Mountford Chambers delivers a nationwide and international service to clients, who are assured quality advice, advocacy and representation at all levels.
Sophie has extensive experience of trials across the spectrum of criminal offences.
She has acted as a led junior in cases of attempted murder and rape. As a junior acting alone, she has represented clients accused of serious and organised crime, including the exportation of Class A drugs outside the UK, serious sexual offences and serious violent offences.
Sophie has experience of robustly defending those who are vulnerable through age and through mental health.
Sophie is also proficient in matters involving expert evidence, including medical experts, forensic experts and expert evidence concerning mobile phone data.
Sophie is a Level 3 CPS Prosecutor.
R v AH (2021)
Defending a man accused of section 18 GBH and rape of his partner, and assault of a child.
R v LD (2020)
Prosecution of a prolific indecent exposure offender.
R v GA (2016)
Secured acquittal as junior counsel in a multi-handed rape case.
R v LH (2021)
Successfully defending a young male accused of section 20 GBH, involving sensitive handling of young witnesses.
R v AM (2021)
Appearing for the prosecution in the Court of Appeal on an appeal against sentence by a defendant accused of breaching his restraining order.
R v LW (2019)
Successful defence of a young male accused of assaulting his 4 year-old stepson. The case required cross-examination of a medical expert and handling a vulnerable child witness.
R v TH (2018)
Junior counsel on an attempted murder, involving five co-defendants, acting for the first defendant.
Sophie has experience of business crime and high value fraud, both for the prosecution and for the defence.
R v SL (2021)
Prosecution of a dentist accused of high value fraud against the NHS.
R v SS (2021)
Prosecution of a female accused of fraud by abusing her position as HR and payroll manager for a company. The value of the fraud was £443,000.
R v SH (2020)
Prosecution of a female abusing power of attorney over her mother’s financial affairs.
R v CAH (2018)
Defence of a male accused of numerous offences contrary to the Insolvency Act and Companies Act in the winding up of his business.
Sophie regularly acts on behalf of lay defendants and local authorities in licensing matters.
Mid Sussex District Council v AC (2021)
Representing a local authority at the appeal of a taxi driver against the revocation of his hackney carriage licence on the grounds that he was not a fit and proper person to hold a licence.
RM (2020)
Appearing at a Committee Meeting on behalf of an applicant applying for a premises licence for his shop.
Lewes District Council v DM (2019)
Successful prosecution for a local authority of a Defendant accused of fraudulently claiming the right to buy her local authority owned home.
Mid Sussex District Council v MA (2019)
Acting for a local authority in an appeal by a taxi driver of the decision to revoke his hackney carriage license.
Sophie has extensive experience of Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings. She has also acted on behalf of defendants and on behalf of Sussex and Surrey police forces in applications for forfeiture of sums or assets seized.
Surrey Police v JW (2021)
Acting for Surrey Police in an application for forfeiture of cash seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, involving evidence from a Financial Investigator.
R v NS (2021)
Acting for a Defendant in a high value Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 application. By seeking expert evidence and compiling written arguments, £100,000 was deducted from the amount sought by the Prosecution.
Surrey Police v DC (2020)
Acting for Surrey Police in an application for forfeiture of cash seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
STL v South Wales Police (2019)
Acting for a Claimant under the Police Property Act 1897.
Prior to becoming a barrister, Sophie worked as a paralegal working in the defence of medical practitioners, and subsequently as a paralegal specialising in prosecutions for the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Sophie regularly appears on behalf of Sussex and Surrey police in civil applications including Domestic Violence Protection Orders, Stalking Protection Orders and orders relating to sexual harm. She also has experience of acting for a variety of interests at Inquests.