Mountford Chambers delivers a nationwide and international service to clients, who are assured quality advice, advocacy and representation at all levels.
Mountford Chambers delivers a nationwide and international service to clients, who are assured quality advice, advocacy and representation at all levels.
Fiona’s criminal practice is focused on organised crime and serious violence. Fiona has defended in serious, high-profile cases including firearms, kidnap, aggravated burglary and importation of Class A drugs conspiracies. She has experience of cases investigated by the National Crime Agency, Trident and The Flying Squad. Fiona is well known for her pragmatism and sound judgment, distilling complex evidence quickly and effectively.
Fiona is proficient in identifying disclosure and phone material at any early stage, creating the foundations of effective and precise cross-examination at trial. Fiona has significant experience of intermediaries and other experts.
Fiona has acted as leading junior in allegations involving multiple counts of rape, kidnap and linked offences. She has also acted as led junior in the first modern slavery prosecution of its kind, attracting nationwide press coverage.
R v S [2024] Southampton Crown Court
In this significant case, Fiona acted as lead counsel and successfully secured acquittals on all eight counts of kidnap, threats to kill, rape and associated offences. Involved a successful application pursuant to s.41 YCJEA 1999 and extensive cross-examination of the complainant lasting two days.
The case concerned allegations spanning throughout a two-month relationship, culminating in the complainant being kidnapped. The Crown’s case relied on extensive phone material and CCTV footage of the kidnap route. The Crown contended that the defendant sent WhatsApp messages to the complainant threatening to kill her and disclose sexual photographs. He denied sending the messages and maintained that the complainant had used his phone to send them. Phone expert evidence and cross-examination explored the true sender of the messages.
R v H [2024] Portsmouth Crown Court
Defendant was unanimously acquitted of False Imprisonment and linked assaults.
The case concerned allegations of falsely imprisoning a teenager by a community ranger, who detained him with his colleague. In doing so, the defendant applied handcuffs to the teenager, as he was properly trained and qualified to do so. The case attracted significant press attention after a clip was posted to social media, with the sound removed.
Additional Coverage
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13766653/private-security-rangers-detain-schoolboy.html
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg58zr79165o
R v P [2024] Isleworth Crown Court
Secured unanimous acquittals on all counts, following a three-week trial. The case concerned allegations of theft and computer misuse made by a former employer, following the client’s resignation. It was alleged that the removal of software impaired the computers and in turn the ability for the company to operate. It was also alleged that theft of designs and artwork enabled the client to steal customers when starting his own company.
R v G [2024 to 2025] Chelmsford Crown Court
Multi-million-pound global conspiracy involving the alleged importation and distribution of 250 kg of Ketamine. Border Force officers intercepted pallets containing cement, concealing significant amounts of ketamine with a street value of £5,000,000. The NCA investigation includes extensive surveillance, phone, and invoice evidence. The matter is now to be tried next year.
R v S [2023] Portsmouth Crown Court
Led by Rebecca Upton in the first prosecution of its kind, the five-week trial attracted significant national press interest. The defendant, SSH, was charged with holding her husband, who suffers with cerebral palsy, in modern slavery by neglecting his care needs, limiting the occasions he was taken out of the house and controlling contact he had with others over a four year period. SSH was also charged with aiding and abetting a care worker, theft, and fraud.
SSH was found not guilty of the financial counts and courts relating to earlier years of aiding and abetting a care worker.
Additional Coverage
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-66178290
R v J [2021 to 2023] Southwark Crown Court
Led by William England in Operation Maplewood. An £81 million postal redistribution fraud, the case involved a long-running conspiracy to commit fraud on the Royal Mail and other postal operators, and an associated conspiracy to produce false invoices. The evidence served ran to some 5 million pages and involved the alleged doctoring of dockets to avoid paying the proper post due to the Royal Mail. The main alleged fraud consisted of manipulating the figures declared so that the price that is paid is less than it should be.
A Royal Mail prosecution, the verdicts come after the Crown offered no evidence, ahead of a 14-week trial.
R v D [2023] Lewes Crown Court
Secured acquittals on all counts of sexual assault, alleged to have taken place at a musical festival.
The case necessitated detailed cross-examination on the deficiencies in the identification evidence and a sensitive approach to the young complainant’s evidence.
R v A [2023] Wolverhampton Crown Court
Conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary trial involving nineteen defendants. The OCG disrupted the activities of cannabis factories. The defendant was alleged to have been party to the agreement in attacking five addresses.
Significant violence was said to have been used by the group, armed with machetes and crowbars. At one of the addresses, it is said that a wooden mallet was used with such force that blood streamed into the occupant’s eyes. Another occupant, on fleeing the premises, fell 8 to 10 meters to the ground and sustained a penetrating open wound fracture.
The case relied heavily on telephonic evidence, ANPR and cell site material.
Additional Coverage
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/men-convicted-after-string-burglaries-28259077
R v D [2023] Woolwich Crown Court
Operation Lowe concerned the investigation into the multi-kilo supply of Class A and B drugs by the use of encrypted device going by the handle Humidcrusher. On a single day alone, a kilogram of cocaine was organised to be delivered.
The Crown contended that the defendant was at the centre of a busy and lucrative drug dealing network, operating a sophisticated conspiracy with numerous customers and a personal courier who operated a separate Encro handle. A leading key player residing between the UK and Europe, the extensive cell site and ANPR evidence mapped cross-country meet ups in Range Rovers and Bentleys said to belong to him. This culminated in a dramatic arrest.
Following extensive negotiation with the Crown, a Basis of Plea was accepted a couple of weeks before trial. The defendant was sentenced to 8 years’ custody, the court accepting defence submissions as to significant, rather than leading role.
R v M [2022 to 2024] Nottingham Crown Court
The case involved allegations of several interlinked conspiracies to commit fraud and possess improperly obtained identity documents. Operation Zedoary is an investigation involving a number of alleged co-conspirators, with the quantum of the alleged fraud standing at over £1,000,000. The case involved inter-linked allegations of perverting the course of justice. Fiona represented the second defendant.
R v P [2022] Harrow Crown Court
Secured unanimous acquittal on all counts of drug trafficking and money laundering.
The eight-week trial involved complex cut throats between co-defendants, as well as delicate and nuanced evidential cross-currents. Against a suspected backdrop of prostitution, Class A drugs and cash were seized from a property. The property was later alleged to have been a brothel, wherein a cocktail of chemsex drugs were made available. The case was further complicated by a sensitive background of trafficking.
R v J [2022] Snaresbrook Crown Court
Large scale connected series of “creeper style” burglaries committed with the aim of obtaining car keys to facilitate the stealing of high value and prestige vehicles. The case focused on the activities of an organised crime group. Representing the first defendant during this six week trial, the case involved careful marshalling of gang-related bad character evidence, as well as cross-examination relating to cell site, co-location and ANPR.
The defendant was unanimously acquitted of conspiracy to commit burglary.
R v V [2022] Snaresbrook Crown Court
Defendant unanimously acquitted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to a police officer. The defendant was alleged to have caused ligament raptures during the course of being detained; the complainant required surgery as a result of the injuries sustained. The trial included extensive cross-examination as to the issue of causation of the injuries caused.
R v G [2021 to 2023] Portsmouth Crown Court
The kidnap involved a gang claiming to be the police, who then later made demands for Bitcoin. Involved extensive cell-site and ANPR evidence during this five-week trial.
R v O [2021] Inner London Crown Court
Successful application to dismiss counts of Fraud and possession of articles for use in frauds.
The client faced charges that they were knowingly making false representations that the organisation was a charity, when it was not, and that they were also in possession of promotional material during the relevant period. After careful consideration of police observations and Facebook evidence, it was argued that there was insufficient evidence that her client was in possession of promotional material in the course of, or in connection with of fraud. Successfully argued the lack of evidence of dishonesty and, on close analysis of the banking material, that there was no evidence of any pecuniary advantage to her client.
R v C [2021] Snaresbrook Crown Court
Assault on an emergency worker (police officer) at the beginning of the national lockdown. Secured acquittal following a four-day trial. Client was alleged to have failed to comply with social distancing directions, before intentionally coughing directly into the face of the police officer.
The trial included a successful application to exclude comments made at the scene. The trial also involved an intermediary, ground rules hearing and bad character applications.
R v JDS [2021] Isleworth Crown Court
Secured a sentence of 3 years’ 7 months custody for a client charged with importation of just over 1 kilogram of cocaine.
R v R [2020] Lewes Crown Court
Weapons incident at Gatwick Airport, attracting national press interest. Client was originally indicted with Possessing a Dangerous Article in an Aerodrome, but the Crown later offered no evidence to this count, following reports and arguments addressing the issue of specific intent. Having pleaded guilty to Possession of a Bladed Article and Affray, client sentenced to a suspended sentence with a Mental Health Treatment Requirement. Sentencing involved detailed consideration and submissions concerning sentencing offenders with mental disorders.
R v D [2019 to 2021] Central Criminal Court
Led by Queen’s Counsel in a multi-million pound global conspiracy involving the alleged importation and distribution of several tons of anabolic steroids.
R v R [2019] Southampton Crown Court
Led Junior in an Armed Robbery Conspiracy, in which over £620,000 of jewellery was stolen. Coverage: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-50585149
Fiona has acted on a number of complex, high-value fraud and money-laundering cases. Fiona is able to distill voluminous material and identify issues quickly. She is adept at cross-examining experts and challenging complex evidence.
R v J [2021 to 2023] Southwark Crown Court
Led by William England in Operation Maplewood. An £81 million postal redistribution fraud, the case involved a long-running conspiracy to commit fraud on the Royal Mail and other postal operators, and an associated conspiracy to produce false invoices. The evidence served ran to some 5 million pages and involved the alleged doctoring of dockets to avoid paying the proper post due to the Royal Mail. The main alleged fraud consisted of manipulating the figures declared so that the price that is paid is less than it should be.
A Royal Mail prosecution, the verdicts come after the Crown offered no evidence, ahead of a 14-week trial.
R v M [2022 to 2024] Nottingham Crown Court
The case involved allegations of several interlinked conspiracies to commit fraud and possess improperly obtained identity documents. Operation Zedoary is an investigation involving a number of alleged co-conspirators, with the quantum of the alleged fraud standing at over £1,000,000. The case involved inter-linked allegations of perverting the course of justice. Fiona represented the second defendant.
R v I [2020] Southwark Crown Court
Led junior in a £25 million Money Laundering Conspiracy. Client acquitted on all counts.
R v K [2019] Isleworth Crown Court
Client acquitted of Money Laundering. Application mid-trial for Defendant to give evidence via live link, following deterioration in mental health.
R v C [2017] City of London Magistrates Court
Secured a Suspended Sentence Order for a Trader convicted of four charges of Credit Card Fraud, valued just under £10,000.
R v I [2017] City of London Magistrates Court
Represented a Company at an application for Further Cash Detention.
Fiona has a strong practice in POCA proceedings and asset forfeiture, assisted by her detailed analysis and excellent negotiation skills.
R v G [2019] Southwark Crown Court
Led junior in highly-complex FCA confiscation, arising from illegal money lending. Confiscation Order in sum of £5,118,018.72, made in agreement following three days of argument and negotiation at court.
R v W [2018 to 2019] Carlisle Crown Court
Carlisle Crown Court Led by Queen’s Counsel in a confiscation arising from a lucrative ‘legal highs’ business. The Crown alleged that the benefit figure was in excess of £17 million and that the defendant had hidden assets. Following contested proceedings, the court ruled that there were no hidden assets.
R v K [2017] Birmingham Crown Court
Following extensive negotiations with the Crown, successfully agreed a Confiscation Order where the benefit figure was reduced by just over £1million pounds.
2025
Legal 500
Crime: “Fiona is an extremely confident barrister who has a keen eye for detail. She is not fazed by cases with voluminous evidence or those cases with a high level of press intrusion. She is able to identify the keys issues in the case at an early stage and present them to the client in a concise manner. She is well respected by fellow counsel and the judiciary alike.”
Ranked: Tier 4
Charles and Fiona secured the unanimous acquittals of two parents accused of assisting their son, Connor Smith, to escape Liverpool…
Mathew Buckland, led by John Cooper KC Millennium Chambers and instructed by Kenyon McAteer, represents the second defendant charged with…
Six years after being interviewed by the police, Fiona’s client was unanimously acquitted of all counts and retains his good…
