Catherine is a criminal defence specialist whose practice is focused on serious and organised crime.
She has experience in cases involving allegations of serious violence, firearms, drug supply, sexual offences and financial crime.
Catherine has particular interests in protest rights and youth justice. She coordinated the Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers’ legal observing project for four years, and has trained students, activists and legal observers on police powers and protest rights. Before commencing pupillage, she worked on campaigns, judicial reviews and criminal appeals at the legal charity Just for Kids Law.
She is ranked in Chambers & Partners 2026 and is available for Public Access instructions.
Criminal Defence
Overview
Catherine has experience in multi-handed and complex cases involving the most serious criminal offences, including allegations of violence, firearms, drug supply and sexual offences.
Catherine is known for her meticulous preparation, her tenacity in legal arguments and her tactical approach to witness handling. She is hardworking and responsive, offering a high level of client care. Her down to earth manner enables her to build an easy rapport with clients and she is recognised for her skill and compassion when working with vulnerable clients. She is undaunted by a difficult case or a complex legal argument.
Notable Cases
Organised Crime
R v LP & Ors, Croydon Crown Court (ongoing)
Defending a young man of good character in a multi-handed Conspiracy to Rob trial arising from the alleged targeting of mobile phone shops in London.
R v BW, Snaresbrook Crown Court (2025)
Successful application to dismiss Firearms charge drafted on the basis of contradictory expert evidence regarding the classification of the firearm seized. The Crown offered no evidence.
R v TT & Ors, Guildford Crown Court (2025)
Led by Sam Parham defending a client at trial charged with Conspiracy to Kidnap, after the alleged kidnap and torture of a young man linked to a rival drugs gang.
R v KC & Ors, Kingston Crown Court (2025)
Firearms case attracting the mandatory minimum 5-year sentence. After carefully negotiating an acceptable basis of plea and drafting legal submissions that the minimum sentence should not apply, the client received a Community Order.
R v LG & Ors, Lewes Crown Court (2024)
Successful application to exclude the cell site evidence in a trial for Supplying Class A drugs, with the result that the prosecution were forced to offer no evidence against the client.
R v TK & Ors, Oxford Crown Court (2024)
“Encrochat” drugs supply case involving multiple defendants. Catherine’s client was the only defendant to receive a Suspended Sentence Order.
R v AM & Ors, Croydon Crown Court (2023)
5-week Conspiracy to Rob trial involving seven other defendants. It was alleged that the defendants targeted betting shops across London. The case involved the detailed examination of cell site material and legal argument as to its admissibility.
Serious Violence
R v HG, Leicester Crown Court (ongoing)
Led by James Scobie KC defending a young man charged with Attempted Murder.
R v LJ, Wood Green Crown Court (ongoing)
Defending a man charged with s.18 Wounding with Intent arising from an altercation.
R v EC, Kingston Crown Court (ongoing)
Defending a woman charged with s.18 Wounding with Intent after a domestic incident.
R v FU, Hove Crown Court (2025)
Led by Sam Parham defending a young man charged with Attempted Murder after running over his girlfriend in a car. After careful negotiation, the prosecution accepted a plea to Causing Serious Injury by Dangerous Driving (carrying a maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment) and dropped the charge of Attempted Murder.
R v SK & Ors, Central Criminal Court (2022)
Led by William Harbage KC at trial defending a woman charged with Perverting the Course of Justice arising out of a Manslaughter alleged to have been committed by her son.
R v SG, Northampton Crown Court (2020)
Defended a man charged with Criminal Damage with Intent to Endanger Life and Threats to Kill. The trial involved successful legal argument to exclude the defendant’s damaging previous conviction for Murder. After trial, the defendant was acquitted of the serious offences.
Sexual Offences
R v MM, Wood Green Crown Court (2025)
16-year-old client, charged with the Rape of a vulnerable adult, acquitted after trial. The trial involved significant legal argument and sensitive cross-examination of the Complainant.
R v RF, Wood Green Crown Court (2025)
Defended in a re-trial relating to an alleged knifepoint Rape. The trial involved a successful application to adduce the significant bad character of the Complainant’s boyfriend. The jury were unable to reach a verdict, causing the prosecution to offer no evidence against the client.
R v DM, Warwick Crown Court (2025)
Trial involving two allegations of Rape and bad character evidence arising from previous convictions for sexual offences and violence against the same Complainant. The jury acquitted the client on one count and were unable to reach a verdict on the other count.
R v BB, Aylesbury Crown Court (2024)
Client acquitted in re-trial for Rape. The case involved substantial legal argument about the admissibility of mixed verdicts from the first trial and the careful consideration of medical and social services records over about 20 years.
Vulnerable Defendants
R v RD, Inner London Crown Court (ongoing)
Representing a young man with diagnosed mental health conditions, charged with s.18 Wounding with Intent arising from a domestic incident.
R v MH & Ors, Isleworth Crown Court (2025)
Drafted application to stay Aggravated Burglary proceedings as an abuse of process on the basis that the Crown failed to consider the client as a victim of modern slavery. The prosecution re-considered the public interest in prosecuting the client and offered no evidence against him, whilst proceeding against the co-defendants.
R v MW, Reading Crown Court (2021)
Defended young man at trial charged with Attempted Kidnapping, raising defence of Insanity. Expert evidence was called regarding the client’s Schizophrenia diagnosis and experience of paranoid delusions. After trial, the jury found him “not guilty by reason of insanity”.
R v ES, Southwark CC (2021)
Defended an unwell man who was charged with Attempting to Escape Lawful Custody after running from his police cell. Expert evidence was called regarding his experience of hallucinations and voices threatening to kill him. He was acquitted after trial.
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Financial Crime and Confiscation
Overview
Catherine has a growing practice in financial crime. She has experience defending in paper-heavy cases arising from large and complex investigations and she enjoys distilling legally and factually complex issues for lay clients and the jury.
Notable Cases
Notable Cases
R v SG & Ors, Bristol Crown Court (ongoing)
Led by Michael Goold defending in a large-scale HMRC prosecution of an alleged Conspiracy to Fraudulently Evade Duty on cigarettes. Preparation of the client’s case involved the detailed consideration of 50,000 pages of banking and gambling material.
R v WS, Woolwich Crown Court (2025)
Defended a man of good character, charged with Fraudulent Evasion of Duty on counterfeit cigarettes to the value of £1.6 million. The client was acquitted after trial.
R v JD & Ors, Lewes Crown Court (2024).
Defended a woman of good character at trial for Aiding and Abetting the Breach of a Directors Disqualification Order. After complex legal argument at the close of the prosecution case regarding the scope of accessorial liability for the Breach of DDO offence, the trial judge found that there was no case to answer against the client and the case against her was dismissed.
R v KB, Northampton Crown Court (2023).
Defended a man charged with Fraud by False Representation and Fraud by Abuse of Position, having obtained and spent his late wife’s £200,000 life insurance policy, which was intended to benefit her son. After careful analysis of the details of the insurance and trust documentation, the client was acquitted of False Representation charge and sentenced on the basis that the fraud was not significantly planned.
R v MC, Cambridge Crown Court (2021).
Led by Wayne Cleaver defending a man charged with nine counts of Fraud by False Representation and one count of Acquiring Criminal Property arising from a “ghost broker” insurance fraud scheme. After a successful defence application of “no case to answer”, the trial judge dismissed all nine Fraud counts at the close of the prosecution case.
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Youth Justice & Child Rights
Overview
Catherine has experience representing children in the youth court and Crown Court in serious cases. She is able to build a rapport with children with complex needs and to advise at the client’s level. She has experience applying for adaptations to the trial, making representations on the public interest and applying to stay proceedings where appropriate.
Catherine has a particular interest in youth justice. Before commencing pupillage, she worked on campaigns, judicial reviews and criminal appeals at the legal charity Just for Kids Law.
Notable Cases
R v AH & Ors, Southwark Crown Court (ongoing)
Defending a young man of good character charged with Interfering with Key National Infrastructure following a Just Stop Oil protest.
R v GS & Ors, Wood Green Crown Court (ongoing)
Defending a socialist charged with assault following a clash with members of a right-wing organisation at a protest.
R v GE & Ors, Durham Crown Court (ongoing)
Defending a woman charged with public order offences following a Palestine Action protest.
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Protest Rights
Overview
Catherine has a particular interest in protest rights and is developing her practice in this area, using her background in legal observing and her significant trial experience in general crime and areas of criminal and public law cross-over.
Before coming to the Bar, Catherine coordinated the Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers’ legal observing project for four years and has trained students, activists and legal observers on police powers and protest rights.
Notable Cases
R v AH & Ors, Southwark Crown Court (ongoing)
Defending a young man of good character charged with Interfering with Key National Infrastructure following a Just Stop Oil protest.
R v GS & Ors, Wood Green Crown Court (ongoing)
Defending a socialist charged with assault following a clash with members of a right-wing organisation at a protest.
R v GE & Ors, Durham Crown Court (ongoing)
Defending a woman charged with public order offences following a Palestine Action protest.
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Criminal Appeals
Overview
Catherine has experience of appeals against conviction and sentence in the Court of Appeal and is available to provide secondary advice for appeals.
Notable Cases
R v HEF, Court of Appeal (2026)
Appeal against conviction for youth appellant convicted of sexual offending. The appeal involved arguments regarding the necessity for expert evidence, the scope of s.34 directions and directions as to capacity.
R v DL, Court of Appeal (2020)
Appeal against 30-month sentence for string of thefts committed when the Appellant was aged 19-20. Court of Appeal reduced the sentence to 21 months to reflect the Appellant’s age, immaturity and personal mitigation
R v JG, Court of Appeal (2020)
26-month sentence reduced to 20 months for appellant convicted of low-level offences of weapons and violence.
R v AC, Court of Appeal (2020)
Successful appeal against the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order on the basis that the terms were unnecessary, disproportionate and/or insufficiently clear to be enforceable.
