Ella Fornsworth

Ella has a strong developing practice in the Crown Court, appearing in a range of matters on behalf of both the Prosecution and Defence.

Cases

R v MR, 2024 Defended a client facing trial for an allegation of dangerous driving. Made a s.78 PACE 1984 application for identification evidence to be excluded at trial. When the application was served, the Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence to the indictment.

R v ND, 2024 Defended at sentence a defendant who had entered a Guilty plea to a robbery of a local shop owner. Judge noted that Ella’s submissions in mitigation made a significant difference to her client’s sentence.

R v MH, 2024 Prosecuted Newton hearing in relation to possession with intent to supply Class A drugs. Court found in favour of the Prosecution case.

R v AP, 2024 Prosecuted at trial an attempted robbery of a delivery driver at Centurion Retail Park in Doncaster. Guilty verdict.

R v AA, 2024 Defended a client charged with supply of Class A drugs. The commission of the offences placed him in breach of a community order imposed for controlling and coercive behaviour and threats to kill. Nonetheless, Ella’s presentation of mitigating personal circumstances resulted in the client receiving a suspended sentence order.

R v JB and others, 2024 Defended a 20-year-old client of previous good character found to have played a significant role in a group attack on a couple during a night out in Cleethorpes. The incident was reported in the local media. Ella’s submissions on behalf of her client achieved the suspension of her sentence.

R v DB, 2023 Defended at trial a client charged with controlling and coercive behaviour, intentional suffocation and assaults. Involved dealing with applications for specific disclosure, admission of defence hearsay evidence, and bad character.

R v JM, 2023 Defended a client on a theft of £500,000 worth of road surfacing equipment. Ella’s mitigation assisted her client in avoiding immediate custody, instead securing a suspended sentence.

R v NA, 2023 Prosecuted a defendant charged with carrying out a bomb hoax at the Northern General Hospital. A complex sentencing exercise involving consideration of a range of case law. The incident was reported in the local media.

R v PM, 2023 Prosecuted at trial a defendant charged with assault of an emergency worker.

Ella has a wide scope of experience prosecuting and defending in the magistrates’ court. Ella has acted or is currently acting on behalf of a range of different clients, including individuals from various professions who have been accused of offences (teacher, pharmacist, police officer) as well as youths and clients unfit to plead/stand trial.

Cases

R v Youth, 2024 Defended in the youth court a client who had pleaded Guilty to an offence of causing grievous bodily harm. Secured the desired outcome regarding sentence.

R v JS, 2024 Defended at trial a client charged with threats to commit criminal damage, securing an acquittal of that offence. The defendant had already entered a Guilty plea to breach of a restraining order and Ella secured her client a suspended sentence.

R v DB, 2024 Prosecuting. Defendant was convicted of careless driving following a road traffic collision causing significant damage to three other vehicles. Involved cross examination on an alleged mechanical defect of the vehicle driven by the defendant.

R v PO, 2023 Prosecuting. Newton hearing in relation to a sexual assault on a 19-year-old victim by a defendant in his 80s. Following Ella’s careful witness handling of both a young and vulnerable complainant and an elderly defendant, alongside thorough presentation of the case including several previous consistent statements made by the complainant, the court found in favour of the Prosecution’s factual basis.

R v NB, 2023 Prosecuted a harassment case spanning months of unwanted online and telephone contact. Defendant was convicted after trial.

Ella has gained some experience since pupillage in the field of health and safety law. She is keen to expand this area of her practice.

Cases

• TO, 2024: Defendant a client charged with multiple breaches of health and safety regulations at a food business. Negotiated with the prosecuting authority to secure a result that was favourable to what the client was hoping to achieve.

Ella has gained some experience since pupillage in the field of environmental law. She is keen to expand this area of her practice.

Cases

• RY, 2023: Instructed by Bassetlaw District Council to prosecute a littering offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Ella studied French with English Literature at King’s College London, graduating with a First Class Honours degree. As part of that degree, she completed a year abroad in France teaching English in a French high school.

She then went on to secure a ‘Distinction’ on the GDL law conversion course and a ‘Very Competent’ on the Bar Course.

During her legal studies, Ella completed an internship with the death penalty charity Amicus ALJ UK, assisting with discovery and analysis of large volumes of evidence in relation to death penalty cases in the US alongside assisting in a study monitoring the implementation of the death penalty in the judicial districts of Florida. She also volunteered supporting complainants of crime at Victim Support UK and assisted with notetaking for self-represented doctors in the Medical Practitioners’ Tribunal Service.

• Exhibition Scholarship, Honourable Society of the Inner Temple (2021)
• Duke of Edinburgh Entrance Award, Inner Temple (2021)
• BPP GDL Career Commitment Scholarship (2020)  

• The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
• Amicus ALJ UK
• The Schools Consent Project UK
• The Criminal Bar Association
• North-Eastern Circuit