Recognised in the editorial section of the Legal 500 (2009 and 2010) as someone who “stands out”.

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Recognised in the editorial section of the Legal 500 (2009 and 2010) as someone who “stands out”, “Well-prepared, calm, and reasonable – not a pushover, but doesn’t overstate her cases.” (2019) and as having “a calm and authoritative manner that is highly effective with juries.” (2020).  “Fluent, confident and terrifically focused. Her presence, professionalism and extensive preparation for pre-trial hearings immediately impressed; very competent advocacy was demonstrated during the trial alongside a sensible, measured yet thorough approach in this case involving a disadvantaged defendant. This is an advocate who truly assists the court, recognizes when sensible accommodations can be reached, and stands out from the crowd.” (2021). Ranked by Legal 500 as tier 3 counsel 2021-2023.

Sophie undertakes all aspects of criminal work and has been instructed in a wide range of Crown Court cases including murder, conspiracy to defraud, importation and production of drugs, importation of firearms, money laundering, aggravated burglary, offences of violence, rape and child sexual abuse, kidnapping false imprisonment and witness intimidation and is regularly instructed for the defence in Courts-Martial proceedings. Sophie has prepared successful human rights arguments in a number of her cases. She is frequently instructed in cases involving vulnerable defendants and witnesses.

Although she predominately defends, Sophie is a Grade 3 Rape and Serious Sexual Offences prosecutor. Sophie has also been instructed to represent the Crown by the Department for Work and Pensions, the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office and the Treasury Solicitors and has particular experience in confiscation, restraint, condemnation, control orders and TPIMs. She also acts for companies charged with regulatory offences. She was previously appointed to the Attorney-General’s Panel of prosecuting advocates (C List) and held Developed Vetting Security Clearance for 10 years.

Sophie has undertaken secondments at HMRC and RCPO in the condemnation and asset forfeiture units respectively.

Sophie was elected to the Bar Council in 2004 having been sponsored by the Criminal Bar Association. Following her election to the office of Chairman of the Young Barristers’ Committee, she frequently met with government ministers and the Legal Services Commission, organised the Young Bar Conference and Young Bar Magazine and drafted numerous responses to government, LSC, Bar Council and Bar Standards Board consultation papers.

She has been a member of the Criminal Bar Executive Committee since 2004 and a member of the Criminal Bar Education and Training Committee since 2008, organising and delivering training for the Criminal Bar.

She was an external examiner for BPP Bar School in the subjects of criminal litigation and advocacy for 4 years.

She is a Lead Facilitator for the Vulnerable Witness Training Programme and has delivered training to both Facilitators and individual practitioners.

Notable Cases

R v RB – Represented vulnerable defendant with significant learning and behavioural needs charged with raping a child.  Made a successful application to exclude his previous convictions for sexually assaulting another child. Defendant was duly acquitted of rape.

R v AS – Represented footballer charged in respect of allegations of serious sexual offences in respect of 3 complainants not known to each other. Successfully defended allegation of rape by one of the complainants and successfully resisted A.G. Reference application to increase sentence passed in respect of the offences involving the other two complainants.

R v LP and Another – Acted as defence junior in Murder, GBH and robbery trial at Central Criminal Court.  Case involved consideration of various bad character applications including Crown against LP, co-defendant against LP and applications on behalf of LP and close consideration of the unused phone evidence between the co-defendants.

R v AC and Others – Acted as defence junior for the “right hand man” of the “Teflon Don”. Drafted a skeleton argument that was instrumental in the instruction of two Special Advocate Silks. Following Special Counsels’ review of the material subject to PII, the Crown offered no evidence.

R v W, H and W – Represented defendant in a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice involving the death of a child for which co-defendants also faced manslaughter charges. Secured a suspended sentence for her client on the conspiracy charge despite her client having given numerous lying accounts to police during the investigation into the death.

R v L – Represented Lead Defendant, who was a serving soldier, in a conspiracy to import cocaine and firearms. Having been instructed the Friday before trial following a change of solicitors, she quickly analysed the voluminous papers, so that the trial proceeded without delay. Secured acquittal in respect of the drug conspiracy on appeal following a successful argument that bad character evidence should not have been admitted and that the submission of no case should have been allowed.

R v M – Acted as defence junior in a “baby shaking” murder which resulted in the acquittal of the Defendant.

R v M – Represented a main defendant in an international large scale conspiracy of people trafficking for the purposes of prostitution and a money laundering conspiracy.

R v TW – Acted as defence junior in a corruption trial involving an employee of National Rail. Drafted skeleton arguments that led to the Crown’s applications for joinder of defendants, hearsay and bad character to be refused.

Operation Scarp – Prosecution junior in a ‘cash for crash’ insurance fraud involving numerous defendants and prosecutions.

T6 v Secretary of State for the Home Department – Acted as junior for the Secretary of State in an immigration appeal before the Special Immigration Appeal Commission.

R v G – Successfully defended a broadsheet journalist charged with indecent assault and assaulting a Police officer.

SPA v Sgt B – Defended a sergeant in charge of the army pay administration on charges of fraud.

R v SA – Appeal to the Court of Appeal in a case of a hammer attack resulting in the calling of fresh eye witness evidence.

R v W – Defended the former managing editor of ‘Esquire’ magazine on charges of theft from his employer.

SPA v T – Defended a soldier accused of cutting the throat of a colleague with a razor blade.

SPA v SSgt M – Defended a Staff Sergeant charged with 13 counts of making indecent images.

R v A – Defended a man accused of a hammer attack.

RCPO v E – Instructed as junior in an application for confiscation of £12m.

R v P – Defended a man charged with 24 offences of indecency involving children dating from the 1970s, successfully arguing against the admission of bad character evidence.

DWP v H and Others – Successfully defended (as junior) a Work and Pensions prosecution (the “biggest counterfeit drugs bust in British history”) brought against pharmacists, directors of pharmaceutical wholesale companies and pharmaceutical sales representatives in respect of the supply of counterfeit medicines to the American internet market via the Bahamas.

R v H and Others – A 14 defendant violent disorder; legal argument on identification procedures resulted in an acquittal before the opening of prosecution case.

R v H – Historic rapes and sexual assaults against girls aged 6-8 years old.

R v S and Others- Instructed as defence junior in a conspiracy to import £3.3 million worth of heroin involving undercover officers, phone tapping and covert surveillance.

R v H and Others – Instructed as defence junior in an eight handed car ringing conspiracy to handle stolen goods.

R v A-H – Successfully defended a man charged with sexual assault on a four year old following cross-examination of a 12 year old eye witness and the exclusion of evidence of the complainant.

R v K – Fitness to plead trial and trial of the issue in respect of allegations of aggravated burglary and possession of an offensive weapon in which the defendant was found to be unfit and the jury persuaded to find the trial of the issue not proven.

R v S – Successful application made for writ of habeas corpus which led to a change in the statute concerning the power of a judge to issue a summons in Drug Treatment and Testing Order cases.

R v S and Others – Five handed conspiracy to supply heroin to undercover officers.

R v M and M – Successfully defended a church treasurer on an allegation of a £56,000 fraud on the church.

R v M – Successfully defended an aggravated burglary involving an attack with a samurai sword during which a finger and an ear were completely severed and left at the scene.

R v W – Defence junior in a five week trial on 17 counts of robbery involving difficult issues relating to similar fact evidence.

REPORTED/CITED CASES

R v L, L and W [2014] EWCA Crim 1679 – Appeal against conviction in respect of a drugs conspiracy in which she represented the lead Defendant and successfully argued that bad character evidence should not have been admitted and a submission of no case should have been allowed.

R v A and V [2007] EWCA Crim 57 – Appeal against conviction regarding the complainant’s unreliability in a case involving allegations of historic sexual abuse.

R v H [2006] EWCA Crim 1115 – Appeal against sentence and against the imposition of and the terms of an ASBO.

R v McC [2005] EWCA 466 – Appeal against conviction in a Trademarks Act prosecution.

R v W [2003] EWCA 2013 – Appeal against sentence concerning the complications that can follow when a judge sentences for breach of licence following the revocation of that licence by the Secretary of State.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Criminal Bar Association Executive Committee 2004-to date
Criminal Bar Association Education and Training Committee 2008-to date
External Examiner for BPP Bar School 2008- 2012
Elected Chairman, Young Barristers’ Committee 2007
Elected Bar Council Representative 2004-2007
General Management Council of the Bar Council 2006-2007
Professional Practice Committee 2006-2007
South Eastern Circuit
Association of Military Court Advocates

“Fluent, confident and terrifically focused. Her presence, professionalism and extensive preparation for pre-trial hearings immediately impressed; very competent advocacy was demonstrated during the trial alongside a sensible, measured yet thorough approach in this case involving a disadvantaged defendant. This is an advocate who truly assists the court, recognizes when sensible accommodations can be reached, and stands out from the crowd.” (Legal 500, 2021)

“She has a calm and authoritative manner that is highly effective with juries.” (Legal 500, 2020)

Well-prepared, calm, and reasonable – not a pushover, but doesn’t overstate her cases.” (Legal 500, 2019)

Qualifications

MA (Cantab)

Erasmus student of European and International Law at the University of Utrecht, Netherlands

Public Access qualified

Professional Associations

Criminal Bar Association Committee 2004-to date

Criminal Bar Association Education and Training Committee 2008-to date

External Examiner for BPP Bar School 2008- to date

Elected Chairman, Young Barristers’ Committee 2007

Elected Bar Council Representative 2004-2007

General Management Council of the Bar Council 2006-2007

Professional Practice Committee 2006-2007

South Eastern Circuit

Association of Military Court Advocates

Proceeds of Crime Lawyers Association