Emma Heath
Emma joined chambers as a third six pupil, becoming a Member of Chambers on 4 November 2019.
Before commencing pupillage, Emma worked for the Crown Prosecution Service and Serious Fraud Office where she was involved in a number of high profile cases. After successful completion of her BPTC at the University of Law, Emma worked for Sonn Macmillan Walker as a paralegal where she gained valuable experience of preparing and running criminal cases. Emma has a strong grounding in all aspects of criminal work, which greatly assists instructing solicitors who have described her as "hardworking, tenacious, knowledgeable and meticulous."
Emma has a busy Magistrates' Court and Crown Court practice (both prosecuting and defending) and was recently instructed as junior counsel to Queen's Counsel, where her client was acquitted of 14 counts of sexual assault, including by penetration, in relation to four complainants. The allegations were over 20 years old.
Emma has experience of dealing with vulnerable youth defendants and witnesses in the course of her Youth Court and Crown Court practice and is regularly instructed to represent clients who are dealing with mental health disorders and complex needs.
In support of her dedication to youth work, Emma was elected as the Vice President of the Youth Practitioners Association (YPA) in October 2020. The YPA was formed in June of 2019 and Emma was one of the original committee members driving forward the aims of the YPA to encourage and maintain the highest standards of advocacy and practice from the police station representatives, solicitors, barristers, member of the judiciary, and Youth Offending Teams.
In October 2020, Emma was elected to the Bar Council. This is for a three year period commencing on 1 January 2021.
R v AK, 2021
Emma represented a 16-year- old before the Harrow Crown Court, involving five defendants, charged with attempted murder, s.18 GBH and violent disorder. Emma was instructed by Leah Connolly of Sonn MacMillan Walker.
R v RB, 2021
Emma represented a 15-year old charged with possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear or violence. Emma's client was jointly charged with youths and adults but was arrested some months after the alleged offence date. Emma was successful in an application to dismiss before the Snaresbrook Crown Court. Emma was instructed by Gerry McDonald of EBR Attridge.
R v SA, 2020
Emma successfully defended a 16-year old client charged with possession with intent to supply and possession of a bladed article. The allegations dated back to September 2019 and were tried in October 2020 before the Highbury Youth Court. The defence advanced at trial was under s.45(4) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. Emma was instructed by Richard Brown of Baxter Brown McArthur.
R v MK, 2020
Emma represented a 15-year-old charged alongside an adult and one other youth defendant charged with s18 GBH offence on a joint enterprise basis. Emma was successful in reducing the charge against her client to one of Affray and secured a sentence of a YRO with ISS before the Woolwich Crown Court. Emma was instructed by McQueens Solicitors.
R v D, 2020
Emma represented a 17-year-old youth client charged with robbery on a joint enterprise basis. The issues for the court involved a positive identification of the youth defendant by the complainant and a PCSO. After trial, Emma secured his acquittal. Emma was instructed by Elena Papamichael of Hodge Jones and Allen Solicitors.
R v F, 2019
Emma was instructed from the first appearance to represent a 16- year-old who was charged with possession with intent to supply class A and possession of a bladed article. The facts of the case and the circumstances in which her client was arrested and presented in court were such that Emma advised those instructing her than an NRM referral was made. The matter was committed to the Wood Green Crown Court, together with an adult co-defendant, who was believed to be his trafficker. Emma's client also suffered from learning difficulties. Following a conclusive grounds decision and legal argument before the Wood Green Crown Court, all the charges were withdrawn against her client. Richard Cronin of O'Keefe Solicitors instructed Emma.
Emma represented a youth client, who, having been remanded to the Crown Court on unrelated matters faced a Detention and Training Order (DTO) being passed by way of a sentence in the Youth Court for lesser offences. The starting point for the court was that only a DTO would be available by way of sentence for the lesser offences given his circumstances of being remanded. After several weeks of engagement between those instructing and the Southwark Youth Offending Service (YOS) and following detailed submissions in court, the District Judge was persuaded to allow a Youth Rehabilitation Order (YRO) to be undertaken within the custodial environment as it was conceded that were it not for the Defendant's circumstances, the lesser offences would not have attracted a DTO. The District Judge observed in her sentencing remarks that this was the first case of its kind where such a course had been taken and that it would be looked on with interest regarding its success. Emma was instructed by Leah Connolly of Sonn Macmillan Walker.
R v MC, 2021
Emma, led by Anthony Berry QC, represented a 21-year-old charged with multiple counts of rape, violence and controlling and coercive behaviour against three ex-partners. Guildford Crown Court. Emma was instructed by Richard Cronin of O'Keefe Solicitors.
R v M, 2021 (ongoing)
Emma is being led, representing the first defendant, on a multi-handed indictment alleging conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs, and possession and transference of firearms. The case is being heard before the Stafford Crown Court in November 2021. Emma is instructed by Nadeem Majid of M&M Solicitors.
R v D and others, (ongoing)
Emma is being led by Ruth Becker of chambers, representing the first defendant on a multi-handed indictment alleging conspiracy to defraud counterfeit money. It is alleged that the value of the counterfeit currency is over £5 million. The case is being heard before the Woolwich Crown Court.
Emma represented a 15-year-old charged with possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear or violence who was jointly charged with others but arrested some months after the alleged offence date. Emma was successful in an application to dismiss before the Snaresbrook Crown Court. Emma was instructed by Gerry McDonald of EBR Attridge.
JUUL Labs UK Holdco Limited v VP and MK, 2020
Emma, along with Scott Smith of 9 Bedford Row and Ruta Mikailaite of McMillan Williams Solicitors successfully defended in a private prosecution brought by Edwards Marshall McMahon on behalf of JUUL Labs UK Holdco Limited for offences under the Trades Mark Act 1994 , Registered Designs Act 1949 and the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016. The case concerned the prosecution of sales assistants who unknowingly sold counterfeit goods and their alleged breaches of regulations in relation to electronic cigarettes. After a full days trial before Westminster Magistrates Court, both individuals were acquitted.
R v K, 2019
After a three day trial before the Croydon Crown Court, Emma successfully secured the acquittal on two counts of Assault against an Emergency Worker, an offence which came into force in November 2018. The allegation concerned assault by beating on two police officers, which the Crown alleged was captured on body worn video footage. The jury unanimously acquitted the defendant after 50 minutes in retirement. Emma was instructed by Leah Connolly of Ewing's Solicitors
R v G, 2019
Instructed as junior counsel, defending a Lubavitch Rabbi on 14 counts of serious indecent assault against 4 boys in the 1990s. The prosecution was part of Greater Manchester Police's extensive investigation into allegations of sexual abuse within the Orthodox Jewish Community in Manchester.
The case took 3 years to come to court with three previous trial listings vacated, with both leading and junior counsel involved in all three trials and wasted costs order made against the CPS and GMP for disclosure failings.
Following a three week trial, the jury took a day and a half to acquit the defendant of all 14 counts alleged by the complaints. Emma was instructed by David Sonn of Sonn Macmillan Walker.
See the full article here https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/daniel-golomb-chabad-manchester-not-guilty-acquitted-trial-1.481063
R v KM, 2019
Emma represented a 19 year old client who came before Kingston Crown Court for sentence of his third Possession with Intent to Supply (PWITS) Class A drugs offence, having pleaded guilty to two previous PWITS, Class A offences. The Crown initally argued that the defendant fell to be sentenced to a minimum mandatory sentence of 7 years imprisonment. At the sentencing hearing, Emma persuaded the CPS and the Court that the provisions of s.110 PCC(S)A 2000 did not apply and secured a sentence of 30 months imprisonment for the two drug charges. The court was " grateful to Ms Heath for her detailed sentencing note and her pragmatic and helpful oral submissions, both of which assisted the court in the sentencing exercise. Kingston Crown Court.
Emma successfully defended an individual who was accused of assaulting a police officer whilst being detained for the purposes of a strip search. The case was thrown out after successful legal argument that the grounds for the strip search were unlawful and the officers were not acting in the execution of their duty. The Crown continued to trial on the second charge of drunk and disorderly in a public place which, after a successful half time submission, was thrown out by the District Judge. The matter has since been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. (IPCC)
J v Department for Work & Pensions, 2019
Emma represented an Appellant who appealed against a decision of the DWP in relation to benefit overpayment that was alleged to have taken place over a period of 10 years. The overall benefit figure was reduced by 25% following successful representations that the Appellant had properly notified the relevant department of a change in circumstances and therefore the benefit figure was not recoverable.
Instructed as defence counsel in a matter involving alleged domestic violence. Following extensive arguments about disclosure, which involved two court hearings and a separate section 8 hearing before a District Judge, the Crown offered no evidence against the Defendant.
Following a committal to the Crown Court for breach of a Suspended Sentence Order (SSO), Emma successfully argued that activation of the 18-year-olds SSO was unjust in all of the circumstances, despite the breach matter being committed only a matter of weeks after the imposition of the original SSO.
PROFILE: Emma Heath
Bar Professional Training Course, University of Law – (2016) (Very Competent)
Honourable Society of Middle Temple, Joseph Jackson Scholar (2016)
Inns of Court Advocacy Training
Middle Temple Inn (Very Competent) (2017)
University of Kent. LLB (Hons) Law (2:1) (2015)
Honourable Society of Middle Temple
Middle Temple Young Barristers' Association
Association of Women Barristers
South Eastern Circuit
Young Legal Aid Lawyers Assocation
Vice President, Youth Practitioners' Association
CPS Panel (Grade 2)
The Inns of Court, Advocacy and the Vulnerable Course
The General Council of the Bar Council Representative. 3-year term.