Estelle Chambers - Trinity Chambers

EXPERTISE

Estelle is instructed in a range of prosecution and defence work. Estelle also deals with a wide range of private prosecutions and regulatory matters. Estelle is a CPS Grade 2 prosecutor and appears in both the Crown Court and Magistrates’ Court.

Prior to her career at the Bar, Estelle had a background in Criminal Law after working as a paralegal at a prominent criminal defence firm in the North East. During her time in this role, Estelle dealt with a variety of Crown Court cases and assisted in the preparation and progression of each case. Estelle worked closely with clients and gained valuable experience in advising clients on a variety of issues, including to those with particular vulnerabilities.

CRIME

Defence

Estelle has experience of defending in the Crown Court and the Magistrates including the following cases:

R v H: Junior Counsel for the Defence in an 8-month multi-handed pension fraud trial at Newcastle Crown Court. The client was acquitted unanimously.
R v B: represented a client who pleaded guilty to sexual communications with a child. The offending included elements which placed it into a higher category for sentencing. Estelle made submissions which resulted in the client receiving a 4-month suspended sentence, which is below the starting point for the lowest category offence of that type.
R v B: represented a client in an appeal against sentence to the Crown Court in relation to several driving offences. The client was sentenced to immediate imprisonment by the magistrates. Estelle made extensive submissions during appeal which resulted in the original sentenced being replaced by a conditional discharge.
R v B: represented a young woman charged with two offences of ABH in a domestic context and racially aggravated public order offences. Estelle requested a psychiatric report to assist with sentencing due to the complex mental health difficulties her client faced. At sentence, Estelle made lengthy submissions, and her client was sentenced to a community order, for offences which ordinarily would have attracted custody.

Prosecution

Estelle has prosecuted several cases instructed by the Crown Prosecution Service including:

R v A: defendant accused of five counts of making/distributing indecent images of children. Defendant pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 2 years 8 months imprisonment.
R v S: defendant accused of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Defendant pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.
R v G: successfully represented the Crown in an appeal against conviction and sentence for driving offences.

Private Prosecutions

Estelle has experience of conducting private prosecutions including the following cases:

R v T: represented the local authority during a trial for offences of failing to comply with various notices, resulting in a conviction.
R v AE: successfully applied for a closure order in relation to a local business which had been selling illegal tobacco and electronic cigarette products.
R v M: sentenced a defendant who had pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a notice in relation to an environmental investigation.

Estelle also accepts instructions in committal proceedings for breach of anti-social behaviour orders.

APPOINTMENTS

Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Grade 2 Prosecutor

ARTICLES

EDUCATION

Bar Professional Training Course (Distinction), Northumbria University (2020 – 2022)
LLM Law (Hons) (First Class Degree with Honours), Northumbria University (2018 – 2022)