Charley is regularly instructed as trial counsel in matters relating to drugs supply, sexual offences, violence, fraud and burglary. She also has experience of confiscation proceedings for both prosecution and defence at all stages.
Charley is a Grade 3 panel advocate and a member of the CPS Serious Crime Group.
Charley was recently successful in the Court of Appeal where she argued that a sentence be reduced from six years to three.
Recent instructions include:
Violence:
R v B and C (2022) - Led junior prosecuting multi defendant, double homicide with highly complex forensic, scientific material. Issues arose regarding witness anonymity and validity of translation evidence.
R v CB (2021) - Led junior in murder and attempt murder case. Highly complex issues of diminished responsibility emanating from defendant’s mental disorder and belief he was saving a child from her mother. The child is the complainant in respect of the attempted murder, and her mother the murder victim. See BBC News article.
R v AA (2021) - Prosecuted young male for the s18 GBH in which he bit the victim’s finger off.
R v JP (2021) - Representing the defendant in a s18 GBH case where he has allegedly stabbed the victim, another 19 year old male. Complex issues relating to disclosure and background of gang involvement.
R v JD (2021) - Representing one defendant at multi defendant aggravated burglary trial. Issues arose relating to admissibility of hearsay evidence and the case was not proceeded with against that defendant.
Op B (2020) - Junior counsel instructed in multi-handed murder case, responsible for disclosure. Complex issues in relation to anonymous witnesses, large investigation and PII. All convicted.
R v AG (2020) - Junior alone representing the defendant, an adult who lacks mental capacity, in the attempted murder of another service user at the same psychiatric unit. Complex psychiatric issues.
JN (2020) - Representing JN who is a highly vulnerable 19-year-old young person accused of arson. Significant mental health difficulties and developmental delay. Adapted communication strategies significantly to take instructions, falling short of necessity for an intermediary due to JN’s distrust of people.
R v PR Bristol Crown Court (2017) - Instructed to prosecute a prisoner accused of inflicting Grievous Bodily Harm on another prisoner whilst serving at HMP Bristol. The complainant is deceased and his statement was adduced as hearsay. The defendant was convicted and three years added to his existing sentence.
R v PW and DB Bristol Crown Court (2017) - Successfully prosecuted a two-handed s.20 Grievous Bodily Harm where two men had attacked bar staff in a village pub. Half a day of the four-day trial was used for a legal argument relating to joint-enterprise.
R v Kane Jones Court Of Appeal, Criminal Division [2015] EWCA Crim 1317 - Defending KJ at trial on allegations of domestic violence where hearsay evidence of the complainant who had not attended was admitted. The Court admitted the evidence under s.114(1)(d). On reading my advice the single judge was persuaded to grant leave to appeal and I later argued the case before the full court. The conviction was quashed, the Court finding Article 6 ECHR was engaged.
Sexual Offences:
R v LTG (2021) - Representing defendant at Court martial where he faced allegations of sexual assault and perverting the course of justice.
R v BF (2021) - Led junior in multi complainant historic sexual abuse case.
R v PH (2021) - Representing defendant in historic sexual abuse allegations.
CR (2021) - Representing CR, a young person with learning disability and significant mental health problems who is said to have committed sexual assaults against a vulnerable woman. Issues around specific previous sexual conduct relevant, as well as previous allegations of a similar type made.
CB (2021) - Defending CB in allegations relating to inciting a girl under age of 13 to engage in sexual activity. Features of the case were sexsomnia, non-physically originating blindness. Applications made on the basis of discrimination in prosecution and data sharing.
R v JS Worcester Crown Court (2018) - Represented at trial JS, accused of historic sexual offences committed against his step-daughter. Following mixed verdicts and highly relevant, prejudicial previous convictions secured a suspended sentence.
R v GA Bristol Crown Court (2017) - Junior Defence Counsel in complex multi-complainant Historic Rape and Sexual Assault case. Sensitive third-party disclosure and novel non-defendant bad-character issues. Responsible for cross-examination of witnesses and argument as to admissibility.
In the news:
Defended ‘a sex offender who molested a dementia-suffering grandma while on a suspended sentence for abusing a child has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.’ Click here for further information.
Fraud and Dishonesty Offences:
Op Midas (2019) - Led junior in multi-million-pound fraud case. Key role in disclosure process as prosecution junior. Significant volumes of disclosure reaching tens of thousands of documents. Discreet disclosure issues around highly sensitive material relating to elected Government representatives. The case resulted in guilty pleas shortly before trial. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-48227597
R v RK Bristol Crown Court - Acted as a led junior in the defence of a historic fraud case.
R v SK Bristol Crown Court (2017) - Instructed to prosecute a robbery whereby the complainant was gagged, had his hands bound and his house ransacked in a drugs-related feud.
R v JB and Others (2017) - Instructed to prosecute a multi-handed fraud. Complex issues as to disclosure arose
R v MP and Others (2016) - Successfully argued that the case against MP, accused of multiple counts of trading standards breaches, should be dismissed.
R v BB Bristol Crown Court (2014) - Represented BB from preliminary hearing through to trial. BB was accused of a fraud against his company of £15,000. He was acquitted on all counts following a three-day trial.
Drugs:
CJ & Others (2021) - Prosecuting County Lines drugs case. Considerations as to GDPR in disclosure of raw billing data relating to defendants. Responding to dismissal applications
JA & Others (2020) - Prosecuting county lines drugs conspiracy. Several issues relating to admissibility of telecommunications analysis: RF propagation, cell-site analysis and data protection.
R v SH Bristol Crown Court (2017) - Instructed to represent SH who is accused of Possession with Intent to Supply Class A drugs. Issues of entrapment arose out of this large police operation.
R v SS and Others Bristol Crown Court (2016) - Representing SS in a multi-handed drugs conspiracy. Following successful legal argument relating to public interest immunity issues, the case against all three defendants was not proceeded with.
R v CD Bristol Crown Court (2015) - Instructed as trial Counsel to represent CD, accused of supply of Class A and Class B drugs (MDMA and cannabis) in a nightclub. Following a guilty plea, CD was given a two-year suspended sentence.
R v PM Gloucester Crown Court (2015) - Defending at trial someone alleged to have supplied Class B drugs at Glastonbury festival. Successfully argued expert evidence was not admissible.
R v M Bristol Crown Court - Successfully defended M, accused of possession of Class A drugs and common assault.
Crime Clerks:
Ken Duthie
E: ken.duthie@albionchambers.co.uk
T: 0117 311 0368
Joanna Cload
E: joanna.cload@albionchambers.co.uk
T: 0117 927 1253
Charlotte Fryer
E: charlotte.fryer@albionchambers.co.uk
T: 0117 311 0301