Sarah has a busy and varied criminal practice appearing in the Crown Court. She also practises in family law, representing clients in children proceedings, both private and care, as well as Family Law Act proceedings.
Sarah is a confident advocate who is committed to representing her clients’ interests actively and fearlessly. She is meticulous in her preparation and in the presentation of her cases at trial. She is also very approachable, puts her clients at ease, and she always ensures that her clients fully understand court proceedings and the strengths and weaknesses of their cases to allow them to make fully informed decisions.
Sarah is also a Pupil Supervisor and the Head of Wellbeing in Chambers.
In her limited spare time, Sarah teaches advocacy as a tutor with the Education department of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn on Pupils Advocacy Training courses, Bar students courses and residential weekends, as well as volunteers as a Judge with the Inn’s mooting club. She also volunteers to mentor and/or assist those seeking pupillage. Sarah is also a Level 2 Exercise to Music Fitness Instructor and a Level 2 Mental Health Workplace Responder.
Crime Barrister
Sarah has extensive experience in dealing with vulnerable defendants and defendants with mental health difficulties. She possesses mature strategy skills, and she is able to grasp and advance complex legal arguments and defences. Her practice covers a variety of offences, including s18 & s20 GBH; drugs; firearms and offensive weapons; offences of dishonesty including robbery, burglary, theft or fraud; sexual offences including Rape; and offences relating to domestic abuse.
Sarah also has experience in prison law, having volunteered with the Prisoners’ Advice Service for two years and advised prisoners on all matters relating to their detention and their rights as prisoners.
Notable Cases
R v JP (2024) Luton CC – defending in a 2-week rape trial. Sarah secured acquittals on two counts of rape, one count of controlling and coercive behaviour, and one count of putting in fear of violence.
R v AA (2023) Wood Green CC – defending in a 2.5-week rape trial. Hung jury with a re-trial in 2024.
R v MG (2023) Isleworth CC – representing a defendant in his absence in a trial for PWITS Class A. The Prosecution offered no evidence at the close of their case resulting in acquittals. Sarah persuaded the court to withdraw the warrant for the defendant’s arrest.
R v SY (2023) Snaresbrook CC – defending in an actus reus trial for racially aggravated criminal damage. Sarah secured a unanimous not guilty verdict on one count of criminal damage; SY was found to have done the act on the other count.
R v BT (2022) St Albans CC – defending in a 8-day trial for being concerned in the supply of class A drugs. Sarah secured a unanimous acquittal. Please click here for more details.
R v DM (2022) Kingston CC – defending in a 7-day trial for controlling & coercive behaviour, witness intimidation and four counts of disclosing sexual photos. Sarah secured unanimous not guilty verdicts on witness intimidation and one count of disclosing sexual photos. Hung jury on controlling and coercive behaviour, which the prosecution decided not to retry, prompting an acquittal.
R v CJ (2022) Isleworth CC – defending at trial for threats with a bladed article. Sarah successfully opposed a hearsay application from the Crown and pre-empted an application to adduce bad character of one of the complainants, forcing the Crown to offer no evidence and securing not guilty verdicts be returned by the jury on day 2 of the trial.
R v H (2022) Guildford CC – defending at trial for robbery. Sarah secured a unanimous acquittal.
R v YB (2022) Harrow CC – prosecuting at trial for PWITS class A, PWITS class B and possession of criminal property. Sarah secured unanimous guilty verdicts on all three counts.
R v LH (2021) Central Criminal Court – Sarah secured Not Guilty verdicts in historic Court Number One at the Old Bailey. On the first day of trial for PWITS and being concerned with the supply of class B drugs, Sarah made a successful application to exclude damaging telephone evidence. The Crown offered no evidence as a result.
R v DW (2021) Kingston-upon-Thames CC – defending at trial for s16a Firearms Act possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and robbery with an imitation firearm. Sarah persuaded the court that DW should not be found to be a dangerous offender for the purpose of an extended sentence, and secured a total sentence of 3 years imprisonment.
R v SS (2021) Kingston-upon-Thames CC – defending at trial for dwelling burglary and possession of a bladed article. Sarah secured an absolute discharge following a unanimous Special Verdict of Not Guilty by reason of insanity. Please click here (https://gtstewart.co.uk/absolute-discharge-following-special-verdict-of-not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity-full-article/) for more details.
R v QD (2021) Croydon CC – defending at trial for s18 GBH. Sarah secured an absolute discharge following a unanimous Special Verdict of Not Guilty by reason of insanity.
R v JF (2021) Kingston-upon-Thames CC – Sarah persuaded the Crown to offer no evidence in relation to two counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs and one count of possession criminal property. Sarah further secured a sentence of 4 months imprisonment for possession of £2,000 in counterfeit notes. Please click here for more details.
R v RD (2021) Maidstone CC – defending in a multi-handed sentence for conspiracy to steal. Sophisticated conspiracy using a malware to steal cash from ATMs. RD was sentenced to 28 months imprisonment. Please click here (https://www.kentonline.co.uk/gravesend/news/atm-hackers-jailed-for-13-years-244239/) for more details.
R v DA (2021) Inner London CC – defending. Sentence for distribution of Category A and B indecent images of a child, and possession of 38 indecent images of a child and extreme pornography. Sarah secured a sentence of 16 months suspended for 2 years.
R v NM (2021) Isleworth CC – defending. Sentence for 2 attempted burglaries (dwelling). NM was a prolific offender with convictions for 57 offences of dishonesty, including numerous dwelling burglaries. The present offences were committed whilst on licence for another dwelling burglary. Sarah secured a suspended sentence allowing NM to benefit from a DRR and an ATR.
R v D (2020) Inner London CC – Sarah secured a suspended sentence for a third offence of possession of a knife committed whilst on licence for the last knife offence.
R v FD (2020) Woolwich CC – defending. Unanimous acquittal following trial for possession of an offensive weapon.
R v JT (2020) Kingston-upon-Thames CC – defending. Unanimous acquittal on a count of racially aggravated assault by beating. £50 fine for the alternative count, namely a simple assault.
R v D (2019) Kingston-upon-Thames CC – defending at trial on one count of possession of a bladed article where Sarah ran a defence of ‘good reason’. Following conviction, Sarah secured a sentence of 7 weeks, departing substantially from the mandatory minimum 6 months sentence for second knife offences.
R v PL (2019) Kingston CC – Appeal against sentence allowed, reducing the original 10-month imprisonment sentence to 18 weeks for breaches of a SOPO.
