Gabriella has a busy Crown Court practice both defending and prosecuting in the in all areas of crime. When defending, Gabriella is known for representing her clients fearlessly and has excellent client care skills. She has the ability to quickly create rapport with her clients and solicitors have commented that they are “impressed by her results” and her “ability to perform excellent working relationships with clients, some of which have been difficult”.
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Gabriella has the ability to bring a client’s case to life resulting in excellent outcomes, one firm of solicitors noted “she has often surprised both myself and my colleagues with some of the results she has achieved.”
Gabriella has a sound grasp of the law under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and has acted in applications for cash forfeiture and account freezing orders. Gabriella accepts instructions in civil recovery and POCA proceedings.
Gabriella is a Grade 2 prosecutor for the CPS and has significant experience of prosecuting trials in the Crown Court and in the Youth Court.
Prior to Pupillage Gabriella worked as a caseworker at a London Criminal Defence firm specialising in financial crime including fraud, POCA proceedings and cash forfeiture. Gabriella has worked on secondment for the Financial Conduct Authority as disclosure counsel in a large scale fraud case.
Notable Cases
R v DK (2023 – Leicester CC) – successfully argued for a suspended sentence for a client charged with obtaining leave to remain by deception. D was of previous good character and despite immediate imprisonment being the expected sentence in such cases, even for defendants of good character, Gabriella obtained a suspended sentence of 9 months imprisonment suspended for 2 years.
R v BK (2023 – Harrow CC) – following three days of evidence including expert evidence, Gabriella made a successful submission of no case to answer, unusually at the close of the defence case, which resulted in the acquittal of her client of being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control where a person is injured.
R v SF (2023 – Sheffield CC) – through focused mitigation obtained a sentence of 3 years and 2 months’ imprisonment for an offence of assault by penetration which had a starting point of 4 years and 9 months.
R v SB (2023 – Winchester CC) – through tailored mitigation obtained a community order for a client who pleaded guilty to sexual assault. https://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/23564646.basingstoke-bus-station-sexual-assault-unpaid-work-drunk-man/
R v AP (2023 – Isleworth CC) – obtained a suspended sentence for a defendant charged with being drunk on an aircraft.
R v TB (2023 – Portsmouth CC) – led junior defence counsel representing a female charged with perverting the course of justice in relation to multiple counts of serious stalking.
R v TG – successfully opposed an application by the prosecution to admit res gestae evidence resulting in the prosecution offering no evidence.
R v CC (2023 – Croydon CC) – obtained a suspended sentence for a client convicted of sexual assault.
R v RJ (2023 – Isleworth CC) – defendant charged with ABH against a child. Gabriella highlighted the difficulties in the prosecution evidence and the prosecution offered no evidence in relation to ABH accepting an alternative plea to common assault resulting in a significantly reduced sentence.
R v R (2023 – Lewes CC) –prosecuted a defendant charged with ABH and theft. The jury returned a unanimous verdict convicting the defendant of all counts.
R v AB (2023 – Kingston CC) – tailored mitigation surrounding the defendant’s mental health and personal circumstances resulted in a suspended sentence in relation to a defendant charged with robbery. Sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment suspended for 24 months.
R v AG (2022- Guildford CC) – acquittal after trial of a client charged with threats to kill.
R v JJ-P (2022 – Southampton CC) –acquittal after trial of a young man charged with sexual assault.
R v FM (2022 – Woolwich CC) – successfully prosecuted a trial involving a drugs line in the South East London area. The trial involved presenting a substantial volume of phone records and cell site data to the jury.
R v JP (2022 – Wood Green CC) – through focussed and persuasive mitigation obtained a suspended sentence for a client who was a third-strike burglar and in breach of a suspended sentence.
R v OF-B (Lewes CC – 2022) – Led junior representing a man charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery. There were several defendants and the evidence largely centred around phone records.
R v BC (2021 – Harrow CC) – successfully secured an acquittal after trial in the Crown Court of a client charged with three counts of ABH.
R v MZ (Isleworth CC) – successfully secured an acquittal after trial in the Crown Court of a defendant charged with possession of a bladed article.
R v PS (a youth) – drafted detailed representations arguing that it was not in the public interest to continue with the prosecution against a youth client which resulted in the proceedings being discontinued.
R v EG (2021 – Croydon CC) – client of good character charged with attempted burglary was acquitted after trial.
R v B (2021 – Inner London Crown Court ) – defendant pleaded guilty to seven counts of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs. Through focussed mitigation addressing the limited scope of the offending and the steps the defendant had taken to change his life the client was sentenced to a suspended sentence.
