Rebecca Austin
CALLED TO BAR: 2002
INN OF COURT: Middle Temple
EDUCATION: The University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne 1997-2000 (2:1 hons LLB); The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple Jules Thorne scholar 2001; The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple Accommodation Award 2001
PRACTICE AREAS: Crime

• Member of Western Circuit and Criminal Bar Association
• Direct Public Access: authorised to accept direct public access work directly from a member of the public or organisation

For further information, please contact clerks@2kbw.com or ring 0207 353 1746. Alternatively, use the secure email clerks@2kbw.com.cjsm.net

Rebecca joined chambers in 2003 and has built a practice defending and prosecuting serious criminal offences. She receives instructions from Defence firms, the CPS, and the Serious Organised Crime Agency, and has experience in matters ranging from complex fraud to the most serious allegations of violent and sexual offences.  

She has successfully appeared in both the Divisional Court for judicial review and the Court of Appeal, Criminal Division, in appeals against conviction and sentence.

Rebecca has extensive experience in all areas of prison law, including parole hearings for those serving life sentences and sentences of IPP and prison adjudications. In addition, she has challenged through Judicial review decisions of both the Independent Adjudicator and Parole Board.

Rebecca has considerable experience of Courts Martial in this country and abroad and is regularly instructed by civilian solicitors and directly by the Armed Forces Criminal Legal Aid Authority (AFCLAA).

• R v Attwood (2011). Prosecuted Defendant who had stabbed a young olympic boxing hope in the eye with a BBQ fork causing him to lose sight in the eye and end his boxing career.
• R v Read (2011). Defended a former Mencap worker accused of defrauding a former patient of over £60,000.
• R v B (2011). Instructed to prosecute a serious sexual assault on an 8 year old girl.
• Operation Looking (2010/2011) Southwark.    Instructed by the Serious Organised Crime Agency, (SOCA) as a Grade 3 led junior in a multi million pound mortgage fraud involving eleven defendants. Instructed in her own right in relation to subsequent confiscation hearings.
• R v R (2011) Newport, CPS.    Instructed to prosecute the sexual assault of two unconscious teenage girls by an older male acquaintance.
• R v Lofters (2011) Winchester, CPS.    Successfully argued that an incomplete shot gun falls within the definition of a prohibited firearm.
• R v Nimako (2011) Court of Appeal, CPS.    Successfully argued that a conviction of knife point robbery was safe, despite the Jury having been instructed to return a special verdict.
• R v Black (2011) Winchester, Defence.    Secured the acquittal of a Defendant accused of housing benefit and Council tax fraud over a period of over thirteen years.
• R v JA (2011) Southampton, CPS.    In this case, the Defendant had stabbed the victim, a young boxer in training for the Olympics, in the face, causing him to lose his eye.
• R v K (2011) Inner London, CPS.    Instructed to prosecute a husband alleged to have imprisoned his Bangladeshi wife in a one bedroom flat for over a year, after their arranged marriage.
• R v A (2011) Southampton, CPS.    Secured the conviction of a Defendant who had stabbed a male who had insulted him on a social network site.
• R v PR (2011) Winchester, Defence.    Instructed to defend a MENCAP worker alleged to have stolen over £60000 from an elderly and vulnerable client.
• R v Thomas (2011) Maidstone, CPS.    Instructed to prosecute a Police Officer alleged to have assaulted a female whilst on duty in an incident involving the deployment of a Taser.
• R v K (2011) Newport, CPS.    Allegation of attempting to supply Class A drugs to an inmate in Camphill Prison.
• R v Bishop (2010) Southampton, Defence.     Secured the acquittal of a Defendant charged with possession of a Class A drug with intent to supply.
• R v P (2010) HMS Nelson, Defence.    Secured the acquittal of a Chief Petty Officer accused of a £30000 JPA fraud, in a naval court martial.
• R v K (2010) Inner London, CPS.    Successfully prosecuted an allegation of the kidnap and false imprisonment of a seventeen year old girl.
• R v Frith (2010) Divisional Court, Defence.    Sought the Judicial review of a prison adjudication after the case was erroneously opened before the Independent Adjudicator over 28 days after the charge date.
• R v Cloakie (2009) Guildford, Defence.    Secured the acquittal of a Defendant accused of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. The Prosecution evidence was based on a four month surveillance exercise by undercover police officers.
• Operation Basking (2008) Winchester, CPS.    Led junior in a 13 handed conspiracy to rob articulated trucks across the South East. The case involved use of cell site analysis, cell dumping technology, and extensive PII issues.
• R v Nana (2007) Harrow, Defence.    Counsel for a Defendant accused of conspiring to supply false passports.   
• R v G & Others (2007) Portsmouth, CPS.    Six handed aggravated vehicle taking that saw Defendants steal four cars over the course of one evening and cause over £20,000 of damage.
• Operation Tancred (2007) Preston, Defence.    Instructed Counsel in 17 handed multi million pound conspiracy to defraud that featured on the BBC’s Rough Traders. The Defendants targeted the elderly and sold  them bogus damp proof coursing.
• R v Smith (2006) Winchester, Defence.    Led junior in a 7 handed conspiracy to defraud, involving members of the travelling community.
• R v Sly (2005) Bournemouth, Defence.    Led junior in an 8 handed conspiracy to supply class A drugs. The trial Judge’s decision in relation to RIPA notices was appealed to the Court of Appeal.