Laura Jane Miller - Trinity Chambers

Laura enjoys a busy Crown Court practice as both a led junior and junior alone. She is regularly instructed in relation to complex and serious cases, including murder, serious violence, modern slavery, large scale drug conspiracies, fraud and sexual offending.

EXPERTISE

Laura is a dedicated criminal practitioner who has spent 10 years working within criminal litigation.

Laura has extensive trial advocacy experience in cases involving vulnerable and child witnesses, complex medical and financial expert evidence, intricate legal arguments and novel points of law.

Prior to being called to the Bar, Laura qualified as a solicitor advocate defending cases against the Crown Prosecution Service, National Crime Agency, HMRC, RSPCA and the Environment Agency.

Laura also gained experience of regulatory crime, having prosecuted Housing Act, environmental, trading standards and food hygiene offences as well as confiscation proceedings, on behalf of a prominent London local authority.

Laura has experience of liquor licensing, including appeal proceedings.

Appellate

Laura has a broad experience of appellate work, including appeals against conviction and sentence and Judicial Review proceedings.

Laura has a special interest in Judicial Review of decisions not to prosecute, specifically in relation to allegations of stalking and hate crime and decisions to prosecute juveniles, vulnerable persons and victims of trafficking.

Violent & Organised Crime

Laura has gained significant experience as both a led junior and junior alone in cases relating to violent and organised crime. She is regularly instructed in cases including murder, serious violence, modern slavery, large scale drug conspiracies, fraud and sexual offending.

Fraud & Proceeds of Crime

Laura has developed an in-depth knowledge of the law and procedure relating to fraud and money laundering offences, as well as confiscation proceedings, restraint and cash forfeiture. She is an active member of the Proceeds of Crime Lawyers Association, the Female Fraud Forum and the Young Fraud Lawyers Association.

Sexual Offences

Laura has experience of defending allegations of sexual offending. She also has experience of challenging the imposition of various associated court orders – such as sexual harm prevention orders and restraining orders.

MEMBERSHIPS

Criminal Bar Association
Constitutional and Administrative Law Association (ALBA)
Proceeds of Crime Lawyers Association
Female Fraud Forum
Young Fraud Lawyers Association
Middle Temple Young Barristers Association

EDUCATION

Northumbria University – LPC – Distinction
Northumbria University – Law LLB Hons

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

In 2013 Laura was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors. Laura is authorised to accept cases on a direct access basis. Laura is authorised to represent persons interviewed by the police under caution.

In her spare time Laura enjoys attending pop up theatre events and restaurants.

Expertise

Clerking team

Liam Gorman

Lead Criminal & Regulatory Clerk

0191 245 9521

Stephanie Foster

Criminal & Regulatory Clerk

0191 245 9556

Chris Gibbin

Clerk (Middlesbrough)

01642 247 569

Alyson Hailes

Criminal & Regulatory Clerk

0191 245 9542

Notable Cases

R v Ahmed (2019) EWCA Crim 1085 (reported on Westlaw) – Successful appeal against sentence in relation to a fifth conviction for robbery offences. (7 years 11 months’ imprisonment reduced to 6 years imprisonment). Guidance provided as to the meaning of serious physical harm as it pertains to Category 1 of the Sentencing Council: Definitive Guidelines: Street Robbery.
R v P (2019) – Successful appeal against a Prosecution Costs Order out of time. (Costs order of £19,076.46 reduced to £5,325.70)
R v J (2019) – Successful appeal against sentence in relation to a second conviction for possession of class A substances with intent to supply.
M v CPS (2018) – Application for permission to Judicially Review a decision to withdraw a charge under s4 POA and replace it with a charge of affray, in order to provide a mechanism for a juvenile defendant to be sent for trial in the Crown Court. Permission refused; however, the Crown subsequently offered no evidence in the associated criminal proceedings.
R v T (2018) – Successful appeal against sentence – possession of a bladed article (20 months’ imprisonment reduced to 8 months imprisonment).
R v Fraser (2017) EWCA Crim 507 (reported on Westlaw) – Successful appeal against sentence – guidance provided in relation to the factors to take into consideration when determining the proportionality of immediate custodial terms in the case of sole carers of dependent children (teenagers).

R v L & Others (2019) – Modern Slavery & Money Laundering. Led junior in a conspiracy to traffic Romanian nationals to the UK with a view to them performing forced and compulsory labour and conspiracy to exploit those said Romanian nationals. Over 30,000 served pages of evidence. Defendant acquitted 7 weeks into the trial following successful half time submission.
R v W & Others (2019) – Conspiracy to Supply. Led junior in a large-scale conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine across county lines, involving three drug lines linked to a prominent London gang. Over 114,000 served pages of evidence, including a substantial amount of telephone and ANPR data, along with surveillance and CCTV evidence.
R v K & Others (2018) – Murder Led by Edmund Vickers QC. 14-year-old defendant accused of the pre-mediated murder of an 18-year-old male.
R v Y & Others (2018) – Conspiracy to Sell Firearms. Led by Sailesh Mehta. Defendant accused of arranging the importation of multiple firearms, ammunition and silencers from Lithuania into the UK and the sale of those said items in the UK. With over 25,000 served pages of evidence the Crown relied on a substantial amount of mobile telephone, cell site and ANPR data.
R v H & Another (2018) – Possession of Firearm with Intent to Cause Fear & Attempted S18 GBH x 3 Defendant alleged to have fired a loaded shot gun at the windscreen of a motor vehicle containing three occupants, in a revenge attack following an incident of road rage. Acquitted following trial.
R v Q (2018) – S18 GBH & Attempted Robbery. Defendant acquitted of one count of wounding with intent (stabbing) and one count of attempted knife point robbery.
R v S (2018) – Knife Point Robbery. Defendant acquitted of robbing a taxi driver at knife point, causing injury.
R v N & Others (2017) – Conspiracy to Keep a Brothel & Conspiracy to Supply Class A & B. A multi-handed conspiracy to keep multiple brothels and being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cannabis to patrons of those brothels. Case involved over 30,000 served pages of evidence, including telephone data and surveillance footage.
R v E & Another (2016) – Conspiracy to Import Class A. 18-year-old defendant indicted in relation to one count of conspiracy to import MDMA via the dark web and one count of supplying MDMA when he was 16 years of age.
R v S & Others (2016) – Possession with Intent to Supply Class A. Defendant acquitted of two counts of possession with intent to supply a significant amount of heroin and crack cocaine.
R v M & Others (2015) – Conspiracy to Supply Class A. Led junior in a cross-county conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine into the North East of England. Case involved over 10,000 served pages of evidence, including telephone data, cell site, ANPR and covert recording within motor vehicles.

R v D (2019) – Money Laundering. It was alleged that the defendant was part of a money laundering operation linked to the Hawala Banking system. Total value over £120K.
R v L & Others (2017) – Fraud by False Representation. Led junior in a large-scale fraud by false representation, concerning an allegation that an employee of a car finance dealership had obtained finance for fleet customers following the provision of either false information or false documents over a 3 year period. Defendant acquitted following trial.
R v O & Others (2017) – Conspiracy to Defraud/Conspiracy to Burgle. It was alleged that the defendant was part of a group operating sham companies targeting elderly residents under the premise of undertaking gardening work. Total value over £100K.
R v H & Others (2017) – Conspiracy to Commit Fraud. Defendant alleged to have purchased card details via the dark web which were used to purchase items from John Lewis and Harrods. Case involved large amounts of surveillance, cell site and ANPR data along with telephone downloads. Total value £50K.
R v G (2016) – Fraud by False Representation. Following a surveillance operation, it was alleged that the defendant, a courier, had falsified documentation to give the perception that goods had been delivered to customers, whose accounts had been opened fraudulently, with the intention of retaining the goods for onward sale. Acquitted following trial.

R v U (2019) – Historic Sexual Assault of a Child under 13. 31-year-old defendant accused of touching the naked genitals of his 5-year-old cousin when he was 16 years of age.
R v B (2018) – Sexual Assault (Youth Court). 17-year-old defendant accused of sexual assault, committed whilst he was 15 years of age. Prosecution discontinued following representations relating to breaches of the PACE codes of practice and disclosure obligations under the CPIA.
R v X (2018) – Indecent Images. 18-year-old defendant accused of making indecent images of children by pressurising classmates into sending indecent images to him when he was 14 -15 years of age. No evidence offered following representations that the prosecution was not in the public interest and the delay in bringing the prosecution could amount to an abuse of process.
R v Z (2017) – Sexual Assault. Delivery driver accused of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl whilst delivering food to her home address.
R v V (2017) – Sexual Assault. Manager accused of sexually assaulting a teenage employee at work.
R v F (2017) – Assault by Penetration (Youth Court). 13-year-old defendant accused of the forcible digital penetration of his girlfriend.
R v U (2016) – Indecent Images. Defendant acquitted in relation to two counts of a multi-count indictment concerning allegations of possession of indecent images of children, some of which he was accused of taking himself during trips of Columbia.