Audrey Archer
Year of Call: 2004
Email Address: [email protected]
CJSM: [email protected]
Telephone: 01962 868884
Clerk Details
- Clerk Name: Robert Leonard
- Clerk Telephone: 01202 292102
- Clerk Email: [email protected]
Crime
Audrey only defends in cases involving serious crime. She represents persons accused of offences of particular complexity and seriousness.
She has been involved in a number of cases that have attracted national press attention. Her first case to be reported nationally was when she was just eight months into her practice. The Sun reported on the exceptionally lenient sentence her client received, and criticised the leniency that was shown to her client by the Court. Since then, many of Audrey’s cases have been nationally reported. One of her cases (resulting in her client being acquitted after a two month trial) is in the process of being made into a film. Another of her cases was referenced in the movie ‘Bridget Jones' Baby’ (2016).
Audrey develops a good working rapport with her clients. She is repeatedly instructed by those she has previously represented, and by instructing solicitors. She often receives letters and cards of thanks from those she defends. A card from a nurse, whom she recently defended, reads ‘thank you for your support and hard work on my case, and for believing in me. You are brilliant at what you do’ : R v B, Southampton Crown Court, October 2015 : Not guilty verdicts.
Pending Cases of note (2017)
- Blackmail : Case to be heard (Winchester 2017)
- Grievous bodily harm with intent (London 2017)
Recent cases
- Attempted murder charge, reduced at Court to Child Cruelty : NOT GUILTY verdicts by the Jury after trial (May 2017)
- Successfully defended an army sergeant accused of affray and assault upon two soldiers. His not guilty verdict was reported in a number of national newspapers. For example, see: media article
- Reported in the national papers: Defended a female accused of a vicious offence of glassing a male. Her client had seventeen previous convictions for violence towards others. She received a suspended sentence order. Achieving a suspended sentence for her client was a great accomplishment in view of the circumstances of this case, and the defendant’s background. media article
- Defended a police officer accused of severe harassment on an ex-partner, and data protection offences. On the BBC national news and within the national papers: media article
- Successfully defended in a heavily reported kidnap trial, where part of Audrey's cross examination of the main complainant was reported in the press: R v Charlotte Devaney and others media article & media article
- Instructed in a nationally reported case to defend a male charged with possession of a firearm, and grievous bodily harm with intent. Following preparatory advice from Audrey in relation to the defendant’s mental health at the time of the offences, experts were instructed, and the defendant was found to be insane at the time of the offences by two psychiatrists. Insanity was therefore a live issue in this trial: media article & media article
Other cases:
- R v L (2014) : Solely instructed to defend a director of a company charged with corporate manslaughter. Prosecuted by very senior counsel
- R v O (2013) : Sole counsel defending in a three month conspiracy to steal trial
- R v C (October 2011) : Armed robbery. Solely defending a 13 year old. Defendant found not guilty
- R v H Others (December 2010): Solely defending a male accused of offences of false imprisonment, wounding with intent, and threats to kill. Following a 6 week trial, the defendant was acquitted of all charges by the Jury.
Court of Appeal cases
Audrey has also appeared on a number of occasions as sole counsel in the Court of Appeal.
- R v Omar Blake (2010) EWCA Crim 2821. For appellant. Supply of class B drugs. Appeal against sentence allowed
- R v Pickett (2010) EWCA Crim 2757. For appellant. Consideration of manifestly excessive consecutive sentences in a young defendant’s case. Appeal allowed
- R v Conway (2008) EWCA Crim 845. For appellant. Consideration of compensation orders. Appeal allowed
- R v Donald Cooper (2008) EWCA Crim 1215. For appellant. Supply class A drugs. Appeal dismissed
- R v O (2009) – Armed robbery. 15 year old appellant. Appeal dismissed
- R v Jason Ralph and Others (Junior defence counsel) – Led by Matthew Jewell. For the applicant. The Court quashed the applicant’s conviction.
Led cases
- R-v-Jobarteh and Others: Junior prosecution counsel. Violent disorder - Operation Montego. Led by Maria Lamb. Violent disorder. Ten defendants, nine of whom were youths. Southampton Crown Court
- R v Ralph and Others: Junior defence counsel. Led by Matthew Jewell. Conspiracy to handle stolen goods - high value plant equipment. Conviction quashed by the Court of Appeal.
Additional
Audrey was invited by HHJ Burrell QC to act as one of the barristers in a Judges Training DVD which deals with issues that could arise within a trial.
She is a qualified advocacy trainer. She is also the mini pupillage co-ordinator for Winchester.
Sexual offences
Pending Cases of note (2017)
- Serious child sex offences, Southampton 2017
- Serious historic child sex offences, Bournemouth 2017
- Rape, Southampton 2017
- Indictment with nine counts of rape, Southampton 2017
Recent cases
- Defended a male in his late 70’s accused of historic sexual offences : Client found Not Guilty on all counts on the indictment
- Defended a male found to be mentally unfit to partake in this trial. Defendant found not to have done the act, and thus not guilty, following Audrey cross examining three civilian witnesses. R v E, Southampton Crown Court
- Successfully defended a school teacher, from a well known private school, accused of sexual offences. Reported nationally
- R v A (June 2011): Prosecuting a defendant for historic sex offences. Defendant represented by Queens Counsel
Led cases
- R-v-Howard: Junior prosecution counsel. Complex historic sex abuse case, where the offences dated back to 1962. Led by Robert Bryan. Winchester Crown Court
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Recommendations "Thank you so much for your robust and skilful defence of our son. Your grasp of the facts and knowledge of the case was first class. Your approach was so well measured, and pitched just right. We were lucky to have you."
Client's family, Bournemouth, 6th May 2016