Catherine Farrelly

Practice Profile

Catherine Farrelly prosecutes and defends in all serious criminal cases, particularly those involving allegations of homicide, serious sexual offending and large and complex fraud or organised crime.

She is highly respected by instructing solicitors, colleagues and the judiciary and is well-known for her clear, organised and thorough approach in court and for being communicative and accessible to clients throughout the entirety of the proceedings.

She has significant experience of advising in cases prior to charge, both for the prosecution and the defence. She has advised upon charge in cases concerning murder, “baby shaking”, serious sexual offences and complex fraud offences. She has also advised for the defence, having successfully drafted representations to avoid charge where clients have faced allegations of serious sexual offences.

Catherine has an impressive reputation in cases that particularly involve sensitive handling, whether of witnesses or defendants. She is regularly instructed in cases that involve very young or vulnerable witnesses or defendants. She is an accredited advocacy facilitator (trainer) of other advocates in relation to young and vulnerable witnesses and has received a commendation from the Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in recognition of the way in which she dealt with a very young complainant in a case involving very serious sexual allegations.

She has a particular interest in cases that involve technical, expert evidence including cell site, DNA and complex medical evidence and has been commended for her clear and focused presentation of such evidence.

She regularly lectures on Serious Sexual Offences and has provided in-house training to the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to indictments in historic cases, digital disclosure and the Attorney-General’s Guidelines 2020 and the s28 procedure in relation to vulnerable witnesses.

Catherine's Privacy Policy can be downloaded here.

Advocate Panels:

• Counter Terrorism - Grade 4
• Fraud - Grade 4
• General Crime - Grade 4
• Serious Crime - Grade 4
• RASSO - Grade 4

Other Languages:

Italian

News

• R v PK [Isleworth Crown Court] 2021

  Double Rapist

  The prosecution of a male for two separate rapes involving significant violence. It involved contested, and successful, application for joinder and complex issues in relation to character evidence.

  https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/ivy-league-raped-women-london-convicted-b908342.html

• R v DW [Ipswich Court Court] 2021

  Sexual Abuse of Children

  The prosecution of one of the most prolific offenders investigated by the NCA who was responsible for the on-line sexual abuse of 52 children. The case concerned complex issues in relation to the indictment, given the significant number of complainants involved.

  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/11/23/paedophile-would-not-have-caught-facebooks-encryption-plans/

  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8978441/One-Britains-worst-paedophiles-admits-96-sex-offences-against-51-boys.html

• R v CU & others [Kingston] 2020

  Commercial Burglary

  Prosecution of twelve defendants in relation to a string of high value commercial burglaries involving the theft of rare and precious books.  Led by Catherine Farrelly. 

  News reports:

  https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/sep/18/rare-books-stolen-london-heist-found-floor-romania

  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/09/18/rare-books-stolen-romanian-gang-recovered-joint-uk-eu-police/

  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8747023/2-5million-trove-books-stolen-London-warehouse-Romania.html

  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-54209366

• R v CU & Ors [Kingston] 2020

  The Feltham Book Heist

  Leading Charlotte Hole. The prosecution of 12 defendants for a number of high-value commercial burglaries, including the theft of rare books by Isaac Newton & Francisco Goya. The prosecution arose out of a JIT (Joint Investigation Team) with Romanian and Italian law enforcement and concerned legal issues in relation to the admissibility of extraterritorial evidence and the presentation of a significant amount of telephone and cell-site evidence. The case attracted considerable interest in the national and international press.

  https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/dec/13/tome-raiders-solving-the-great-book-heist

  https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/heist-isaac-newton-galileo-romania-clamparu-b748240.html

• R v SF & Ors [CCC] 2020

  Homicide

  Led by John Price QC. The prosecution of four men for murder. The case involved a significant amount of telephone and cell-site evidence.

  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-54986153

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