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E: - Call: 1989 Appointments: Appointed Crown Court Recorder August 2006 Part-time President of the Mental Health Review Tribunal (appointed October 2003) Academic Background: LLB (Hons) Trent, Bar Finals awarded Everard ver Heyden Foundation Prize for advocacy and drafting. |
AREAS OF EXPERTISE Criminal (defence specialist) Mental Health both as part of criminal cases (including fitness to plead) and tribunal hearings. BIOGRAPHY Caroline's law degree was a 4 year sandwich course which incorporated a total of 15 months working in a solicitor's firm, and she also spent two summers working in the general office of a North London magistrates' court in both of which afforded her invaluable experience of different aspects of legal practice. Her first six months pupillage was spent in predominately civil chambers, where she observed High Court personal injury, contractual and defamation claims. However, her experience during her law degree had convinced her that the most varied and challenging area of practice was criminal defence, and she has always, therefore, based herself in chambers with a strong membership base and reputation in that area. From relatively early on in her career at the Bar she developed a specialisation representing defendants suffering from mental health problems. From there she went on to appear before both Hospital Managers and Mental Health Review Tribunals in order to challenge detentions ordered under the Mental Health Act 1983 and advise upon potential judicial reviews of tribunal decisions. Following on from that, in October 2003 she was appointed part-time President of the Mental Health Review Tribunal and regularly chair panels sitting in London and the surrounding counties. In 2006 she was also appointed to the position of Crown Court Recorder and assigned to Peterborough/Huntingdon Crown Courts. She finds both of her judicial appointments to be extremely interesting and rewarding. Away from the legal profession Caroline lives on the North London/Hertfordshire border with her husband and their cat Bella. Her horse Tiam, 16.1 hands thoroughbred x Irish Draught gelding, is stabled in Hertfordshire, and Caroline enjoys taking him on long hacks in the surrounding countryside and competing in local dressage competitions, they have even been known to win the odd class! Caroline also enjoys travel, and has visited many of the Caribbean islands. Her favourite destinations to date have been Costa Rica, Florence and Venice. When travelling she is also able to indulge her other interest in photography. CASES OF NOTE 1. R -v- Harrison (1996) 1 Cr App.R. 138 (firearms). 2. R -v- Mark Anthony Brown (1998) 2 Cr.App.R (S) 257 (longer than commensurate sentences) As Leading Counsel 1. R -v- Crawford & Others - Cardiff Crown Court (2003-2004) Allegations: Conspiracy to supply Class B drugs x 3, conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. Operation VERONA carried out by the South Wales Police, who described it as yielding the largest ever seizure of Amphetamine sulphate in their history, with a possible estimated street value of over four million (£4,000,000) pounds, and leading to the discovery and closure of what was termed a Skunk (cannabis) factory producing high quality skunk cannabis. 2. R -v- Williams & Others Snaresbrook Crown Court (2005) Allegations: Attempted murder, causing GBH with intent. Cleared of attempted murder on direction of trial judge following successful submission of no case to answer. Conviction for causing GBH with intent quashed by Court of Appeal. As Junior Counsel 1. R -v- Roach Central Criminal Court (1996) Allegations: Murder, attempted murder. Defendant suffering from mental illness. 2. R -v- Noor Central Criminal Court (1996) Allegations: Rape x2, attempted rape x 2, buggery. Series of attacks on elderly females. 3. R -v- Scott-Dunwoody Birmingham Crown Court (1999) Allegations: Conspiracy to defraud, forgery, handling stolen goods. £450,000 conspiracy to build high performance cars out of parts stripped from stolen vehicles and brought about a change in the law to require all new vehicles being registered privately to be physically checked by police rather than by merely producing documentation. 4. R -v- Singh & Others Birmingham Crown Court (2001) Allegation: Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. The National Crime Squads Operation Sherpa, set up to investigate the activities of various individuals who were suspected of being involved in the unlawful supply of controlled drugs between London and Birmingham. 5. R -v- Janani Central Criminal Court (2001) Allegation: Murder 6. R -v- Bullen Wood Green Crown Court (2002) Allegations: 17 x rape Historical allegations dating back between 23 and 31 years. Successful abuse of process argument to stay 14 counts. 7. R -v- Bouri & Others Central Criminal Court (2004) Allegations: Murder, perverting the course of justice. Defendant with mental illness and learning disabilities. 8. R v- Cooper Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) (2004) Allegations: Indecency with a child x 2, buggery x 2. Instructed to advise on appeal after conviction and after leave to appeal had been refused by the single judge. Drafted fresh grounds of appeal and obtained leave in front of the full court. 9. R -v- Muratoglu & Another Central Criminal Court (2005) Allegation: Manslaughter. An escape case, with victim jumping from 3rd floor window. 10. R -v- O'Regan Central Criminal Court (2006) Allegation: Murder. Others- R -v- Luseya & Others (large scale conspiracy to defraud) R -v- Chu (theft of £9 million from employer) R -v- Mashiter (child cruelty arising out of death of an infant) R -v- Kavanagh (indecent assault and indecency with children) R -v- Matthews (child rape) R -v- Odjoma (kidnap, false imprisonment, indecent assault) R -v- Roberts (Importation of cannabis worth £3.5 million). |
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