Sarah Regan

A specialist in criminal law, Sarah has an established practice in both prosecution and defence work, often prosecuting as a sole and leading junior in cases defended by Queen’s Counsel. She is a CPS Grade 4 Prosecutor, a member of the Specialist Rape and Serious Crime Group Panels and is regularly briefed on behalf of the Complex Casework Unit.

Sarah specialises in cases of serious sexual and violent assault and those involving victims of domestic abuse, although she has substantial experience in the full range of criminal offences including manslaughter and murder. She is regularly briefed in cases with vulnerable, young, or traumatised victims and/or defendants, as well as cases involving witnesses or defendants with severe mental-health and psychological issues.

She has substantial experience of cases requiring special measures to assist one of the parties, including the use of intermediaries, applications for anonymity or for evidence to be given from a remote location. She is regularly requested to advise on issues of fitness to plead and stand trial, as well as the availability of the defence of insanity and other mental health defences. She has a respected practice prosecuting public officials for misconduct such as police and prison officers.

Sarah has an interest in cases involving novel and complex issues of disclosure and has substantial experience of cases involving issues of PII.

Training:

Sarah has lectured on advocacy on behalf of Lincoln’s Inn and to state-school pupils as a member of the Bar Council’s Speakers for Justice Project. She advises and lectures police and prosecutors on best practice in respect of vulnerable witnesses. She has acted as a mentor for undergraduate and BTPC students at UWE, is a circuit facilitator for delivering training in respect of vulnerable witness and is the head of the Albion Chambers Crime Team.

Reported Cases:

R v Pace West Wiltshire JJ (2002) 2 Archbold News 2 DC (judicial review of justice's decision to accept jurisdiction);

Mills and Poole (2003) 1 WLR 2931, (2004) 1 C R App R 7, (2004) Crim LR 60 (murder/disclosure);

R v Martin Stanley Greenman (2005) EWCA Crim 1935 (failure to correctly sum up the facts);

R v Pronick (2006) EWCA 2517 (the admissibility of bad character evidence);

R v Peter James Knight (2007) EWCA Crim 3027 (whether a diary which no longer existed by the time of the trial was admissible as support of an allegation);

R v Chall and others (Nigel Brent Wilkinson) (2019) EWCA Crim 865 (leading case on the approach to issues of significant psychological harm when sentencing)

Some of the cases that have been reported in the National media:

Colin Stokes (Prosecuted) - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2585522/Predator-care-worker-raped-three-vulnerable-women-mental-age-small-children-stopped-SEVEN-years-ago.html

Nathan Smith and DanielYeates (Prosecuted) – https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/man-found-dead-boiled-eggs-4327973

Jordan Powell (Prosecuted) – https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2422212/Married-policeman-Jordan-Powell-jailed-having-sex-victim-domestic-violence.html

Darren Heath (Prosecuted) – https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/police-officer-admits-misconduct-after-5349251

Julie Gatty (Defended) – https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/pensioner-brothel-owner-70-told-11590207

Adam Beeney (Prosecuted) – https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/male-rape-victim-speaks-horrific-7861626

Mark Lester (Prosecuted) – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-36744107

Dina Metiass (Defended) – https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/scheming-wife-who-imprisoned-maid-8237861

Matthew Gordon & Peter Wood (Prosecuted) – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-38774080

Steven Letts (Prosecuted) – http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-41983565

Cameron Rafferty (Defended) – http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5755551

Nigel Brent Wilkinson (Prosecuted) – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-46616990

John Harris (Defended) – https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6424627/Dangerous-paedophile-walks-open-prison-primary-school.html

John Lee Osborne (Prosecuted) – https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/sep/20/man-john-lee-osborne-jailed-for-18-years-for-campaign-using-social-media

Laker Carter (Prosecuted) – https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/cheltenham-news/brave-victims-speak-out-man-3992306

Callum Kenny (Prosecuted) –  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8905491/Man-24-accused-raping-two-women-hotel-room-says-willingly-sex-him.html

Recommendations:

"A powerful junior advocate with a heavyweight criminal practice. She is a thoughtful and impressive person who works extremely hard and has a real edge to her. She also has the compassion needed to do the more sensitive work." "She is an expert in cross-examining children and vulnerable people."
Chambers and Partners 2022

Crime Clerks:
Bonnie Colbeck
E: bonnie.colbeck@albionchambers.co.uk
T: 0117 311 0301

Ken Duthie
E: ken.duthie@albionchambers.co.uk
T: 0117 311 0368

Joanna Cload
E: joanna.cload@albionchambers.co.uk
T: 0117 927 1253