Sarah Regan
Degree: LL.B (Hons) University of West of England
Year of call and Inn: 2000; Lincoln’s Inn
Professional Membership: Western Circuit; CBA
Practice:
Sarah is a specialist in criminal law undertaking defence and prosecution work and is a CPS Grade 3 prosecutor. She has a particular interest in cases which involve issues of disclosure, offences of violence, vulnerable witnesses and sexual offences involving both adults and children.
She advises on prison law and judicial review, most recently in relation to prisoners imprisoned for public protection and held beyond their tariff.
Sarah is responsible for editing the Albion Chambers’ Crime Team Newsletter and lectures on advocacy for the Western Circuit and Lincoln’s Inn.
Cases of Interest in 2008 – 2009
Fraud, Theft and drugs
Prosecuting a series of deceptions on elderly and vulnerable victims which included a hearsay application to allow a victim suffering from dementia to have his original video to be admitted in his absence.
Defending a large-scale, professional conspiracy to handle stolen goods which involved covert recordings and the evidence of undercover officers.
Prosecuting a company for breaches of housing law in relation to properties let to vulnerable victims.
Defending large scale drugs cultivation and supply and the resulting confiscation proceedings.
Violent offences
Defending counts of s.18 and robbery which left the victim with permanent injuries. The trial included defence expert evidence challenging the causation of a particular injury as well as footwear and DNA evidence and the mitigation involved the issue of dangerousness under the CJA 2003.
Prosecuting a s.18 knife attack on the victim who had been subjected to years of abuse from both the defendant and others. The case was complicated by the victim refusing even to make a statement and included bad character in relation to other matters previously unreported to the police and hearsay in respect of initial comments made by the victim.
Prosecuting a s.18 in which the female defendant stabbed a man said to have been responsible for physically abusing her. Prior to trial the victim had retracted his statement and so applications were made to have his 999 call admitted as an exception to the hearsay principle as well as to adduce bad character in respect of both.
Prosecuting foster carers for offences of assault on a young boy with learning difficulties.
Sexual offences
Defending an elderly man in relation to a series of historical rapes committed over 40 years before. The issues included both fitness to plead and to stand trial as well as bad character in relation to an offence which could not be charged and hearsay in respect of a complainant who died before trial.
Prosecuting a church warden for offences of historic sexual abuse which involved bad character in respect of a similar conviction some 15 years prior to the current matter and a victim who had an extensive psychiatric history.
Defending a youth charged with over 20 offences of rape and sexual assaults committed against two 10 year old boys.
Prosecuting a series of attacks on young girls, one of whom didn’t even know she had been assaulted which required an application to adduce bad character evidence in relation to offences the prosecution had decided not to charge.
Reported Cases
Mills & Poole (2003) 1 WLR 2931, (2004) 1 C R App R 7, (2004) Crim LR 60 (murder/disclosure)
R v. Pace West Wiltshire JJ (2002) 2 Archbold News 2 DC (judicial review of justices decision to accept jurisdiction)
Publications
Bristol Anthology 2009
The Times Newspaper Tuesday, March 14 2000: Dining at the Inns – other views
Albion Chambers, Broad Street, Bristol BS1 1DR
T: 0117 927 2144
F: 0117 926 2569
sarah.regan@albionchambers.co.uk
Clerk: Nick Jeanes
T 0117 311 0307
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