Shekyena regularly defends a broad range of offences such as fraud, drugs, weapons, violence including domestic, road traffic, and public order in the Crown Court.
R v MA [2025] Reading Crown Court
Secured acquittal on all counts for a 19 year old client accused of s18 wounding with intent, affray and possession of an offensive weapon. It was alleged that the client attacked the complainant with a meat cleaver during a fight in a busy shopping mall, which was captured on CCTV and supported by independent witnesses. The client’s case was that he had the meat cleaver for a legitimate reason and that he acted self-defence as the complainant attacked him with a knife. There was no evidence of a knife during the incident, however the complainant’s bad character for numerous blade convictions was successfully adduced. As a result of the jury’s not guilty verdicts, the client remains a young man of good character.
Operation Roman [2025] Worcester Crown Court
Represented one of 37 defendants accused of being involved in a series of large scale protest activity in September 2022. The case was split into six separate trials. The client was tried, alongside three others, for their involvement in the protest organised by Animal Rebellion. The client relied on Article 10 and 11 ECHR defences.
R v AS [2024] Croydon Crown Court
Submitted an application to dismiss which resulted in the Crown, of its own volition, offering no evidence against the client accused of harbouring an escaped prisoner.
R v MA [2024] Snaresbrook Crown Court
Secured acquittal of a vulnerable client with bipolar disorder who acted in self-defence against excessive force used by the police. Following the jury’s not guilty verdict, the judge expressed “very real concerns” about the complainant officer’s conduct that came to light during the cross-examination of the officers. To restore public confidence in the police, in the presence of the jury, the court extraordinarily ordered that the complainant officer’s conduct is brought to the attention of the Detective Chief Superintendent with the view that he is retrained in dealing with vulnerable people and anger management.
R v AW [2023] Guildford Crown Court
Secured acquittal for a youth client accused of possession of a firearm during joint enterprise armed robbery. The jury found the client not guilty of possessing a firearm alleged to have been used during the robbery of a car. In addition, the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the robbery, which led to the prosecution offering no evidence on the robbery. The not guilty verdict was returned on the client’s 16th birthday.
R v AB [2023] Reading Crown Court
Secured a suspended sentence for a client who pleaded guilty to a joint enterprise burglary, which involved the client climbing through the complainant’s window at night and threatening him with a knife before stealing money. Persuaded the court not to impose immediate custody by highlighting the significant rehabilitative steps taken to address a long history of drug related offending, including being described as the “only true success story” by a drugs and alcohol support service. The Judge in her reasons described this as an “exceptional case”.
R v DS [2023] Peterborough Crown Court
Secured an acquittal for a client of good character accused of GBH. Following the complainant’s evidence-in-chief, which wholly undermined the prosecution’s case, and in advance of any cross-examination, Shekyena made submissions before half time which left the prosecution no choice but to offer no evidence. As a result, the jury were directed to return a verdict of not guilty and the client maintains his good character.
R v AD [2023] Hove Crown Court
Secured a suspended sentence for client who pleaded guilty to ABH for strangling his ex-partner in the presence of their child. Persuaded the court to depart from the Court of Appeal’s guidance (R v Cooke [2023] EWCA Crim 452) by submitting that there was significant mitigation and exceptional circumstances.
R v RK [2023] Oxford Crown Court
Successfully appealed the conviction and sentence of a taxi driver who originally received a suspended sentence and 29 month disqualification for driving offences. Identified case law to support the client’s case that his limited English amounted to a reasonable excuse, and opposed an adjournment application which led to the appeal being allowed.
R v AS [2022] Croydon Crown Court
Successfully appealed the imposition of a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) on conviction. Argued that the CBO was procedurally illegal as the application was made by the police rather than the CPS as required by law.
R v PS [2021] Inner London Crown Court
Secured a unanimous acquittal for a client accused of making an arson threat against his ex-partner, who was an arson victim.
Shekyena accepts instructions in financial crime matters, including serious fraud, money laundering, and complex multi-handed matters. Prior to coming to the Bar, Shekyena worked at the Financial Ombudsman Service and the Adjudicator’s Office (HM Revenue & Customs), where she developed experience in financial and tax matters.
Operation Daylong [2025] Cambridge Crown Court
Led junior.
Shekyena, led by Mark Watson, represented the first defendant in an eight defendant multi-handed conspiracy involving large-scale trade and distribution of illicit cigarettes and large sums of cash allegedly associated with the conspiracy. The trial involved surveillance by HMRC officers in 2019 that led to a series of arrests, raids, searches, and over 2.5 million illicit cigarettes being recovered.
Operation Rupee [2024] Southwark Crown Court
Led junior.
Shekyena, led by Mark Watson, represented the third defendant in a trial involving a large-scale, sophisticated £26 million international money laundering scheme using a web of foreign exchange transactions.
Shekyena has extensive experience in Regulatory law and Professional Discipline. She accepts instructions from regulators and regulated professionals at all stages of the professional disciplinary process. She has years of experience having previously worked at the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the Health and Care Professions Council, the Financial Ombudsman Service, and the Adjudicator’s Office (HM Revenue & Customs).
Shekyena is appointed to the List of Specialist Regulatory Advocates Panel instructed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Environment Agency (EA), Natural Resources Wales (NRW), the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS).
GBGB v AL [2024]
Case presenter. Case involved a high-profile racing manager accused of numerous breaches of kennelling and weighing processes, paddock inspection, and greyhound identification procedures. Resulted in a suspended withdrawal of licence.
GBGB v MW [2024]
Case presenter. Case involved a high-profile trainer accused of numerous breaches of GBGB Rules including not maintaining Treatment and Kennel Books, administering contaminated suppressant tablets obtained from an illegitimate source, and acting in a manner prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct or good reputation of greyhound racing. Resulted in a severe reprimand and fine.
Defence. Represented a very vulnerable client. Successfully avoided a striking off order for a contested partial amputation of a patient’s toe by a podiatrist working in a prison during the Covid-19 pandemic. The panel in its reasons stated “it will be apparent from the explanation of how this Panel arrived at the decision that a suspension order should be made, just how close the Panel came to making a striking off order.”
Case presenter. Case involved a nurse accused of inappropriate sexual conduct towards several female colleagues. Resulted in a striking off order.
Case presenter. Case involving a senior nurse accused of serious medication errors and influencing a junior colleague to dishonestly cover up the incident. The NMC’s key witness was the junior colleague who had admitted the allegations and dishonesty, which created a complex legal nuance in relation to relying on their evidence. Successfully opposed a submission of no case to answer. Resulted in a striking off order for the senior nurse and a suspension order for the junior nurse.
HCPC v JA [2023]
Defence. Case involving of allegations that a registrant paramedic failed to disclose that he was under Police investigation for a number of historic sexual offences and that he was dishonest in doing so. It was not in dispute that the paramedic did not disclose the Police investigation to his employer between October 2019 and July 2020 following his voluntary Police interview. Successful submission of no case to answer made on behalf of the paramedic which led to the case being dismissed in its entirety, and means that the registrant can continue to practice with his unblemished reputation intact.
Case presenter. Complex substantive hearing involving wide-ranging allegations of serious patient harm, medication errors, practising without an effective PIN, and lack of knowledge of English, which resulted in a striking off order. Notwithstanding the challenges posed by the allegations being over 4 years old, the unrepresented registrant’s language barrier, witness issues, and numerous evidential obstacles, it was noted that Shekyena’s “presentation of the case and conduct with an unrepresented Registrant was exemplary”.
Case presenter. Case involving two sets of allegations in 2017 and 2019 whereby a senior nurse had repeatedly made medication errors and put patients at harm at numerous places of employment over a number of years which resulted in her being dismissed each time. The registrant then sought new employment on several occasions where she dishonestly and intentionally failed to disclose her dismissals and history of medication errors during the application process, having received an NMC caution for the same in 2017. Resulted in a striking off order.
NMC v BC [2022]
Case presenter. Successfully persuaded the panel that hearsay evidence was not sole and decisive during a complex legal argument. The NMC wished to rely on the hearsay evidence of Patient X (who was allegedly abused by the registrant) which was corroborated by Patient Y (who only overheard the alleged incident). The case involved a registrant accused of falsifying patient records, dishonesty concerns, and physical and verbal abuse of a vulnerable patient.
NMC v AM [2022]
Case presenter. Complex case involving dishonesty allegations whereby the NMC relied on the evidence of a witness with a finding of dishonesty against them. The case involved a registrant accused of concealing a patient error where he and a Consultant Anaesthetist had administered anaesthetic for a nerve block procedure on the wrong side of the patient. The key witness for the NMC was the Consultant Anaesthetist, who had been suspended for 4 weeks for admitting dishonesty and the same factual allegation at his regulator’s fitness to practice hearing. This raised issues with the credibility of the witness, however it was argued that the witness was credible in this case as he had self-reported the incident to the Trust and had been open and honest by way of his full admission during his regulatory proceedings.
Case presenter. Successfully opposed a lengthy legal argument on a submission of no case to answer. The case involved a senior nurse accused of sexual harassment and breaching professional boundaries with a patient and colleagues. The allegations related to the registrant allegedly abusing his position as a nurse to contact a young female patient that he had cared for, via social media. The alleged conduct also involved the registrant, who was in his mid-30s, pursuing very junior female colleagues that were students and apprentices, one as young as 17, by reading their name badges and searching for them on social media in order to instigate a sexual relationship. Following a 20 day substantive hearing, a striking off order was imposed.
NMC v TS [2022]
Case presenter. Complex case involving a registrant accused of numerous medication errors, failing to properly respond to an emergency where the resident later died, and having a lack of the necessary knowledge of English to practise safely. The registrant’s representative withdrew during the hearing which caused difficulties as the registrant continued unrepresented and it was important to ensure she continued to have a fair hearing by raising points, where appropriate, that might have been if she still had legal representation.
Education:
LLB (Hons), Nottingham Trent University
BPTC (LLM), BPP Law School
Scholarships and Awards:
Criminal Bar Association Bursary Prize (2021)
Marshall Hall Trust Pupillage Award (2020)
Inner Temple Cumberland Lodge Residential Weekend Bursary for advocacy training on Public Inquiries (2018)
BPP bursary for demonstrating potential to excel on the course and at the Bar (2018)
Inner Temple Exhibition Award (2018)
Inner Temple Duke of Edinburgh Award (2018)
The Honourable Society of Inner Temple
The Criminal Bar Association (CBA)
Women in Criminal Law (WICL)
Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers (ARDL)
Young Fraud Lawyers Association (YFLA)
Crime:
Daisy’s Law – children born of rape to be recognised as victims by new law
Professional Discipline:
Approved NMC Counsel List
Specialist Regulatory Advocates Panel
The client was accused of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm, affray and possession of an offensive weapon….
Shekyena Marcelle-Brown, Rachel Pain and Luna Spada act for all four defendants at Worcester Crown Court. The case involves a…
Mountford Chambers congratulates James Lloyd, Silas Lee and Shekyena Marcelle-Brown on their appointment to the Regulatory Board list of specialist…