Stephanie Farrimond was called to the bar in 1987. Her early career was spent defending in criminal cases. For the last 14 years she has predominantly prosecuted in the London and Essex Courts for offences ranging from theft to murder.
She is now a leading junior, having taken leading briefs regularly for the last 6 years, with a speciality in serious sexual offences and child cruelty, particularly historic sexual abuse and cold case rapes.
She is regularly briefed by CPS Essex to prosecute the most difficult rape cases.
Recent cases
R v Evans Basildon Crown Court, September 09; prosecuted historic male rapes; principal complainant suffered from psychiatric illness.
R v Sussex Snaresbrook Crown Court, August 09; prosecuted rape of 2 children aged 11 and 13.
R v N Inner London Crown Court, June 2009; prosecuted an 11 year old boy for the rape of a 10 year old boy.
R v Coleman and others Chelmsford Crown Court May 2009; prosecuted a group of QPR football fans for violent disorder at Manningtree Railway station.
R v Affriye and Rugero, Chelmsford Crown Court, April 2009; prosecuted the gang rape of a young girl, who had met the defendants through internet chat rooms.
R v B (2008), Basildon Crown Court. Secured conviction in the prosecution of a father for the rape of 3 boys aged 11, 9 and 6 years.
R v Greensmith (2008), Basildon Crown Court. Leading brief for the prosecution of a social worker in relation to historic child sexual abuse of 5 female victims between 1956 and 1989.
R v Rahim (2008), Woolwich Crown Court. Prosecuting a cold case “stranger” rape from 1990. The case involved the introduction of bad character evidence to counter a defence of consent and the introduction of DNA evidence, requiring the careful reconstruction of a database in order to establish continuity.
R v Pryor and Hua (2008), Chelmsford Crown Court. Prosecuting a married couple for keeping brothels in Essex and Suffolk. A number of the prostitutes employed by the accused had to be called as witnesses to disprove the defence of innocent purpose.
R v P (2007), Chelmsford Crown Court. Secured conviction in the prosecution of a former scout master on allegations of historic child abuse over 40 years ago.
R v A (2007), Chelmsford Crown Court. Prosecuting a rape of a 97 year old lady. The victim had died by the time of the trial and her complaint was adduced as hearsay evidence.
R v De Boise (2006), Southwark Crown Court. Prosecuting a man for a series of kidnapping and sexual assaults on young girls in the 1980s. The case attracted considerable publicity, it was proved by DNA evidence and De Boise pleaded guilty.
R v F and F (2006), Chelmsford Crown Court. Prosecuting a couple for child cruelty with issues of physical and emotional abuse leading to stunted growth of the child.
R v Casper (2006), Chelmsford Crown Court. Defending a dog (Casper) from a death sentence for biting too many children. (Court ordered that Casper “serve life” with the dock officer, who volunteered during the hearing to house the dog!)
Advocacy Training
Stephanie Farrimond is involved with her Inn, Middle Temple, the South Eastern Circuit and the Advocacy Training Council in teaching advocacy. This is a specialist residential course held at Keble College that provides one week’s intensive training to practitioners of between 1 and 7 years call. Her particular expertise is derived from her considerable knowledge of neurological and endocrinolgical issues. She has taught advocacy world wide and been involved in the founding of Advocacy Training Programmes in India, Pakistan and Jamaica on behalf of DFID, the British Council and the UN.
In October 2008 she devised and ran a course training specialist police officers in Sierra Leone in the investigation and prosecution of Sexual Offences. The course was funded and backed by the UN, DfID, International Rescue Committee and Metropolitan Police.
For the 2009 Keble Advanced Advocacy course she devised and wrote the criminal problem, which was a based on a sexual assault case.
In November 2009 Stephanie returned to Sierra Leone to run a further course for the police in the investigation and prosecution of sexual offences.
