Anna Renou

Anna has a strong and developing practice in serious crime, with experience from the magistrates court to the Supreme Court.

Anna has a decade of experience in criminal law.  She was called to the Bar in 2022 having worked as a Solicitor since 2016, and as an Australian Lawyer since August 2010.  Prior to her transition to the Bar, she defended in a wide range of criminal cases of high level of complexity, including terrorism, homicide, serious violence, public disorder, protest, sexual offences and fraud.

She has particular interest in protest law, defending those arrested on multiple occasions and who have experienced abusive treatment by police and security guards.  Anna provides her clients with reassurance and support often in difficult and stressful situations.

Before joining chambers Anna worked as a Solicitor-Advocate at ITN solicitors where she appeared regularly in the Crown, Magistrates and Youth courts.  Anna carried a caseload of vulnerable clients how have repeated interactions with the criminal justice system.

Notable Crime cases

R v AR (2024) Woolwich Crown Court

Represented a vulnerable defendant accused of false imprisonment, threats to kill, common assault and assault emergency worker. Defendant acquitted of threats to kill and common assault and convicted on the remaining counts.

R v SC (2024) Snaresbrook Crown Court

Defendant acquitted of ABH and criminal damage.  Defendant acquitted on all counts following cross-examination of the complainant the Crown offered no evidence to criminal damage and a successful submission of no case to answer on the ABH.

R v AS (2024) Southampton Crown Court

Junior counsel lead by Fiona Clegg on eight count indictment of kidnap, threats to kill, rape, strangulation and threat to disclose private sexual photographs. Allegations spanned a two-month relationship. The Crowns case relied on extensive phone material and CCTV footage of the kidnap route, immediately prior to arrest. Not guilty verdict on all counts, following 22 minutes of deliberation.

R v OK (2023) Southwark Crown Court

Instructed for second Defendant on 5 handed robbery and false identity indictment. 12 count indictment spanning three robberies of a sophisticated criminal gang. Negotiated guilty plea to lesser offences, resulting is substantially shorter prison sentence than the co-defendants.

R v TW (2023) Central Criminal Court

Represented a women of good character accused of ABH against her neighbour. The jury returned a not guilty verdict after 37 minutes of deliberation.

R v NP (2022) Isleworth Crown Court

Defendant acquitted of affray and possession of a bladed article where a group set upon his property carrying weapons following a 5 day trial.

R v EK (2022) Southwark Crown Court

Defendant acquitted of ABH, assault by beating and criminal damage following a three day trial.

R v HW (2021) Court of Appeal, Criminal Division

Represented a Respondent after the Attorney-General referred his sentence of 18 month community order for harassment causing fear of violence. Successfully persuaded the Court not to impose an immediate term of imprisonment.

R v EG (August 2021) Central Criminal Court

Successfully appealed conviction for Extinction Rebellion protester of obstruction of the public highway following legal argument and application of DPP v Zeigler.

R v AB and EV (2021) St Albans Magistrates Court

Represented two environmental protestors charged with offences against a Trade Union Act. The protestors, one who was a youth at the time, erected wooden tripod structed outside the entrance to an HS2 compound. Both defendants were acquitted following successful submission of no case to answer.

R v JS (2021) City of London Magistrates Court

Extinction Rebellion protestor acquitted following successful submission of no case to answer.

R v LM ( 2021) City of London Magistrate Court

HS2 protestor who spent 21 days camping in a tree in parliament square acquitted of section 14 Public Order Act offence.

R v Lane & Letts (2019) Central Criminal Court.

Solicitor acting for parents prosecuted for terrorist funding contrary to section 17 of the Terrorism Act 2000, having sent money to their son alleged to have joined ISIS. The trial was delayed for interlocutory appeals to the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court to determine the requisite mens rea of the offence (R v Lane & Letts [2018] 1 WLR 3647) and then further adjourned for another interlocutory appeal to the Court of Appeal to consider the compatibility of the defence of duress with section 17 of the Terrorism Act 2000. The Jury acquitted on one count, were hung on another and convicted on a third. Suspended sentences imposed.

BBC coverage here

R v MS (2019). Southwark Crown Court

Solicitor acting for a nurse accused of administering incorrect medicine which lead to the death of a patient. The defendant faced charged under the Health and Safety at Work Act and Medicines Act. She received a suspended sentence after an abuse of process application has been submitted.

R v BP (2017) Central Criminal Court

Solicitor acting for a man acquitted of attempted murder, convicted of section 18 GBH.

R v GP (2016) Central Criminal Court

Solicitor acting for nurse accused of manslaughter and regulatory offences. After 6 days of legal argument the Crown offered no evidence against the nurse.