Instructing Jacqueline Carey KC
To instruct Jacqueline or for any further information please contact our clerks.
Clerk: John Grimmer
Telephone: +44 (0)7776 154 664
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Described by Chambers & Partners (2022) as an “highly effective advocate” with “an exceptional eye for detail” and by the Legal 500 as “clever and capable…a real team player” Jacqueline Carey KC has been involved in some of the most high profile criminal work to have been tried in recent years. She is currently instructed in the Post Office Appeals before the Court of Appeal Criminal Division, described by many as most the most widespread miscarriage of justice in UK history.
Jacqueline has particular expertise in homicide cases and cases involving serious sexual allegations (including both recent and historic allegations). She is frequently instructed in those cases requiring specialist witness handling of vulnerable and child witnesses and is an advoccay trainer with Inner Temple.
In addition to her extremely successful criminal practice, she has considerable expertise in public inquiries in her role as Counsel to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse and as Counsel to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.
Jacqueline also has experience in the area of professional/regulatory law representing interested parties at Inquests and acting as a legal adviser. In 2016 she was appointed as a Crown Court Recorder.
Jacqueline is much sought after for her wealth of experience in dealing with cases involving all areas of serious and complex crime. Whether prosecuting or defending, she is regularly involved in some of the most high profile and demanding criminal cases.
Post Office Limited v Hamilton & Others
Jacqueline acts for Post Office Limited (POL) in the Court of Appeal Criminal Division (CACD) and before Southwark Crown Court (sitting in its appellate jurisdiction) dealing with appeals arising out of the reliability of the Horizon accounting system. Described by many as the UK’s largest miscarriage of justice, Jacqueline continues to advise in relation to hundreds of other potential appeals involving sub-postmasters and POL employees.
R v S & S
Successfully prosecuted two defendants for multiple counts of child cruelty spanning two decades in respect of 14 victims. Described by the judge as “one of the worst campaigns of neglect the court has ever encountered” the defendants were sentenced to 9 and 7 years respectively.
R v P & P
Leading counsel for P in a high profile 9 week prosecution at the Old Bailey. P was a police officer accused of misconduct in public office in a case which alleged that she forged documents, incuding police and CPS charging decisions, to ensure historic child sexual abuse cases were not prosecuted.
R v AL
Following a six week trial, Jacqueline secured the acquittal of AL accused of money laundering. The case was a private prosecution brought by a multi-million pound company who employed AL’s husband as a financial controller.
R v M
First junior counsel in a 3-month high profile trial for the first defendant accused of 3-year conspiracy to defraud. M was a Barclays banker accused of making false LIBOR submissions to the advantage of traders/detriment of counterparties with whom the bank was trading. The submissions were subject to investigations by Barclays, the FSA, the Department of Justice in the US and the SFO. The value of the fraud was unquantifiable as LIBOR affected billions of pounds’ worth of trades on a daily basis. The case involved complex financial transactions and allegations that the Bank of England had condoned this conduct.
R v T
Instructed as junior counsel for a former Sun journalist accused of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. The case arose out of the Metropolitan Police’s ‘Operation Elvedon’ investigation into misconduct by employees of News International. The defendant was acquitted of the conspiracy count following a successful submission of no case to answer. At the conclusion of the 3-month trial, the jury returned a not guilty verdict on the remaining substantive count.
R v A
Defended as junior alone in a 10 week multi-handed drugs importation. The crown alleged that the defendant and his co-accused were responsible for organising the importation of multi-kilos of heroin from Pakistan for onward distribution throughout the Midlands and the North and South East. Case involved significant phone and cell site analysis.
Jacqueline is frequently instructed in homicide cases of the utmost seriousness and complexity.
R v DecoPak & Others
Following a 10 week trial, DecoPak was convicted of corporate manslaughter contrary to s1 Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007. The convictions arose from the death of an employee crushed by a robotic arm, used as part of an automatic bagging and production line at their factory. The prosecution proved that, over the course of 2 years, Deco-Pak Limited caused safety systems surrounding a robotic cell to be disabled, enabling employees to regularly access a live cell.
R v B
Successfully prosecuted B for gross negligence manslaughter arising from a fall from height where B took no safety measures to protect his employee.
R v M
Double homicide. M was sentenced to life imprisonment with a 35 year mimimum term for murdering his heavily pregnant ex-partner and killing their unborn son.
R v P
Gang related revenge murder in Hackney involving circumstantial evidence including phone attribution, cell site/CCTV evidence, DNA and gang evidence and bad character evidence in respect of the defendant’s violent behaviour whilst on remand.
R v B
Successfully prosecuted B for an offence under s. 3 Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. B ran a letting agency and assumed the responsibilities of the landlord in relation to a number of properties in the Huddersfield area. In relation to one property, he failed to comply with Smoke and Carbon Monoxide (England) Regulations 2015 and instal working smoke alarms. As a result of a fire at the property, 2 young children, aged 3 and 2, died.
R v W
Successfully defended a man accused of participating in a mob attack where the deceased was stabbed, punched, kicked and run over. Complicated issues of joint enterprise arose, as the ultimate cause of death was uncertain.
R v E
Represented E at the Old Bailey accused of attempting to murder his former partner by slashing her throat. E then attempted suicide. The defendant was acquitted of attempted murder.
Renowned for her client care, Jacqueline has a wealth of experience dealing with all aspects of defence criminal work especially those involving vulnerable defendants. Her busy defence practice regularly sees her instructed to defend in cases including drug trafficking, fraud, serious violence and child cruelty. As can be seen in the summary of cases below, Jacqueline also has experience in the regulatory and professional disciplinary sphere.
R v P
Successfully defended a mother accused of allowing her partner to abuse her 5 year old son. The partner falsely accused P of being responsible for the child’s injuries. Careful analysis of the pathologist’s evidence proved this partner’s claims to be wholly unfounded.
R v M
Represented a man accused of abducting a 14 year old girl with whom he was having a sexual relationship. The defendant was subject to a ‘Child Abduction Warning Notice’ banning him from contacting the complainant who resided in Local Authority care.
PODI v H
PC H was accused of gross misconduct in relation to an off duty incident where he was already subject to a written warning for a similar matter. Although invited to find gross misconduct, having heard submissions, the panel was not satisfied that the gross misconduct was proven and PC H was given a final written warning.
Inquest into death of TW
DR B was an interested party following a death in custody of an inmate at HMP Peterborough. The deceased had a lengthy medical history complicated by his class A drug addiction. It was suggested that Dr B may have failed to follow prison procedure when admitting a withdrawing prisoner. The jury rejected any suggestion that Dr B’s conduct contributed to the prisoner’s death.
Jacqueline is frequently instructed to act in these most serious of cases and is renowned for her excellent eye for detail and client care. Whether acting on her own or being led, Jacqueline is fully familiar with the multitude of issues and the defences that arise in these major investigations.
R v W
Successfully defended a man accused of participating in a mob attack where the deceased was stabbed, punched, kicked and run over. Complicated issues of joint enterprise arose, as the ultimate cause of death was uncertain.
R v E
Represented the defendant at the Old Bailey accused of attempting to murder his former partner by slashing her throat and then attempting suicide. The defendant was acquitted of attempted murder.
R v L
Acted as junior counsel in the case where the deceased died by drowning. The young defendant was party to the manslaughter by shouting words of encouragement. The case was subsequently reported (R v Lawson [2006] All ER 116) in relation to bad character evidence.
R v C
Secured the acquittal of an 18 year old man accused of being one of a group of assailants accused of ‘chasing down’ the aggrieved before punching, kicking and stabbing him in the middle of a busy road in broad daylight. The issue was one of identification/alibi. Following cross-examination of the main eyewitness, the Crown did not oppose the submission of no case to answer.
Jacqueline prosecutes cases involving serious sexual, violent and drugs allegations for both RASSO and the Complex Casework Unit. She is currently instructed as leading junior to prosecute a multi handed historic child cruelty case arising out of an investigation into a Suffolk boarding school. The case is due to be heard in April 2015 with a 3 month time estimate.
R v G
Junior counsel in a multi handed long running drugs investigation involving kilos of cocaine being sold in Essex and nationwide. The case involved complicated analysis of phone billing and cell site evidence in order to persuade the jury that the head of this organised crime group was involved in the drug dealing.
R v P
Secured the conviction of a man accused of raping his brother and sister in the 1970s – 1980s when the defendant himself was only a child. The case raised issues of doli incapax, the admission of the defendant’s subsequent bad character and successfully opposing an abuse of process argument on the grounds of delay.
R v S
Successfully prosecuted the defendant accused of attempting to kill his former partner in front of their baby son. The defendant had a history of domestic violence and the ferocity of the attack was such that the victim was unable to recall the incident. The defendant’s sister was also prosecuted for perverting the course of justice following her attempts to dispose of the blood stained clothing.
Jacqueline’s particular skill at witness handling comes to the fore in the cases involving serious sexual allegations. She frequently provides pre charge advice in this area, whether the case involves recent or historical allegations, Jacqueline appreciates the need for all such cases to be dealt with sensitively and professionally. As such she is fully conversant with the specialist legal knowledge one needs when dealing with cases of this kind. She frequently deals with vulnerable and/or child witnesses and cases involving an intermediary and other types of special measures.
R v F
Acted for F accused of sexually abusing 4 boys in the 1970s when he was the choirmaster at their school. He was said to have introduced the second defendant to a complainant who the second defendant then went on to abuse.
R v B
Acted for B accused of serious sexual allegations on 2 complainants. The allegations related to late 1980s and 2006. The 2006 case was investigated at the time but not prosecuted. In 2014, the 1980s allegations were reported and the prosecution resurrected the 2006 allegations. Successfully argued that the 2006 allegations should be stayed as an abuse of process. B was subsequently acquitted at the trial of the allegations relating to the 1980s.
R v G
Acted for a 19 year old man accused of orally raping a 14 year old girl and then encouraging his co-accused to rape her. Following an 18 month police investigation, the Crown alleged the defendant was part of a gang of males grooming girls from a West London care home. At the conclusion of the 4 week trial, the defendant was acquitted of rape.
R v O
Successfully defended a care home worker accused of having sexual intercourse with a mentally ill in-patient. The victim was in her mid 40s but had the mental age and voice of a young girl. The case included the use of an intermediary and a successful application to adduce previous false complaints.
R v N
Acted on behalf of a 14 year old boy accused of raping his 17 year old sister who suffered from learning disabilities. Exceptionally, the Court was persuaded to impose a non custodial sentence.
R v P
Defended a South London football coach accused of 2 violent acts of rape on 2 separate complainants. Both cases involved the imprisonment of the complainants in the defendant’s home and involved the defendant and his co-accused performing sexual acts of a violent and degrading nature over a number of hours.
R v C
Acted for a schizophrenic accused of subjecting a single mother to a variety of serious sexual assaults including anal rape. Successfully overturned the conviction in the Court of Appeal. The defendant was acquitted at his retrial.
R v J
Acted at both the trial and re-trial of a man accused of repeated sexual assaults perpetrated against his stepdaughter over approximately 15 years. The aggrieved reported the matter in the 1980s and there followed a police investigation and social services intervention. The defendant made partial admissions to social services who eventually allowed him to return home. Two decades later, the aggrieved reported the matter and alleged that the defendant had continued to abuse her after he returned to live with the family.
UK Covid-19 Inquiry (2022-present)
In May 2022, Jacqueline was one of 11 Queen’s Counsel appointed the the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s legal team.
Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) (2017-2022)
As Counsel to the Inquiry (CTI) for three of IICSA’s 15 investigations, Jacqueline has significant public inquiry experience. Her role as CTI includes advising the Chair and Panel on all legal matters, conducting the advocacy during the public hearings and drafting the investigation reports:
Lead counsel to the Internet Investigation which examined the response of law enforcement, the internet industry and government to online-facilitated child sexual abuse.
Acted as lead CTI in the Archdiocese of Birmingham case study (Nov 2018) and first junior CTI in the overarching hearing into the Roman Catholic Church’s response to child sexual abuse (Oct-Nov 2019).
Archdiocese of Birmingham Case Study Report
Roman Catholic Investigation Report
Acted as first junior counsel In the highly controversial investigation into the Institutional Responses to allegations of child sexual abuse involving the Late Lord Janner of Braunstone QC.