excise Duty and VAT. She is instructed by the RCPO, as the prosecuting junior counsel.
20. Operation Ghast. This is a multi-handed MTIC and money laundering prosecution.  She is instructed by the RCPO as leading disclosure counsel. She is being led by John Black QC and Shane Collery and she is leading Hannah Willcocks.
21. Operation Falballa. This is a multi-handed Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit fraud. She is instructed by the RCPO as disclosure counsel. She is being led by Sir Derek Spencer QC.
22. R v Rosemary Williams & Others. This is the prosecution of two individuals for their respective roles in a “sham marriage”. The defendants face prosecution both in relation to the fraudulent obtaining of benefits and for “facilitation” and “deception” under the Immigration Act. She is instructed by the RCPO as sole counsel.

Lecturing & Teaching

She has lectured to both Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office and officers of HMRC.

In 2006-2007 she gave a series of lectures to Police and Customs Officer, on law, in preparation for the creation of the Serious Organised Crime Agency.

In April 2009 she took part in the training of SOCA officers in courtroom skills. This involved cross examining officers on the decisions that they had made in the operational section of the training course in a court room scenario.

Books & Articles

Contributed to the General Council of the Bar & Criminal Bar Association response to the Review by Lord Justice Auld of the Criminal Courts.

Languages

Some conversational French

• Criminal Bar Association
• South Eastern Circuit
• Regulatory Lawyers Association
• The Young Fraud Lawyers Association