Practice
Dafna defends in serious criminal cases including murder, attempted murder, serious and complex fraud (eg MTIC and Advance Fee Frauds) sexual offences including rape and human trafficking, drug importation and related confiscation proceedings.
She combines an incisive, analytical approach with a personal touch in dealing with the client.
Whilst maintaining the ear of the court, she is never afraid to fight her client's corner.
She is frequently instructed both as leading counsel and as junior led by Queens Counsel in the heaviest cases.
Career
Dafna was appointed as a Recorder of the South Eastern Circuit in 2009.
She acts as a consultant for various television productions, most recently on a new legal drama for ITV1.
She is an accredited pupil supervisor.
Notable Cases
Recent notable cases include:
R v Kathleen Porter - First on the indictment in attempted murder of a family member at a public fair - acquitted R v Peter Prodromou - Minor television celebrity charged with s.18 GBH R v Baltakis & Others - International identity fraud R v Newland & Others - Represented first defendant on multi-handed social security fraud R v N, D & L [2010] EWCA Crim 941; [2010] 2 Cr. App. R. 14; Times, May 11, 2010
Serious, sustained gang rape by three teenage boys on a 14 year old virgin who D met on the internet when she was 13 and he was 16, brought to a co-defendant's house and serially raped by the group. (a) Despite D's age he was given no discount, let alone a significant discount for it. The C of A held that the discount was dependent on the maturity of the offender which in certain circumstances would minimised the discount virtually to extinction; (b) the drafting of an Indictment required attention to the realities of the case and not at all to the theoretical possibilities which might arise to avoid unnecessary counts being included and consequent wasting of time and 'scarce and valuable resources'. R v M, B & H [2010] EWCA Crim 42
Guideline case on Notification Requirements under Sexual Offences Act 2003 for offenders under 18. R v Darren Greenwood - Chelmsford Crown Court
Successfully defended a 33 year old man facing serious sexual allegations on the grounds of automatism. The press described it as a 'landmark case'. R v F and HS - Central Criminal Court
Junior (led by Judy Khan QC) on a murder in which we represented a 15 year old girl who together with a 15 year old boy was charged with the murder of her uncle who had been sexually abusing her and her sister. The deceased had been stabbed 7 times. The co-defendant was convicted of murder, our client was acquitted of murder and convicted of manslaughter by a majority of 10:2. R v Frankham
Leading for the First Defendant - acquitted of attempted murder at Ipswich Crown Court following high profile case involving an armed attack at a traveller's funeral.
R v Athwal (Bachan) and Athwal (Sukhdave) [2009] 2 Cr. App. R. 14, CA
Honour killing of daughter in law, representing oldest woman to be tried for murder in the UK. Leading authority on statements admissible under s120 CJA 2003 to rebut an allegation of fabrication (whether recent or not).
Operation Carina
Acted for the first defendant in a multi-handed diversion fraud. The teams for the first and second defendants led a complex and ultimately successful application to stay the proceedings, which was the most expensive Customs investigation to have been brought (at that time).
Additional fraud cases have included Operation Capri (MTIC) and R v Dekson (Advance Fee Fraud).
CURRENT INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDE:
Operation Ksora Drugs importation at Kingston Crown Court
Operation Hatton - representing 19 year old defendant charged with a campaign of stranger rapes at Manchester Crown Court
Mujic (& other Mujics) - multi-handed fraud at Northampton Crown Court
Operation Usk - representing one of 7 defendants in a 3 month murder trial at Birmingham Crown Court where no body has been found.
R v O and others- Multi-million pound fraud on the Olympic Development Authority to be tried at Southwark Crown Court
Operation Parate Human Trafficking for case at Southwark CC
Application for leave to appeal in R v Buckley & Ors where a sentence of Imprisonment for Public Protection was imposed (Operation Selby). Profile last updated June 2011
|
