Anna Wright

Notable Crime cases

---

R v JS [2025] Snaresbrook Crown Court

Anna made a successful legal argument to withdraw consent to summary trial. Anna called the client to give evidence at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court and made closing submissions to the effect that the test in R v Birmingham Justices ex parte Hodgson [1985] QB 1131 was made out as the client had not been advised on allocation nor had understood the nature of any advice due to his mental health condition at the time.

The application was granted and Anna is now instructed as trial counsel for the sexual assault and common assault matter in Snaresbrook Crown Court.

R v JB [2025] Lewes Crown Court

Anna secured a suspended sentence for a private client charged with making and possessing 35,624 incident, prohibited and extreme images. Despite the sentencing judge being minded to impose immediate custody, he was persuaded that the client could be better rehabilitated within the community. Anna also successfully argued against the imposition of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order with a contact prohibition relying on a line of authority highlighting the need to avoid contact prohibitions for internet-based offences.

R v TKN [2025] Aylesbury Crown Court

Anna secured a sentence of 2 years and 6 months for a client convicted of two counts of possession with intent to supply class A which were committed whilst on licence, having recently been released from prison for being concerned in the supply of class B.

The starting point was 4 years and 6 months. The Crown relied on evidence that the client had been ‘cuckooing’ a vulnerable woman and playing an operational or management function within the chain. Anna drafted a detailed sentencing note, referring to the guidelines on sentencing individuals with developmental disorders, which was commended by the sentencing judge.

R v MJ [2025] Kingston Crown Court

Instructed as trial counsel to represent a client in a multi-handed affray and offensive weapons matter.

R v GT [2025] Stafford Crown Court

Anna is privately instructed to represent a third party in section 10 POCA proceedings relating to the seizure of a substantial amount of financial assets and the matrimonial home.

R v KS [2025] Willesden Magistrates Court

Anna made a successful submission of ‘no case to answer’ for a  young man who had been accused of making numerous threats to kill his deceased mother’s ex-partner. He had been charged with using threatening words or behaviour with intent to cause harassment alarm or distress. Anna used screenshots of text messages to undermine the complainant’s account and demonstrate that he was the aggressor. Anna raised that the complainant’s evidence was so tenuous that the court could not properly convict.

The client was then acquitted of a further criminal damage charge. The client subsequently left court with no additional convictions on his record.

R v GC [2025] Highbury Corner Magistrates Court

Anna secured an acquittal for a registered sex offender charged with indecent exposure following an allegation from a member of the public that he had been seen masturbating in his car. Anna drew out inconsistencies about the visibility of the client. She successfully argued that the location and position of the alleged act meant that the requisite intent could not be established.

R v WP [2025] Hastings Magistrates Court

Anna secured an acquittal for a client who brought a knife to his court hearing. Anna carefully examined the client’s reaction on the CCTV footage and elicited structured evidence in chief. Anna raised that WP was not in “possession” of the knife due to a lack of knowledge and that alternatively his forgetfulness when combined with other circumstances amounted to a reasonable excuse.

R v ED [2025] Stratford Youth Court

Anna successfully argued for the imposition of a Youth Rehabilitation Order (“YRO”) for a youth convicted after trial of a serious s.18 GBH, robbery, attempted robbery. The client was also sentenced on the same occasion for various other cases involving common assault, assault by beating x2, theft, and burglary. Despite the sentencing judge initially being minded to impose a Detention and Training Order (“DTO”), Anna submitted a comprehensive sentencing note, and the judge was persuaded to impose a YRO.

R v DV [2025] Westminster Magistrates Court

Anna secured an acquittal for her client charged with intentional strangulation of his partner. The background to the matter was captured on CCTV footage. Anna undermined the evidence of two independent witnesses who stated they had seen or heard the incident unfolding. Anna persuaded the bench that the legal element of an “effect on the ability to breathe” was not made out on the evidence. The client was subsequently acquitted.

R v PAS [2025] Stevenage Magistrates Court

Anna was instructed privately to represent a bus driver charged with careless driving who had swerved off the road during their shift and hit a pedestrian causing injuries. The prosecutor invited the court to consider a driving disqualification and emphasised the client’s culpability. Anna successfully persuaded the court that the matter was of lesser culpability and opposed a driving disqualification. The bench imposed 4 penalty points with no driving disqualification, allowing the client to continue their 17-year career as a bus driver.

R v RA [2025] Croydon Magistrates Court

Anna represented a client charged with a burglary. The client had 23 previous convictions including 12 for theft and kindred offences. Anna drafted representations arguing that it was not in the public interest to prosecute due to the significant delay in proceedings, his recent sentence imposed for similar matters, and that he was now clean from drug addiction which was prevalent at the time of the index offence. The Crown discontinued both burglary charges against the client.

R v AM [2025] Isleworth Crown Court

Instructed as trial counsel to represent a mentally ill client charged with assault on an emergency worker.

R v MB [2025] Inner London Crown Court

Instructed as trial counsel to represent a client charged with religiously aggravated assault by beating and religiously aggravated intentional harassment.

R v LW [2025] Inner London Crown Court

Instructed trial counsel to represent a young man charged with possession of a bladed article in public.