Introduction
Catherine Ravenscroft specialises in criminal and regulatory law. She is ranked as a “leading junior” in the Legal 500 where it is said of her that she is a “very hard-working, intelligent, an efficient and straightforward advocate”.
Her criminal practice includes murder, rape and serious sexual offences, serious violence, drugs, serious motoring offences, offensive weapons, and firearms. She is also experienced in defending clients with compound vulnerabilities including mental illness, age, and disability.
Her practice has been expanded by secondments to various organisations including the Government of St Helena Island, national gas supplier Cadent Gas Ltd, and local authorities such as Birmingham City Council.
Her work on St Helena Island included prosecuting and defending serious sexual and violent offences, as well as advising the Government on the introduction of new legislation. She advised Cadent Gas Ltd on the implementation of processes following the inauguration of the General Data Protection Regulation over a 9-month period and advised on associated legal issues. Catherine has also advised organisations and clients in relation to disclosure and legal professional privilege. She has been instructed in major criminal investigations for organisations including HM Revenue and Customs and National Crime Agency.
In her regulatory practice, Catherine undertakes instructions in all areas including professional regulatory hearings, inquests, food safety, housing, taxi licensing, alcohol, and late-night entertainment. She has been appointed to the List of Specialist Regulatory Advocates and has experience in areas involving the Environment Agency, Health & Safety Executive and Office for Product Safety & Standards. She regularly appears before local authority licensing committees, magistrates’ courts, and crown courts. She has also been instructed as independent legal advisor to local authority licensing committees in a number of high-profile decisions. Catherine regularly delivers training to regulatory bodies including local authorities, solicitors, CENSA and EMLS Lawshare.
Outside of work, Catherine is a keen dancer and violinist with a history of public performances at venues including Birmingham Symphony Hall and the International Military Tattoo. She is also a Land Rover enthusiast and enjoys spending her free time on off-road adventures or under the bonnet.
Crime
Catherine is ranked as a “leading junior” in Legal 500, Crime (general and fraud) list. Her criminal practice includes murder, rape and serious sexual offences, serious violence, drugs, serious motoring offences, offensive weapons, and firearms. She is also experienced in defending clients with compound vulnerabilities including mental illness, age, and disability.
Recent instructions include successfully defending a school staff member accused of conspiracy to commit child cruelty and indecent assault of pupils between the late 1970s and 1991.
Catherine also prosecutes both on her own and as a led junior in cases such as large drug and/or firearm conspiracy trials, and has defended in cases of murder, rape, and death by dangerous or careless driving.
Catherine has advised on the investigation and charge of a number of criminal offences, including sexual offences and conspiracies to steal and defraud. As Crown Counsel to the Island of St Helena, she acted as senior prosecutor to the government in a variety of trials and provided advice during the conduct of police investigations. She also advised island government on the amendment of legislation and the development of a new fixed penalty regime. Catherine draws on this breadth of experience to deliver incisive advocacy and pragmatic advice, consistently focused on achieving the best possible outcomes for her clients.
Restraint & Confiscation
Catherine prosecutes and defends in respect of all types of hearings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 arising from criminal and regulatory offences. She is also regularly instructed by the England Illegal Money Lending Team in respect of proceedings arising out of the activity of “Loan Shark” lenders.
Motoring & Road Traffic
Catherine acts for both individuals and organisations in all types of road traffic offences. She has particular experience in serious matters, including cases involving allegations of causing death by careless or dangerous driving, and is skilled in the analysis and challenge of complex expert evidence. She has been instructed in trials of death by careless or dangerous driving involving consideration of alleged mechanical defects in motorcycles, cars, and heavy goods vehicles. Catherine also prosecutes and defends in hearings for exceptional hardship arguments or appeals to the Crown Court and is experienced in legal arguments in respect of these areas.
Licensing
Catherine has a specialist interest in licensing and is experienced in a variety of matters, including taxis, alcohol, late-night entertainment, and refreshment. She regularly appears before licensing committees and in the magistrates’ and crown court on appeal, acting in contested hearings. She also acts as an independent legal advisor to local authorities during committee hearings and emergency reviews, where she provides authoritative advice on points of law. These have included the review of nightclubs following incidents of extreme violence and serious conspiracies to supply class-A drugs. She has contributed articles on specialist licensing issues to the St Philips Regulatory Group newsletter and is a member of the Institute of Licensing.
Trading Standards, Consumer Protection & Food Safety
Catherine has experience in prosecuting and defending “rogue traders” and those accused of unfair commercial practices. Her experience includes trials involving expert evidence of specialist areas such as the components of aerial technology, structural mechanics, and alarm system apparatus. She has also been instructed as a led junior in a trial of fraudulent trading against a lettings company and is currently instructed in a complex prosecution relating to unfair and aggressive commercial practices perpetrated against the elderly subject to an upcoming trial over 3 months in Birmingham Crown Court.
Catherine has acted in food safety matters in both the magistrates’ and crown court, including the prosecution of a restaurant for numerous serious and repeated hygiene breaches resulting in large financial penalties and a prosecution of a food poisoning outbreak requiring utilisation of complex scientific evidence.
Animal Welfare and Environmental Law
Catherine has acted in cases across the spectrum of environmental law including breach of duty of care, breach of abatement notice and “fly-tipping”. She has recently prosecuted a business for industrial fly-tipping in the West Midlands and defended a commercial farm for offences under the Clean Air Act 1993.
Catherine has advised pre-charge on matters of animal welfare, including those involving domestic pets, and has also represented farmers and owners accused of animal welfare offences. She has knowledge of issues relating to the movement of farm animals including offences related to licences or passports, as well requirements for the care of both farmed and domestic animals.
Data Protection
While seconded to Cadent Gas Ltd, Catherine advised the organisation on their approach to and compliance with the General Data Protection Regulations. She utilises her experience to defend clients accused of offences under data protection legislation including police officers and other professionals.
Disclosure & Legal Professional Privilege
Catherine has advised organisations and clients in relation to disclosure and legal professional privilege. She has an in-depth knowledge of this area and has been instructed by HMRC during an investigation into a large-scale VAT fraud involving multiple defendants and by private organisations to advise on their response to a National Crime Agency disclosure order under POCA 2002. Catherine has also acted as disclosure junior to the prosecution in cases of murder and serious sexual offences.
Inquests
Catherine appears in inquests on behalf of a wide range of interested persons, including bereaved families, healthcare providers, local authorities, and other public bodies. She is experienced in representing clients at all stages of the inquest process, from pre-inquest review hearings to submissions on conclusions and prevention of future deaths reports. Her practice includes inquests arising from deaths in custody, healthcare settings, workplace accidents, and other sensitive circumstances.
Professional Hearings
Catherine has experience advising and representing professionals and regulatory bodies in professional disciplinary and regulatory proceedings. She appears before disciplinary tribunals and regulatory panels, acting for both regulators and individual professionals at all stages of proceedings.
Her practice includes cases involving allegations of misconduct, dishonesty, safeguarding failures, fitness to practise, and breaches of professional standards. She is experienced in handling matters involving complex factual and evidential issues, including expert evidence, vulnerable witnesses, and parallel criminal proceedings.
Health and Safety
Catherine was appointed to the List of Specialist Regulatory Advocates, list C at the last panel refresh. She has since been instructed regularly by the Health & Safety Executive to prosecute cases involving significant injuries at work and in areas involving specialist knowledge such as liabilities arising from incorrect handling of asbestos.
Education
Very competent, Bar Professional Training Course, University of Law
1st Class LLB (hons), Law, Durham University
Appointments and Memberships
CPS Advocate Panel for General Crime, Grade 3
CPS Rasso Panel
List of Specialist Regulatory Advocates, list C
Institute of Licensing Midlands Circuit
Health and Safety Lawyers’ Association
Women in Criminal Law Midlands Circuit Women’s Forum
Criminal Bar Association
Testimonials
“Catherine is a promising junior in crime. She is very hard-working, intelligent, an efficient and straightforward advocate.” Legal 500 2026
“Catherine is able and confident with even the most trying of cases. She is always well prepared and has a thorough grasp of the facts and issues. She is an impressive advocate with skills well beyond her call. She relates well to defendants. Catherine has a bright future ahead of her.” Legal 500 2025
