Geraldine has a well-balanced defence and prosecution practice and is regularly instructed to prosecute and defend in cases involving a whole range of serious offences.
She has defended in cases of murder and other serious violent offences, rape and other serious sexual offences, conspiracy to supply drugs/produce drugs, false imprisonment, robbery, death by dangerous driving and fraud related offences.
As a Level 4 prosecutor, Geraldine has been instructed to prosecute defendants for offences of fraud, drugs, violence, death by dangerous/careless driving and rape and have been instructed as leading junior prosecution counsel to prosecute multiple defendants. She is also a member of the CPS Rape Panel.
Geraldine has vast experience in dealing with vulnerable witnesses and in addition to her crown court practice, she is frequently instructed to defend soldiers at Court Martial hearings.
Areas of Expertise
- Court Martial Team.
Reported Cases
- DPP v Saddington Also known as: Chief Constable of North Yorkshire v Saddington
- Divisional Court,26 October 2000. (2001) 165 J.P. 122; [2001] R.T.R. 15; [2001] Crim. L.R. 41; Times, November 1, 2000; Independent, November 3, 2000; Official Transcript
The DPP appealed against the dismissal of two information's which had been laid against S for offences of driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance. The DPP contended that the motorised scooter which S had been riding was a vehicle for statutory purposes. The court held that general use of scooters on the road was within contemplation and that the statutory requirements of a licence and insurance therefore applied. - Attorney General's Reference (No.134 of 2006), Re Also known as: R. v Bennett (Adam)
- Court of Appeal (Criminal Division),23 January 2007 [2007] EWCA Crim 309; [2007] 2 Cr. App. R. (S.) 54;
A sentence of imprisonment for public protection with a minimum term of two years and six months was appropriate in the case of a 23-year-old man who had pleaded guilty to two offences of raping a child under the age of 13, one offence of meeting a child following sexual grooming, one offence of sexual activity with a child, and 10 offences of making an indecent photograph of a child.
Notable Cases
- R v Mark Hobson – Leeds Crown Court 2004 – led junior defence counsel in case involving defendant who had murdered four people, including his girlfriend, her twin sister and an elderly couple. The defendant went on the run after the killings but was apprehended. He pleaded guilty to the murders.
- R v James Bilton – York Crown Court – 2005 – led junior defence counsel in case where the defendant was accused of rape and his defence was automatism (sleepwalking).
- R v Antonia Gabballonie – York Crown Court – 2006 – represented a female defendant who had kept her sister in law as a naked slave for a period of 7 years. She was charged with various assaults and false imprisonment.
- R v Marcin Legowski and 3 others – Leeds Crown Court - 2007– defended a Polish national jointly charged with 3 other Polish Nationals with gang raping a female complainant who was deaf and mute.
- R v Keith Waring – Derby Crown Court 2009 – represented a defendant accused of raping four complainants over a two year period, the latter in violent circumstances.
- R v Joanne Fairbanks – Bolton Crown Court – 2007 – defended a female defendant accused of possession with intent to supply heroin, her boyfriend had already pleaded guilty and had been sentenced to 7 years. A large amount of drugs and paraphernalia had been found at her address and a large amounts of cash had regularly been paid into her bank account over and above her wage as a court clerk.
- R v Anthony Lord – Derby Crown Court – 2009 – defended an adult male who had committed serious sexual offences as a juvenile. He received a non-custodial sentence.
- R v Sima Bebi and 3 others – Leeds Crown Court – 2010 – defended a Romanian national accused of conspiracy to rob with three other Romanian Nationals.
- R v Steele and others – Leeds Crown Court – 2006 – prosecuted 7 defendants accused of conspiracy to burgle over a 2 years period.
- R v Mumtaz and others – Bradford Crown Court – 2009 – leading prosecution junior counsel in case involving 13 defendants accused of gang violence (section 18 wounding with intent, violent disorder, witness intimidation and perverting the course of justice.)
- R v Bashir and others – Bradford Crown Court – 2009 – prosecuted conspiracy to steal case involving 11 defendants, who had made fraudulent monetary transfers and used stolen cheques.
- R v Anthony Thompson – Grimsby Crown Court 2010 – prosecuted a step father charged with section 18 causing grievous bodily harm against a 3 year old complainant. The complainant was used as a witness and at the time of the trial was 4 years old.
- R v P M and WR–Kingston-upon-Hull Crown Court 2010 – P M was accused of sexually abusing his step daughter repeatedly since she had been 3 years old until she as 11/12 years old, including vaginal and anal rape. The complainant was 14 years old by the time the case was tried. Her mother was charged with child neglect, after she failed to stop the abuse continuing.
- R v Parker, Crossman and Eastwood – York Crown Court 2010 – prosecuted three defendants charged with robbery and false imprisonment of a vulnerable adult male complainant who has learning difficulties.
Seminars
- January 15th 2010 – Seminar to Barnsley Law Society – Bad Character – recent developments.
- 'committed and determined and is highly rated for defence in sensitive cases and has expertise in courts martial.' Legal 500: 2010
- 'known for her defence work, is sensitive with vulnerable witnesses'. Legal 500: 2009
- 'an able and approachable advocate'. Legal 500: 2008, 2007, 2006
