Criminal
Amanda is a specialist criminal practitioner and is instructed to both prosecute and defend. A Level 4 Prosecutor, she regularly receives instructions to prosecute multi-handed cases involving drugs, violence, sexual offences (including grooming) and public disorder.
With 25 years’ experience, Amanda can be relied upon to prepare fully and in great detail and to provide first rate advocacy in any instruction. She deals with her clients in a sensitive and tactful manner where required, and is a highly respected, tenacious barrister.
She has been a led junior in numerous cases, including white collar fraud, murder and conspiracy to murder, arson, sex offences, and drugs conspiracies. She also practises in the field of prison law.
She has extensive experience in the following areas of practice:
- All manner of sexual offences
- Murder and serious violence
- Child cruelty
- Serious drugs offences and conspiracies
- Armed robbery
- Fraud (including white collar crime, benefit fraud, VHCCs)
- Money laundering
- Public order offences, including violence and disorder at football matches
She has become a particular specialist in serious sexual offences, to include historic rape; marital rape, and rape within a relationship; multi complainant cases; and grooming of vulnerable children and teenagers.
She has expertise in the examination and cross examination of very young witnesses, and those with mental health issues, as well as those who are otherwise vulnerable.
Amanda works throughout the North West and Yorkshire, and is always happy to travel.
Criminal Cases
R v R and others – £10 million buy-to-let fraud trial. Part of a wider investigation into organised crime in Tameside.
R v MS – Operation Doublet, Minshull Street Crown Court, November 2018: historic child sexual exploitation, Rochdale. Defendant’s conviction for rape quashed on appeal.
R v HS – Operation Tendersea, Leeds Crown Court, April 2018. Historic child sexual exploitation, Huddersfield. Defendant acquitted of all counts after 3 month trial.
R v LB – Operation Isidor, Manchester Crown Court, 2017. Multi-million pound mortgage fraud. Defendant received a suspended term of imprisonment following pleas on a limited basis.
R v ML – Court of Appeal Criminal Division, March 2017. Convictions for historic child sex offences quashed on the basis of fresh evidence. Retrial directed.
R v Hilton – Manchester Crown, March 2017. Defended in historic rape within a relationship case – unanimous acquittal.
R v WA – Preston Crown. Prosecuted trial where defendant unfit to be tried due to Alzheimers – convicted of multiple counts of historic rape and sexual abuse of stepdaughter.
R v MK – Burnley Crown Court. Defended male charged with historic familial rape, buggery and indecency offences against five complainants, all children at the time, now adults. Acquitted of all 16 counts after trial. (April 2016)
R v UO – Bolton Crown Court. Prosecuted male defendant for rape and sexual assault of two teenage complainants, who he had befriended and plied with alcohol on separate occasions, before sexually assaulting them. Pleaded guilty on day of trial, sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. (February 2016).
R v FT – Preston Crown Court. Prosecuted male who posed as a gay female online, and groomed a teenage girl whom he befriended. (February 2016)
R v RD Bolton Crown Court. Defended male charged with ‘date rape’. After the alleged rape, the complainant (who had left the scene) returned armed with a knife, and stabbed the defendant. Acquitted after trial. (January 2016)
R v KH Burnley Crown Court. Prosecuted male defendant for historic offences (rape and indecency) dating back to the late 1970’s, in respect of two complainants. Convicted after trial. (October 2015)
R v Michael Coakley – Caernarfon Crown Court. Defendant part of alleged conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs, spanning North Wales, Merseyside and Manchester. Acquitted of all counts after 7 week trial (Feb – March 2015).
R v MC – Bolton Crown Court. Defended area manager of national company accused of sexually assaulting two female employees in the workplace. Acquitted of all counts after trial (April 2015).
R v LB – Bradford Crown Court. Defended young man against an allegation made by his teenage niece that he had raped her repeatedly over a period of years whilst he was babysitting. Acquitted of all counts after trial (April 2015).
R v CD – Preston Crown Court. Defended 14 year old boy accused of raping his mother. Reported in the national press. Acquitted after trial (April 2015).
R v AB – Manchester Crown Court. Defended 19 year old male accused of historic sexual assaults and attempted rape of his then 8 year old niece. Defendant aged 12 at the time of the allegations. Acquitted after trial (July 2015).
R v GS – Bolton Crown Court. Defended man accused of historic rape of a child over the course of 2 years. Acquitted after trial (November 2014).
R v Chowdhury and others (2013-14) defended in multi-handed money laundering.
R v Amjad and others (2013) prosecuted multi-handed perverting the course of justice, arising out of a sexual grooming case.
R v Amjad and others (2013) led junior in multi-handed sexual grooming of a vulnerable teenage girl.
R v Waring (2013) prosecuted assault by penetration, 6 year old complainant.
R v Wang (2013) prosecuted sexual assault where defendant and complainant were university students.
R v Clarke (2013) defended serious robbery – defendant acquitted following challenge to VIPER procedure.
R v Goodwin (2013) prosecuted multi-complainant historic rapes and serious sexual violence.
R v Oldfield (2013) prosecuted multi-complainant historic “date rape” and indecent assault.
R v Bennett and others (2013) defended in multi-handed wide scale conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
R v Khan and others (2013) defended in multi-handed rape, vulnerable complainant.
R v Kataria (2012) defended marital rape.