Introduction
Annabel specialises in crime and regulatory law. Since taking tenancy in October 2024, she has developed a busy practice, regularly receiving instructions from both prosecution and defence in the Crown Court, Youth Court, and Magistrates Court. Annabel’s confident yet approachable manner enables her to build rapport with professional and lay clients alike.
Her criminal practice demonstrates experience in a wide range of cases, including firearms offences, serious violence, PWITS and sexual offences. She also has experience working with vulnerable individuals, representing clients with significant mental health or psychiatric issues and cross-examining vulnerable witnesses who require intermediaries.
As part of her regulatory practice, Annabel is instructed to prosecute and defend for food hygiene and environmental offences. She has a particular interest in inquests, having represented private hospitals whose consultants are required to give evidence in the proceedings.
Outside of work, Annabel is a theatre enthusiast and keen baker. She has been known to bake for her colleagues – if they’re lucky!
Crime
Recent cases:
July 2025 – R v AR – Defence junior in a trial involving allegations of historic sexual and physical abuse of her client’s sister, ex-wife and 7 of his children.
June 2025 – R v MBA – Defence counsel (others having pleaded) in a conspiracy to steal 400,000L of fuel from depots across England and Wales during Covid-19 and launder over £400,000 in criminal property. Her client was said to play a leading role in the organisation of the conspiracy.
May 2025 – R v RL – Prosecution Junior in an attempted murder where the defendant, in a case of mistaken identity, shot the victim at close range to the face with a modified firearm. Defendant was unanimously convicted. Sentenced to 32 years’ imprisonment.
May 2025 – R v KW – Defence counsel for a young man accused of being part of a gang committing street robberies in Birmingham City Centre. Crown’s case relied on cell cite data placing the defendant in locations very close to offence locations at the time of the robberies and frequently in close location to his Co-Ds. Through cross-examination of the officer giving cell cite evidence, Annabel was able to demonstrate the evidence against her client was not as compelling as it appeared. Client unanimously acquitted.
April 2025 – R v DBD – Prosecution counsel in a possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life trial.
March 2025 – R v SS – Defence counsel for client who was a prison officer accused of sexually assaulting his co-worker, 35 years his junior, during a shift. Client unanimously acquitted.
February 2025 – R v SM and others – Counsel for D1 where the client was charged with s.18 GBH, possession of an offensive weapon and violent disorder, the Crown’s case being that this was a racially aggravated attack where the client beat the victim in the face with a metal pole. Following legal submissions and cross-examination of witnesses, the Crown conceded it could not prove any racial motivation. Client received a sentence of 3 years’ imprisonment despite being found guilty of all counts.
January 2025 – R v KB – Defence counsel where client was charged with attempted arson upon CCTV which appeared to show him pouring petrol over his ex-partner’s car and throwing a lit cigarette at it in a pub car park, and affray for driving his car towards ex-partner and her friends. Defence was lack of intent, unanimously acquitted of arson.
December 2024 – R v CS – Prosecution counsel for attempt s.18, dangerous driving, theft and ABH against ex-partner.
November 2024 – R v WT and others – Counsel for D1 in a 14-handed violent disorder trial involving two sides of a family having a fight in the street, armed with weapons including hammers. Client received a suspended sentence order.
Regulatory
Annabel is building a varied regulatory practice and accepts instructions in all areas of regulatory law. She is regularly briefed to prosecute and defend taxi appeals, school truancy, environmental and food hygiene matters.
Recent cases:
RSPCA v JR and others – Defended client charged with causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. Agreed a basis of plea with prosecution that significantly lowered culpability of JR.
BCC v – SH – Prosecuted an individual for fly -tipping significant amount of waste onto private land, requiring environmental clean-up.
Inquest into the death of BA – Represented a private healthcare company where a private consultant at one of their hospital’s was required to give evidence about their decision not to give a patient a wound washout and to manage their care remotely. Following submission of documents setting out approved practices for wound washing, no criticism made of consultant or the healthcare company. No PFDR required.
Inquest into the death of JH – Represented private hospital Trust in a 3 day inquest where two of the Trust’s consultants were required to give evidence. No criticism made of the healthcare provider’s policy, the Trust or their consultants. Made submissions against the need for a Prevention of Future Death Report (PFDR). No PFDR required.
During Bar School, Annabel was a volunteer with the School Exclusion Project, representing parents of children who had been permanently excluded from school at GED and IRP hearings.
Education
LLB – University of Birmingham – First Class
BVS – City Law School, London – Distinction
Awards
Lord Justice Holker Scholar – Gray’s Inn
Residential Scholar – Gray’s Inn
