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OVERVIEW

Called to the bar in 2013, Kathryn appears for both prosecution and defence in a wide range of cases in the Crown Court, the Magistrates’ Court and the Youth Court.

Kathryn’s practice includes prosecuting a significant variety of cases for the Crown Prosecution Service (including violent and sexual offences) as well as prosecuting for Local Authorities and representing the Secretary of State in immigration and asylum matters.

Kathryn regularly defends clients charged with all types of criminal offences as well as dealing with Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings. She also represents appellants challenging decisions made against them in various Tribunals.

She came to the bar having spent two years working for the Home Office, representing the Secretary of State for the Home Department in the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal. Prior to her time with the Home Office, Kathryn gained valuable legal experience at two well-known solicitors firms in Cardiff and Bristol. In addition, she also carried out pro bono work with Cardiff University.

EXPERTISE

Kathryn’s criminal practice includes cases in the following areas:

  • Drug offences – including possession, production and possession with intent to supply;

  • Assault – including common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault occasioning grievous bodily harm, wounding with intent and causing grievous bodily harm with intent;

  • Public Order offences – including using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, affray and violent disorder;

  • Theft and Kindred offences – including theft, handling stolen goods, burglary and robbery (including aggravated robbery);

  • Fraud – including conspiracy to defraud, benefit fraud, and carrying on a fraudulent business;

  • Sexual offences – including sexual assault by penetration, making or producing indecent images of children and/or prohibited sexual images;

  • Offences against children and/or vulnerable people – including ill treatment or wilful neglect;

  • Offences involving dogs – including neglect and/or harm to dogs, dangerous dogs and prohibited dogs;

  • Offences against Courts/Police/Prisons – including perverting the course of justice, witness intimidation, conveying a prohibited article into prison and concealing criminal property;

  • Trading Standards matters – including the sale and distribution of counterfeit goods, unfair trading, and breaches of health and safety regulations (that have in some cases led to fatalities); in addition, prosecutions pursuant to the Environmental Protection Act 1990;

  • Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licence appeals;

  • Proceeds of Crime Act Applications and other ancillary applications – including applications for restraining orders, criminal behaviour orders, exclusion orders, destruction orders, sexual harm prevention orders and serious crime prevention orders.

NOTABLE CASES

R. v. Daniel Phillips (2021) Kathryn successfully defended a man charged with offences of sexual assault.

R. v. Alberto Ramon (2021) Kathryn successfully defended a man charged with offences of sexual assault.

R. v. Michael Martin and Others (2019) – Kathryn was led in this case defending the first defendant in a complex Money Laundering case involving lengthy legal argument about the lawfulness of search warrants and surveillance evidence.

 

Surrey County Council v. Piercy (2019) – Kathryn successfully prosecuted a farmer for breaches of the Animal By-Product (Enforcement) Regulations. 

 

Cardiff County Council v Persimmon Homes (2019) – Kathryn was led by Mr Timothy Evans prosecuting the well known home builder in a case surrounding the alleged mis-selling of Leasehold properties in Cardiff. An out of Court settlement successfully resolved the case with a favourable outcome to the home buyers. 

 

R. v. Christian John (2019) – Kathryn prosecuted a defendant for his 17th breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. She argued that the current order was not protecting the public and successfully persuaded the court to amend the order following a legal argument.  

 

R. v. Fuhsa and Totraku (2019) – Kathryn defended in a case involving the production of cannabis with approximately £300,000 worth of cannabis and issues surrounding human trafficking and modern slavery.   

 

R v. Evans, Evans, Rowland, Rowland and Rowland (2019) – Kathryn successfully defended a man charged with an offence of Attempting to cause Grievous Bodily Harm with intent (S.18) despite the defendant having a serious memory condition which meant that he had no memory of the event. 

Swansea Council v. T J Morris Ltd (t/a Home Bargains) (2019) – Kathryn successfully prosecuted Home Bargains for selling knives to underage customers following an abuse of process argument. 

 

R. v. Arentsen (2018) – Kathryn represented a vulnerable defendant who was not fit to plead (not fit to provide instructions to his solicitors or counsel) and not fit to stand trial. Throughout the proceedings she provided thorough and lengthy advice on expert Psychiatric evidence and other medical evidence. Following a trial of the acts (where the defendant was charged with 6 counts of violence), her client was acquitted of many of the more serious charges against him.

R. v. Williams, Quinn, Galvin and Lloyd (2016 – 2018) – Kathryn was led by Mr Jonathan Rees in a complex and challenging fraud case; defending one of four defendants charged with a conspiracy to defraud solicitors’ firms. The case accrued an excess of 250,000 pages of evidence and involved lengthy legal argument following the failure of the prosecution to disclose highly important material. Kathryn and Mr Rees successfully argued abuse of process and their client was acquitted following proceedings that lasted over 3 years.

R. v. Riley & Scott (2018) – Kathryn represented two nurses charged with ill-treatment and willful neglect of an elderly patient in a well known Swansea hospital. Following a trial at Swansea Crown Court both nurses were acquitted.

Swansea County Council v. Rees (2018) – Kathryn prosecuted a defendant who was running a fraudulent car sales business. Legal argument followed in the Proceeds of Crime Act Application where the defendant had millions of pounds running through his accounts.

R. v. Thompson (2018) – Kathryn prosecuted a defendant charged with 20 separate offences, including burglary, robbery and possession of an imitation firearm during the commission of an offence. Having been determined dangerous by the Judge, the defendant was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court to an extended determinate sentence of 10.5 years (7.5 years with a 3 year extension).

R. v. Davies (2017) – Kathryn represented a vulnerable 19 year old lady who was guilty of perverting the course of justice and joint robbery; the victim in the case had been robbed at knife point in his own home and later accused (falsely) of raping the defendant.

Kathryn Lane

Kathryn Lane

PRACTICE AREAS

Drug offences

Assault

Public Order offences

Theft and Kindred offences

Fraud

Sexual offences

Offences against the children and/or vulnerable persons

Offences involving dogs

Offences against Courts/Police/Prisons

Trading Standards matters

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licence appeals

Proceeds of Crime Act applications and other ancillary applications

APPOINTMENTS & MEMBERSHIPS

Member of the Wales and Chester Circuit
Member of The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn
Member of the Denning Society
Member of the Criminal Bar Association
Grade 2 Panel Prosecutor

SCHOLARSHIPS

The Walter Wigglesworth Scholarship 2015 from the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn
The Droop Scholarship 2012/2013 from the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn

OTHER COMMENDATIONS

Presented to Her Majesty The Queen for contributions to education by the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn (December 2018)

For any enquiries, please contact the clerking team:

Email: clerks@apexchambers.net

Phone: 02920 23 2032

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