Clerk Details
- Clerk Name: Stuart Pringle
- Clerk Telephone: 01962 868884
- Clerk Email: [email protected]
Crime
Criminal Defence
Anna Leathem has a busy defence practice and is regularly instructed in the Crown Court and Magistrates’ Courts dealing with a wide range of offences including drugs, fraud, robbery, domestic violence and sexual crimes.
She has experience in dealing with young and vulnerable defendants in the youth courts and has completed specialist training with the Youth Justice Legal Centre.
Criminal Prosecutions - Private & Public
Anna accepts instructions to prosecute on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service and Probation Service. She continues to build upon her experience prosecuting in the Crown Court and Magistrates’ Courts. Anna has also been instructed in private prosecutions.
Extradition/International
Anna has been instructed to act on behalf of numerous clients facing extradition to a number of different countries. She is keen to develop her extradition practice and accepts instructions in this area.
Recent Cases
Offences against the person
R v AP (2024) Crown Court: ABH, intentional strangulation and criminal damage: prosecution of a two-day trial with successful hearsay application in respect of a child’s account captured on police Body Worn Video.
R v RE (2024) Crown Court: assault emergency worker: no evidence offered following successful written representations due to client suffering from a manic episode at the time of the offences.
R v JS (2024) Crown Court: s.18 unlawful wounding: prosecuted in a sentence hearing involving serious violence between two inmates in prison.
R v CB (2021) magistrates’ court: assault by beating: no evidence offered after successful half time submission following cross-examination of the complainant.
Drugs
R v TC (2024) Crown Court: PWITS Class A and possession of ammunition: prosecuted a sentence hearing in which the defendant received immediate custody.
R v RG (2022) Crown Court: PWITS Class A and Class B and possession of criminal property: defended a university student who successfully avoided an immediate custodial sentence.
R v EO (2021) Crown Court: PWITS Class A and Class B: despite the indication of immediate custody, the client was given a suspended sentence owing to Anna’s reliance on case law in which a sentence had been reduced owing to ‘unjustifiable delay’.
Dishonesty offences
R v ML (2024) Crown Court – fraud: fraud reduced to theft and client successfully avoided immediate custody. The sentence hearing was covered in the media.
R v ES (2024) Crown Court – robbery: represented a youth in a successful appeal against sentence. The six-month DTO was replaced with a six-month YRO.
R v JF (2022) Crown Court – dwelling-burglary: two-day trial involving vulnerable defendant who was given a suspended sentence.
Motoring offences
R v AW (2024) Crown Court – dangerous driving: four-day prosecution trial resulting in a conviction.
R v VL (2022) magistrates’ court – speeding: client avoided losing their licence following successful exceptional hardship application.
R v RA (2022) magistrates’ court – multiple driving offences: successful application to re-open case and convictions set aside under s.142 Magistrates’ Court Act 1982.
Weapons
R v PN (2024) Crown Court: possession of a bladed article in a public place: client acquitted following successful representations to the prosecution regarding evidential issues and public interest with no evidence offered.
R v FS (2024) Crown Court: possession of an offensive weapon in a public place: prosecuted in a sentence hearing involving a defendant who had produced a sword in the context of using threatening behaviour to provoke unlawful violence.
R v JWJ (2021) magistrates’ court: possession of a bladed article in a public place – no evidence offered following successful representations to the prosecution.
Sexual offences
R v SS (2024) Crown Court – threaten to disclose private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress and stalking: successfully opposed onerous terms of a restraining order sought by the prosecution.
R v BW (2023) Crown Court – make indecent images of children: prosecuted sentencing hearing in which the defendant had made indecent images of children over a period of four years and breached a SHPO.
R v IK (2022) Youth Court – exposure and sexual assault of female – successfully argued that the test for a SHPO was not made out.
Other cases
R v LD (2024) Magistrates’ Court: criminal damage: no evidence offered after successful opposition to the prosecution’s Res Gestae application to rely on a 999 call.
R v AK and SA (2023) Crown Court: attempt to enter the UK illegally: prosecuted two defendants attempting to enter the UK via migrant boats from France which resulted in custodial sentences.
R v AM (2022) Crown Court; theft and breach of suspended sentence: client avoided activation of suspended sentence despite the new offence being committed only six days into the order being imposed.
IJA v WM (2022) Magistrates’ Court – extradition: successfully represented a requested person whose extradition was discharged in respect of their Article 8 rights.
-
Recommendations "Anna is not only very personable with clients but is also very on top of the law, changes in statute and recent case authorities which gives her an edge over many new barristers." Instructing solicitor
"Anna is passionate and will always go that extra mile in securing the best possible outcome for her client." Instructing solicitor