Good afternoon all
Welcome to the crime team weekly blog for the week commencing 15th March 2021. Before we get underway with an update on our cases this week, please see a note from our Senior Clerk below with regards to International Women's Day & Women in Clerking:
International Women's Day
Chambers celebrated this most important occasion in our diaries with special appreciation of all the Women @33BR.
Our women Barristers/Clerks/Staff bring so many rich blessings and quality of work to our happy 'home' and we thank them.
Women in Clerking
As a celebration of International Women's Day I would like to look at the progressive role and game-changing effect Women have had as Barristers Clerks.
When I began Clerking,45 years ago,(eek!)there were only 2 women Senior Clerks working in London(and,likely,the Country).They were truly pioneers of what was to follow.
Those days have changed beyond recognition thankfully and there are now many women clerking in Chambers everywhere throughout the country and enjoying enormous success at the very highest level.
Upon becoming a Senior Clerk in the late eighties I set out to create a balance and equality in my own clerks room with the recruitment of Women Clerks.
It proved to be one of the best decisions of my clerking career.
The women clerks brought a good deal to the table with their intellect,resilience,resolve ,practicality and numerous other qualities.
Today,there are many Women Clerking in Barrister's Chambers who have become highly adept in this unique career.
I am humbled by those women colleagues I work with and our Chambers acknowledge that ,by their presence,we are in the midst of Halcyon days.
For any woman thinking of a role in clerking ,I can only say 'go for it ' ,it is as exciting as it is rewarding and every opportunity awaits you.
To those interested in this career path or wanting to find out more about it,please do contact me.
Finally,an indulgence if I may;Here's to my Chambers own women clerks;Charlotte,Charleigh,Alice and Briony.
You are a joy to work with and i learn from you daily.
Gary Reed
Senior Clerk to Chambers.
This week John Black QC defended mother who killed 5 month old baby by sacrificing him as result of insane auditory hallucinations, she was found by a jury to be NG by reason of insanity.
A split sentence by Judge made for an interesting approach to sentence. This week, Sharmila Salvi's client received a sentence of 16 weeks imprisonment for witness intimidation arising out of driving the victim to the police station and making threats if she didn’t withdraw her statement. After completion of that sentence a week later, D was produced from custody and received a suspended sentence with community requirements for the substantive ABH offence.
Ravinder Saimbhi was instructed in a case of robbery and possession of a bladed article this week involving the targeting of escorts working from home and robbing them at knife point. The evidence included cell site material, telephone evidence and CCTV which requires careful consideration. Timely guilty pleas have been entered and the matter adjourned for reports. Instructed by Shan Yaqub at Langfield Law
Ravinder Saimbhi has received instructions to defend in a s18 wounding with intent at Reading Crown Court next week. The allegation involves an alleged assault using boiling water. Instructed by Neville Gray at FMW
Ylenia Rosso secures a suspended sentence order for her client convicted of sexual assualt where the complainant claimed her client caused numerous brusing and bite marks of a sexual nature whilst she was asleep. The Judge said immediate custody was at the forefront of his mind but Ms Rosso highlighted the need for rehabilitation and on this basis he suspended the sentence.