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Criminal Appeals

"Impressed solicitors note that the individuals at the set represent an amazing level of excellence."

Chambers UK Bar Guide

“The clerks are easy to get on with, reliable, extremely well organised and quick to respond to calls and e-mails. They work to a very high and professional standard.” 

Chambers UK Bar Guide​

To contact the Crime Clerks, please email crimeclerksmailbox@gclaw.co.uk or phone

+44 (0)20 7993 7600

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Winner Legal 500 Crime Set of the Year 2015

Garden Court Chambers has helped shape the foundations of modern criminal appellate law by pursuing criminal appeals to the highest courts.

Our criminal appeals barristers were involved in the formulation of the now well-known Pendleton test by the House of Lords, the leading case on fresh evidence.

Over the last 40 years, we have played a key role in reversing many of the seminal miscarriages of justice, including: Derek Bentley, the Guildford Four, the Birmingham Six, Judith Ward, Carl Bridgewater, the M25 Three and Sam Hallam.

The Garden Court Chambers Crime Team has been shortlisted as 'Crime Set of the Year' at the Legal 500 Bar Awards 2023.

Areas of Expertise

  • Miscarriage of justice cases including statutory compensation claims
  • Points of law of public importance
  • Advancing protections for victims of trafficking convicted of criminal offences
  • Fresh evidence appeals
  • Complex sentencing cases
  • Representing juvenile defendants
  • Shaken baby syndrome
  • Non-disclosure and participating informants (PIs)
  • Criminal Cases Review Commission applications and referrals to the Court of Appeal
  • Death penalty cases in the Privy Council

We continue to work at the cutting-edge of appellate law. Two of our criminal appeals barristers were instructed in the momentous Supreme Court decision on joint enterprise (R v Jogee; Ruddock v The Queen), a judgment with far-reaching ramifications for past convictions for the most serious crimes.

We have two barristers instructed in the successful appeal to quash the conviction of Sally Challen for murdering her husband. The appeal attracted international interest across academia and the media because it was the first appeal of its kind to test the viability of coercive control as a fact relevant to provocation. 

We are recognised as leading barristers in the UK for criminal law. In 2015 we won the Legal 500 Crime Set of the Year Award and our crime team has been shortlisted for the same award four times.

Recent notable cases and news

Jury’s acquittal at rape trial ends five year ordeal for man wrongly convicted

David Emanuel KC represented the defendant, instructed by Steven Bird of Birds Solicitors.

19 February 2024

Court of Appeal quashes half-century convictions based on racist police officer’s evidence

Henry Blaxland KC, of the Garden Court Criminal Appeals Team, acted for Saliah Mehmet and Basil Peterkin, instructed by Matt Foot of Appeal.

18 January 2024

Mark Robinson successful in Criminal Court of Appeal

Mark Robinson of the Garden Court Crime Team was instructed by the Criminal Appeals Office after the single Judge granted a Representation Order.

16 November 2023

Garden Court secures top tier rankings in the Legal 500 UK 2024

Garden Court Chambers is proud to be recognised as a Top Tier set again in the Legal 500 UK 2024 rankings.

4 October 2023

Sentencing Council responds to Clare Wade KC's Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review

Clare Wade KC, who was appointed Independent Reviewer on domestic homicide, published the Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review earlier in 2023.

7 September 2023

Liberty intervention in CCRC referral on Human Rights Implications of ‘Gang’ Evidence in Joint Enterprise Cases

Shahida Begum, of the Garden Court Chambers Criminal Appeals Team, is on the legal team who drafted the submissions to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) on behalf of Liberty.

23 August 2023

High Court rules cases referred to Crown Court by CCRC following guilty plea should proceed to appeal

Jennifer Twite of the Garden Court Crime Team successfully represented the first interested party alongside Stephen Knight of 1 Pump Court, led by Francis Fitzgibbon KC of 23 Essex Street. Jennifer was instructed by Karolina Rychlicka of Just for Kids Law

8 August 2023

Coercive and controlling behaviour to become statutory mitigating factor - Clare Wade KC comments on Government's response to Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review

Clare Wade KC, who was appointed as Independent Reviewer into domestic homicide, comments on further Government proposals published today (20 July 2023) as part of a wide-ranging response to Clare Wade KC’s report on domestic homicide.

20 July 2023

Out of time appeal success for David Emanuel KC

David Emanuel KC of the Garden Court Criminal Defence Team represented the appellant.

13 June 2023

Gross Miscarriage of Justice – Application to CCRC reveals jury misled to find Black teens guilty under Joint Enterprise

The families are represented by Keir Monteith KC of the Garden Court Chambers Criminal Defence Team, instructed by Darrell Ennis-Gayle of Hodge Jones & Allen.

26 May 2023

Tom Wainwright and Justine Compton appointed as Recorders

We are delighted to announce Tom Wainwright (Call: 2003) and Justine Compton (Call: 2005) of Garden Court Chambers have been newly appointed as Recorders by the Queen on the advice of the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales.

18 May 2023

David Emanuel QC succeeds in persuading Court of Appeal to reduce sentence

David Emanuel QC of the Garden Court Criminal Defence Team represented the appellant, Kelsey Jones. He was instructed by Shaun Draycott of Draycott Browne Solicitors, Manchester.

13 July 2022

David Emanuel QC secures murder acquittal in retrial after Court of Appeal success

David Emanuel QC of the Garden Court Chambers Crime Team led Yusuf Solley from Furnival Chambers and was instructed by Helen Ahmet of SVS Solicitors.

22 June 2022

Convictions quashed by the Court of Appeal after David Emanuel QC brings appeal five years out of time

David Emanuel QC, of the Garden Court Chambers Criminal Defence Team, acted for NJ and was instructed by Correna Platt at Stephensons.

16 June 2022

Garden Court Crime Team statement on no returns action

30 March 2022

David Emanuel QC succeeds in Court of Appeal again after successful Criminal Cases Review Commission referral

David Emanuel QC, of the Garden Court Chambers Criminal Defence Team, acted for Hanif Patel.

11 March 2022

Elena Papamichael joins Garden Court Chambers Crime Team

Garden Court Chambers is delighted to announce Elena Papamichael is now a member of the Garden Court Chambers Criminal Defence Team.

4 January 2022

Released after 18 years in prison for a murder he did not commit

David Emanuel QC and Tom Wainwright, of the Garden Court Chambers Crime Team, instructed by Steven Bird of Birds Solicitors have secured the acquittal of a man wrongly convicted of murder in 2004 after an unprecedented three appeals.

21 December 2021

Tom Wainwright successfully appeals conviction of HS2 protestor for protecting wildlife

Tom Wainwright, of the Garden Court Chambers Protest Team, represented the appellant. Tom was instructed by Simon Natas and Anna Renou of ITN Solicitors.

17 November 2021

Garden Court secures number one rankings in Chambers UK Bar Guide 2022

21 October 2021

Garden Court Chambers Crime Team shortlisted for Crime Set of the Year by Chambers Bar Awards 2021

We are delighted to announce that the Garden Court Chambers Crime Team has been shortlisted by the Chambers Bar Awards 2021 for Crime Set of the Year.

27 August 2021

Supreme Court upholds right to disruptive protest on highway

The Appellants were represented by Henry Blaxland QC and Owen Greenhall, both members of the Garden Court Chambers Protest Team, and Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh of Matrix Chambers. They were instructed by Raj Chada of Hodge, Jones and Allen solicitors.

25 June 2021

New guidance issued as a result of appeal against murder conviction

Keir Monteith QC, of the Garden Court Chambers Crime Team, led Chandra Sekar of Angell Park Chambers, in an appeal against the murder conviction of Kinse Aidid.

21 June 2021

Appeals allowed for Extinction Rebellion Protests

Owen Greenhall and Audrey Cherryl Mogan, members of the Garden Court Chambers Protest Team, represented the appellants. They were instructed by Raj Chada (HJA) and Lydia Dagostino (Kellys).

4 May 2021

David Emanuel QC obtains leave to appeal 18 years out of time in successful appeal against conviction and sentence

David Emanuel QC of the Garden Court Chambers Criminal Defence Team represented the Defendant. David was instructed by Correna Platt of Stephensons Solicitors.

1 April 2021

ECHR judgment finds failure to adequately protect potential victims of child trafficking

Henry Blaxland QC, Emma Fitzsimons and Stephen Clark of Garden Court Chambers represented the claimant, VCL. Michelle Brewer, a former tenant of Garden Court also represented VCL.

16 February 2021

Extended sentence quashed in the Court of Appeal

Our Stella Harris of the Garden Court Criminal Defence Team acted for the appellant, instructed by Javed Chughtai, Partner at EBR Attridge.

26 January 2021

Court of Appeal upholds suspended sentence for animal rights activist

Michael Goold of the Garden Court Chambers Criminal Defence Team represented the defendant.

9 December 2020

Rapper Ceon Broughton wins appeal against manslaughter conviction following festival death of Louella Fletcher-Michie

Ceon Broughton was represented by Stephen Kamlish QC of the Garden Court Chambers Crime Team leading Richard Thomas of Doughty Street Chambers instructed by Alastair Lyon of Birnberg Peirce Solicitors.

18 August 2020

Government acted unlawfully in sharing information that could lead to death penalty, rules UK Supreme Court

Jacob Bindman of the Garden Court Chambers Criminal Defence Team, led by Mark Summers QC of matrix chambers, instructed by Rosa Curling of Leigh Day Solicitors represented the intervener, Reprieve

25 March 2020

Court of Appeal quashes convictions of the Oval Four

Judy Khan QC, Joint Head of Garden Court Chambers, represented the appellants instructed by Jenny Wiltshire of Hickman & Rose and Steven Bird of Birds Solicitors.

5 December 2019

Garden Court barristers join the JUSTICE Working Party on Racial Disparity in Youth Justice

Maya Sikand, Kate-Aubrey Johnson and Danielle Manson of Garden Court have been appointed to the JUSTICE Working Party, 'Racial Disparity in Youth Justice'

20 November 2019

Past Notable Cases

 

Sally Challen murder conviction quashed and manslaughter plea accepted in “coercive control” case (2019) 
Landmark case in which Sally Challen walked free after prosecutors accepted a lesser plea of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, for killing her abusive husband after decades of psychological abuse. Coverage in BBCGuardian and ITV News.

High Court allows appeal on time limit for prosecuting summary offences (2019) 
Acting for the appellant in a case described by the High Court as one ‘which raises a short but important point as to the…time limit on the commencement of a prosecution for a summary offence’.

Successful appeal against sentence secures imminent release from custody for 18-year-old (2018) 
It was argued that the two-year sentence for robbery committed with two others when the defendant was 17 was excessive, and the sentencing judge had failed to give proper regard to the young man’s age, mitigation or the comparatively lenient sentences imposed on the young man’s co-defendants.

Successful appeal against conviction almost 10 years out of time (2017)
Representing Mr K, who in 2007 pleaded guilty to possessing a false passport contrary to section 25 of the Identity Cards Act 2006. He was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment. The conviction was quashed. 

R v Jogee, Ruddock v The Queen (2016)
Supreme Court and Privy Council clarification of joint enterprise

R v Ched Evans (2015)
CCRC referral of footballer Ched Evans’ rape conviction to Court of Appeal

R v L & Ors (2013)
Successful test case creating further protections for trafficked victims under Article 26 of the Anti-Trafficking Convention and the relevant EU Directive, and overturning the convictions of four victims of trafficking, three of whom were children

R v McNally (2013)
Leading authority on when consent may be vitiated in relation to sexual offences

R v Victor Nealon (2013)
Overturning rape conviction of Victor Nealon, who was wrongly imprisoned for 17 years, after fresh DNA evidence was considered on appeal

R v Sam Hallam (2012)
Widely publicised miscarriage of justice appeal. The case was reported in The Guardian

Tabeel Lewis v The State (2011)
Reprieve secured in Privy Council death penalty case

R v Altaf Hussain (2008)
Last in series of CCRC referrals exposing malpractice and the use of PIs by Customs and Excise in the 80s and 90s

R v Suzanne Holdsworth (2008)
Conviction for toddler murder found unsafe in light of fresh medical evidence

R v Derek Bentley (1998)
Earliest case on principle of joint enterprise: Derek Bentley was hanged in 1953 and posthumously vindicated in 1998 when his conviction was set aside

Contact team

The Team

Henry Blaxland KC

Year of Call: 1978

Year of Silk: 2002

Michael Turner KC

Year of Call: 1981

Year of Silk: 2002

James Scobie KC

Year of Call: 1984

Year of Silk: 2010

Rajiv Menon KC

Year of Call: 1993

Year of Silk: 2011

Peter Wilcock KC

Year of Call: 1988

Year of Silk: 2012

Michael Ivers KC

Year of Call: 1991

Year of Silk: 2016

Clare Wade KC

Year of Call: 1990

Year of Silk: 2018

Brenda Campbell KC

Year of Call: 2002

Year of Silk: 2018

David Emanuel KC

Year of Call: 1996

Year of Silk: 2019

Keir Monteith KC

Year of Call: 1994

Year of Silk: 2019

Hossein Zahir KC

Year of Call: 2005

Year of Silk: 2019

Jacqueline Vallejo

Year of Call: 1997

Ruby Selva

Year of Call: 1999

Minka Braun

Year of Call: 2000

Sam Parham

Year of Call: 2000

Christian Wasunna

Year of Call: 2000

Felicity Williams

Year of Call: 2000

Kate Aubrey-Johnson

Year of Call: 2001

Stella Harris

Year of Call: 2002

Alex Rose

Year of Call: 2003

Tom Wainwright

Year of Call: 2003

Daniel Jameson

Year of Call: 2004

Joanne Cecil

Year of Call: 2005

Lucie Wibberley

Year of Call: 2005

Jennifer Twite

Year of Call: 2006

Giles Newell

Year of Call: 2007

Lee Sergent

Year of Call: 2016

Shahida Begum

Year of Call: 2008

Jacob Bindman

Year of Call: 2010

Emma Fenn

Year of Call: 2010

Michael Goold

Year of Call: 2010

Owen Greenhall

Year of Call: 2010

Catherine Oborne

Year of Call: 2011

Audrey Cherryl Mogan

Year of Call: 2014

Elena Papamichael

Year of Call: 2021

Gerard Pitt

Year of Call: 2018

Mark Robinson

Year of Call: 2020

Will Hanson

Year of Call: 2021

Associate Members

Anna Morris KC

Year of Call: 2006

Year of Silk: 2023

James Mehigan

Year of Call: 2008

We are top ranked by independent legal directories and consistently win awards.

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