Clerking team

Tim Booth
Tim Booth

Senior Clerk Sheffield

Louise Gold

Lead Clerk, Crime

Jessica Bull

Junior Clerk, Crime

Jack Paxton

Junior Clerk, Crime

Laura practises in all areas of Criminal Law. She read Law at The University of Sheffield and was called to the Bar by Middle Temple Inn in 2001.

Crown Court & appeals

Laura is a Criminal Law specialist. She is a grade 4 Prosecutor and enjoys a mixed Prosecution and Defence Practice. Laura is regularly instructed in cases which involve vulnerable witnesses and defendants, in particular sexual offences and cases which relate to the Mental Health Act 1983.

Laura appears regularly in the Crown Court and has represented Appellants in both the Court of Appeal and Divisional Court.

Laura is regularly instructed to represent young offenders in a variety of different types of cases, including sexual offences and offences of violence.

Laura also undertakes a significant amount of road traffic offence cases. Laura prosecutes a wide range of cases, in particular offences of violence such as assault and robbery.

Laura works with South Yorkshire Police, representing the Bar in training courses carried out with local Police officers in relation to the video interviewing of vulnerable witnesses.

Laura has been led by Junior Counsel and Q.C’s in cases ranging from murder to third party wasted costs appeal in the Court of Appeal.

Cases

R v Andrew Hague (2023): Prosecuted Andrew Hague for the ‘ferocious and brutal’ murder of his neighbour Simon Wilkinson. Hague was sentenced to life in prison and must serve at least 17 years. This case received wisepread national press coverage on the BBC, ITV, the Mirror, the Daily Mail and the Star.

R v Richard Sampson and Boe Barton (2023): Led by Richard Thyne KC. Prosecuted one of two defendants on trial for the ‘savage’ murder of Anthony Sumner. Sampson was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 28 years. The case received coverage on the BBC and in the Sheffield Star and Yorkshire Live.

R v Tyler Bradley (2023): Defended a man who pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving. The defendant received 12 months of custody suspended for two years with 200 hours of unpaid work, a six-month monitoring requirement and a 12-month driving ban. The case was covered in the Sheffield Star.

R v Hart (2023): Prosecuted Jack Hart for two offences of death by dangerous driving. The victims were 10 and 11 years old. Hart received nine years in prison and was banned for driving for 13 years. The case received substantial nationwide news coverage on the BBC and ITV, the Mirror, the Sun and the Daily Mail, as well as local coverage in the Yorkshire Post, the Hull Daily Mail and the Manchester Evening News.

R v Andrew Brady (2022): Prosecuted the former fiance of the late TV star Caroline Flack, who pleaded guilty to harassing journalist Dan Wootton. Brady was given a 10-year restraining order and jailed for four months. The case received national press coverage including the BBC, Sky News, the Guardian, the Mirror, the Star, and iNews.

R v Ali Khan prosecuted a man who was given an extra seven-year prison sentence after writing to a judge and threatening to kill him. The case was covered on the BBC.

R v Tommy Austwick & Others (2018): Prosecuted 31 men charged with violent disorder following a football match between Grimsby Town and Sheffield United. The sentence took five days. The case was covered in the Grimsby Telegraph.

R v Alison Moss and David Webster (2017): Led by Andrew Robertson QC, prosecuted a couple who both received life sentences for murder. Webster pleaded guilty in November and Alison Moss was convicted after a trial lasting almost two weeks. Moss received Life Imprisonment with a minimum of 29 years and Webster received Life Imprisonment with a minimum of 24 years and 2 months. The case was reported on the BBC and ITV, as well as the Sheffield Star and Sheffield Telegraph. 

Laura also represented the prosecution in Alison Moss’ appeal against sentence before LJ Hallett, Vice President of the Court of Appeal Criminal Division. The appeal was dismissed and sentence of life imprisonment with a minimum term of 29 years was upheld.

R v Jon Watson & Kathryn Mooney (2015): Led by Gordon Stables, prosecuted a man who was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent on his 10-week-old son by shaking him, causing permanent and serious disability. Watson received an extended sentence of 15 years with a custodial element of 12 years. The mother was convicted of child cruelty for failing to protect her son and received a suspended sentence.

R v Ziga and others (2013-2014): Represented a 19-year-old accused of Rape. The Defendant was one of 8 defendants on trial at the Old Bailey in what was described by the Crown Prosecution Service as “one of the worst cases of child sex abuse it had ever seen”. Following a 3 month trial, the Defendant was acquitted unanimously by the jury, of all charges against him.

Appeal of Applied Language Solution (2013): Led by Mr Ian Wade QC and representing Applied Language Solutions in the Court of Appeal. A successful appeal against the imposition of a third party wasted costs order made against the company, at Sheffield Crown Court.

R v Collins and Collins (2013): Trial conducted before Mr Justice Couslon. Representing a member of the local travelling community, accused of offences of violence against another member of the local travelling community. Issues of disclosure arose throughout the trial, which resulted in a unanimous acquittal.

R v Hepworth (2012): Represented the Defendant in relation to allegations of sexual abuse. Defendant had a longstanding history of mental health problems. The case took a considerable amount of time, due to the Defendant being admitted to hospital for treatment. After a relapse, the Defendant was deemed unfit to stand trial and a trial as to whether he carried out the acts alleged was conducted instead.

Foster v DPP (2005) 1 W.L.R 1400, DC: Representing the Appellant, Foster, in her first appearance in the Divisional Court. After conducting the trial in the Magistrates Court, the case was thereafter successfully case stated and the Appellants’ conviction was quashed. This is now one of the leading authorities in relation to the offence of Child Abduction.

Memberships

  • Criminal Bar Association
  • North Eastern Circuit