Alexandra Scott

Call 2010

"She is excellent in paperwork and thorough in preparation, with a great court manner."

Chambers & Partners [2024]

"Juries love her closing speeches and she's always on top of everything."

Chambers & Partners [2024]

‘Alexandra is a very thoughtful, clear and concise advocate who is able to grasp complex material and provide excellent advice. On her feet she is persuasive and logical. She is personable and this comes across in her advocacy - she is clearly liked by juries.’

Legal 500 [2024]

'Alexandra has excellent client care skills, a great court presence and is very thorough in her preparations.'

Legal 500 [2024]

“Alexandra is a very thorough professional with excellent advocacy skills."

Legal 500 [2023]

“Her written advice is first rate and guidance during the currency of trials is invaluable."

Legal 500 [2023]

"Alexandra is a poised advocate, who commands the confidence of the court and her clients."

Legal 500 [2023]

“She is always very well prepared and indomitably determined to fight her client’s corner”

Legal 500 [2022]

“Alexandra has excellent judgement, relates well to clients, and demonstrates very good and detailed knowledge of the law”

Legal 500 [2022]

Expertise

Alexandra’s criminal practice is focused on organised crime and serious violence.

Equally adept at dealing with complex telephonic data as she is cross-examining witnesses, Alexandra has defended in serious, high-profile cases including cocaine importation, brothel keeping and firearms conspiracies. She takes a tactical approach to multi-handed cases, and understands the nuances of organised crime.

Alexandra is ranked as a Leading Junior in Crime in the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners 2024.

Notable Crime cases


R v V (2024) Harrow Crown Court

Representing one of four defendants charged with firearms offences arising out of an incident at Notting Hill Carnival.

R v C (2024) Portsmouth Crown Court

Operation Geology – instructed in a seven-handed conspiracy to supply class A drugs across the south of England.

R v A (2023) Isleworth Crown Court

Operation Brightly – leading Anthony James representing a defendant alleged to have been part of a wider scheme to launder cash through Dubai on a substantial scale.

R v G [2023] Isleworth Crown Court

Represented a businessman charged with conspiracy to supply 250kg of Ketamine – following service of a comprehensive Defence Statement, the Crown accepted that he was running a legitimate logistics business, that there was no realistic prospect of conviction and offered no evidence.

R v X [2023]

Instructed for the first defendant in a conspiracy to transfer firearms.

R v M [2023] Sheffield Crown Court

Representing a defendant charged as part of a large conspiracy to smuggle drugs and weapons into prison

R v O (2023) Ipswich Crown Court

Operation Pennard – Led by Houzla Rawat representing the first defendant in a large scale Encrochat conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis.

R v M [2022] Kingston Crown Court

Secured acquittal for a young man alleged to be part of a conspiracy to supply over 5kg of heroin.

R v S [2022] Harrow Crown Court

Represented a young man accused of attempted aggravated burglary and possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life.  The Crown’s case was that he was the leader of a large group that attempted to break into a cannabis factory armed with a loaded gun. The prosecution relied upon a combination of CCTV footage, cell site evidence, DNA evidence, and material taken from the defendant’s handset.  The client was acquitted of all counts.

R v B [2022] Isleworth Crown Court

Defendant acquitted of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to two police officers, using his car as a weapon.

R v M [2021] Harrow Crown Court

Written representations in conjunction with reports from two psychiatrists and a psychologist persuaded the Crown that it was not in the public interest to proceed with a trial of issue against her vulnerable client, who faced an allegation of false imprisonment as part of a wider conspiracy to kidnap and blackmail a teenager.

R v T [2021] Warwick Crown Court - Operation Crossfeed

Led by James Tilbury, representing a young man accused of kidnap and perverting the course of justice following the stabbing of two members of a rival gang by an associate.

R v R [2021] St Albans Crown Court

Conspiracy to steal count stayed following a successful abuse of process argument brought on the basis that to allow the matter to proceed would be an affront to justice.

R v S [2020] Cardiff Crown Court

Operation Jackdaw 2 – Appeared for a vulnerable defendant charged as part of a drugs conspiracy valued at £16 million, securing a suspended sentence.

R v Z [2020] Wood Green Crown Court

A case involving drugs and the illegal sex trade, led by Richard Furlong. Defendant charged with two conspiracies. Drafted the successful submission of ‘no case to answer’ on the conspiracy to run a brothel count; client found not guilty by the jury on the drugs conspiracy.

Coverage: Telegraph.

R v X [2019] Woolwich Crown Court

Avoided a potential ‘cut-throat’ to secure ‘not guilty’ verdicts for a promising young footballer who was the first of five young defendants prosecuted for a joint enterprise stabbing that took place in broad daylight in a residential street, in spite of the complainant identifying her client as the man with the knife, and the Crown’s assertion that he could be seen holding a knife on CCTV footage of the defendants fleeing the scene.

R v D [2019] Isleworth Crown Court

Operation Mandebras – Complex trial involving multiple conspiracies to facilitate immigration offences, led by James Tilbury.

R v D [2017] Lewes Crown Court

Led by Colin Aylott QC in a multi-handed case relating to an allegation of murder and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

R v Qosja [2017] 1 Cr App. R. 17

Point of law taken at first instance and on appeal – with leave – as to the immediacy of fear of violence requisite to make out a section 4A offence of stalking (discussed here)

R v K [2016] Harrow Crown Court

Represented a young man of good character accused of causing grievous bodily harm by breaking the complainant’s leg; acquittal secured on the basis of self-defence, relying on the evidence of a defence expert pathologist as to the nature of the fracture.

R v Raduca [2015] EWCA Crim 279

Sentence for a string of dwelling burglaries reduced on appeal.

R v C [2015] Central Criminal Court

Operation Namix – Importation of semi-automatic firearms. The case involved the defence of duress and ongoing disclosure of large amounts of phone data throughout the trial, led by Richard Button.

R v F [2014] Manchester Crown Court

Led by Chris Henley, successfully opposed the first forfeiture application made under s. 23 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Coverage
Aljazeera

Alexandra has a strong practice in financial crime. Able to deal with cases of significant volume and complexity, she has a thorough grasp of the detailed transactional material involved in this area.

Alexandra is ranked as a Leading Junior (Tier 2) in Fraud: Crime in the Legal 500 2024.

Notable Business Crime & Fraud cases


R v H (2024) Wood Green

Led junior in a pensions fraud.

R v B [2024] Southwark

Instructed to represent one of seven individuals (and two companies) facing allegations of fraudulent trading in the context of property rentals.

R v W [2024] Leeds

Operation Zebedee – Led junior defending in a significant Trading Standards prosecution relating to the secondary ticketing market.

R v C [2023] Birmingham

Instructed to defend an allegation of tax evasion spanning several years.

R v W [2022] Stoke-on-Trent

Operation Warmth – Represented the second defendant leading James Lloyd in a six-handed money laundering conspiracy alleged to relate to funds exceeding £120 million. The case involved analysis of business activities and the use of a haulage business as a front for unlawful activity.

R v R [2022] Inner London Crown Court

Acquittal secured for a defendant charged with conspiring with four others to conceal the proceeds of crime through multiple bank transfers and two properties.  Following service of skeleton arguments setting out submissions of ‘no case to answer’ at the close of the prosecution case, the Crown offered no evidence.

R v B [2021] Snaresbrook

Represented one of four defendants prosecuted for conspiracy to defraud arising out of a Trading Standards investigation in a trial that lasted eight weeks.

R v S [2021] Southwark

Secured a suspended sentence for a woman charged with transferring criminal property in excess of £250,000.

R v B [2019] Central Criminal Court & Birmingham Crown Court

Operation Vanilla – Led junior in a Carbon Credits boiler room fraud valued at £6.2m involving over 10,000 pages of evidence and a nuanced bad character argument – acquitted of the conspiracy and Serious Crime Prevention Order application successfully resisted.

Coverage: International Adviser and  Metro.

R v G [2018] Reading Crown Court

Operation Salvage – Led junior in a multi-handed ‘crash for cash’ fraud said to be worth £8m, securing a short sentence after trial, the Judge accepting that the defendant’s role was lesser, contrary to the submissions of the Crown.

Coverage: Daily Mail.

R v C [2018] Hull Crown Court

Operation Accordion – Led junior in a case involving multiple mortgage fraud conspiracies.

R v W [2016] Cardiff Crown Court

Successfully represented an eighty-year-old woman charged with money laundering arising out of a theft committed against Cardiff Council. Trial involved complex arguments on character. Bad character application successfully opposed and Judge persuaded to give a Good Character direction instead. Client acquitted.

Alexandra’s regulatory practice encompasses defending in Health and Safety Prosecutions, and offences under the Housing Act prosecuted by Local Authorities.

She has experience of representing both companies and company directors charged with offences prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive.

She has also conducted licencing appeals.

Notable Criminal Regulatory cases


R v B [2022] Croydon Magistrates’ Court

Represented a company charged with an environmental offence.  The company had failed to secure the relevant permits ahead of demolition.

DC v G, S & S [2019] Sheffield Crown Court

Represented the company and both directors initially facing an indictment containing ten counts under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, all relating to a defective floorboard at a retail premises which led to a customer sustaining an injury. Acceptable pleas were negotiated to the section 3 offences for the company and one of the directors, securing financial penalties for both.

SBC v D [2019] Camberwell Green Magistrates’ Court

Instructed to represent a landlord charged with breaches of Regulation 4 (Duty of manager to take safety measures) of the Management of Houses of Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006, in relation to a failure to ensure that all means of escape from fire are clear and accessible.

BCC v A [2016] Aylesbury Crown Court

Represented one of two defendants charged with nine offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

TFL v A [2016] City of London Magistrates’ Court

Represented a taxi driver appealing TFL’s decision not to renew his PHV licence following his failure both to disclose a conviction and subsequent driving disqualification within the requisite 21 days and to mention it when he renewed his application.

BCC v W [2015] Reading Crown Court

Case involved offences of depositing a controlled waste and failing to prevent a contravention of s.33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the allegation being that commercial waste was deposited on land not subject to an environmental permit. The defendant was acquitted of the second count.

WBC v P [2015] Redhill Magistrates’ Court

Defendant faced six charges, four breaches of the Management of Houses of Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006 and two related counts of fraud. Acceptable pleas negotiated and a financial penalty imposed.

She regularly acts in cash forfeiture hearings and has extensive experience of confiscation proceedings, both led and as a junior alone.

Notable Asset Forfeiture & Civil Recovery cases


R v A [2022]

Currently instructed to represent a defendant in the High Court in relation to an application for appointment of a receiver

R v D [2021] Derby Crown Court

Represented the first of two defendants in contested confiscation proceedings, a company director who had been convicted of fraud including false invoices, successfully avoiding a hidden assets finding and securing an available amount limited to the cash funds seized during the course of the investigation.

R v A [2021] Nottingham Crown Court

Instructed for a complicated confiscation with issues over the extent of the particular benefit and general conduct, and well as an argument over hidden assets.

R v F [2020] Winchester Crown Court

Successful application under section 23 POCA 2003 for a certificate of inadequacy in circumstances where the applicant’s property portfolio had in aggregate fallen into negative equity, the Crown initially contesting the applicant’s assertion that he was unable to realise the equity from the few individual properties that had retained their value.

R v B [2020] Birmingham Crown Court

Led junior on a confiscation valued at £6.8m; avoided a finding of hidden assets.

R v A [2019] Horsham Magistrates’ Court

Represented the respondent in a cash forfeiture application

R v S [2018] Kingston Crown Court

Represented the defendant at a contested confiscation involving Bitcoins, managing to reduce the benefit to reflect the client’s legitimate income.

R v F [2016] Southwark Crown Court

Led by Peter Corrigan for a confiscation hearing arising following conviction for a fraud valued in excess of £1.2m; written submissions ahead of the final hearing persuaded the Crown to accept that the available amount was £1.

  • Politics, Philosophy and Economics BA (Hons) Oxon

  • Fraud Lawyers Association;
  • Proceeds of Crime Lawyers Association;
  • Female Fraud Forum;
  • Women in Criminal Law;
  • Criminal Bar Association.

2024

Chambers & Partners
Crime: “Juries love her closing speeches and she’s always on top of everything.”
“She is excellent in paperwork and thorough in preparation, with a great court manner.”
Ranked: Band 6

Legal 500
Crime: ‘Alexandra has excellent client care skills, a great court presence and is very thorough in her preparations.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Fraud:Crime: ‘Alexandra is a very thoughtful, clear and concise advocate who is able to grasp complex material and provide excellent advice. On her feet she is persuasive and logical. She is personable and this comes across in her advocacy – she is clearly liked by juries.’
Ranked: Tier 2

2023

Legal 500
Fraud:Crime: ‘Alexandra is a poised advocate, who commands the confidence of the court and her clients.’
Ranked: Tier 3

Crime: “Her written advice is first rate and guidance during the currency of trials is invaluable.”
Ranked: Tier 3

Crime: ‘Alexandra is a very thorough professional with excellent advocacy skills. Her written advice is first rate and guidance during the currency of trials is invaluable.’
Ranked: Tier 3

2022

Legal 500
Crime: “Alexandra is determined and has great judgement. She is always very well prepared and indomitably determined to fight her client’s corner.”
Ranked: Tier 3
Fraud:Crime: “Alexandra has excellent judgement, relates well to clients, and demonstrates very good and detailed knowledge of the law.”
Ranked: Tier 3

  • Pupil Supervisor
  • Mentoring through Inner Temple and Bridging the Bar
Chambers & Partners 2024 Logo
Legal 500 Leading Junior 2023

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