Welcome Danny Smith
We are delighted to welcome Criminal barrister Danny Smith to Chambers. Danny has been the Junior Advocate on murder cases and represented clients across...
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Danny specialises in Crime. Before being called to the Bar, Danny was admitted as a solicitor in 2007. He worked as an Assistant Solicitor, predominately in Crime, before becoming a Partner.
Danny became one of the youngest solicitors with Higher Rights and has represented people in the Police Station, Magistrates’ Court, Crown Court, Courts Martial and Court of Appeal. Danny has been the Junior Advocate on murder cases and represented clients across the spectrum of criminal offences, successfully defending clients charged with serious assaults, sexual offences including rape and image offences, public order matters, drug offences including conspiracy allegations, criminal damage and road traffic offences.
Danny is experienced in defending clients with mental health conditions and has been commended for his approach to dealing with clients facing those challenges within the Criminal Justice System.
Danny has appeared in the Court of Appeal including the case R v Gould and Others, where he represented one of the Appellants. This case dealt with procedural errors in the Magistrates’ Court and the correct procedure to be adopted when such scenarios occur.
Danny has experience in successfully defending cases well beyond his year of call with over 15 years’ experience in criminal law.
Courts martial & service law
Danny regularly appears before the Court Martial Jurisdiction and Court Martial Court of Appeal.
Cases
R v JT: Colchester. Defence of a 17 years of age SAC in the RAF charged with two counts of rape, defendant acquitted after trial.
R v DS: Catterick. Defence of an Army Corporal charged with two counts of rape against two junior ranks, acquitted after a trial.
R v JD: Bulford. Defence of a 19 years of age SAC in the RAF charged with rape of a fellow SAC, acquitted after a trial.
R v GS: Catterick. Defence of an Army Sergeant charged with sexual assault of a junior colleague. Acquitted after a trial.
R v SJ: Catterick. Defence of a RAF Sergeant charged with assault in Falkland’s Base, acquitted after a trial.
Crown Court & appeals
Danny has extensive experience of defending cases in the Crown Court. He has also appeared in the Crown Court to prosecute cases for the Youth Offending Service and Local Authorities.
R v RF: Shrewsbury Crown Court. Successfully defended a case of rape, defendant alleged to have raped his step daughter, prosecuted by an experienced KC.
R v FD: Birmingham Crown Court. Defendant charged with five other co-defendants of importing cannabis, he was the only defendant to be found not guilty after a three-week trial.
R v PK: Shrewsbury Crown Court. Successful defence of a pub manager charged with theft of pub takings.
R v GJ: Shrewsbury Crown Court. Defendant charged with a serious sexual assault, found not guilty after a trial.
R v CD: Shrewsbury Crown Court. 15-year-old charged with several knife point robberies, found unfit to stand trial but several of the charges found not proved on finding of fact.
R v JR: Stafford Crown Court. Junior Advocate, defending a case of murder and kidnap, a complex case involving considerations as to whether the defendant should be sentenced to a whole life order.
R v LS: Birmingham Crown Court. Junior Advocate, defending a mother accused of causing the death of her eight-year-old son. A complicated case relating to causation crossing the legal, factual and medical disciplines.
Magistrates Court
Danny was a duty solicitor and has extensive experience of defending and prosecuting in the Magistrates’ Court. Danny receives many privately funded instructions from those facing driving offences, successfully avoiding driving disqualification and finding unusual defences.
Academic Experience
Danny has guest lectured criminal law and the law of evidence to the Youth Offending Service, NHS, Health and Safety professionals and undergraduates.
Honorary Awards
Danny is on the development board at the University of Staffordshire.
He received his Honorary Doctorate in Laws in July 2022 in recognition of his work as an advocate and through his continuous support of the University of Staffordshire students. See the announcement on the University of Staffordshire website.
He was President of Shropshire Law Society 2022 to 2023.
Danny is a Law Society Council Member for Shropshire and Herefordshire.
