Rhiannon Crimmins KC

Rhiannon Sara Crimmins KC

Call: 1999 | Silk: 2022

Actions

Rhiannon is an extremely experienced, highly committed and fearless criminal defence practitioner. Over her career she has been instructed in over 18 murder trials and regularly defends those accused of terrorism, firearms, gang-related crime and fraud as a leading junior, led junior, and junior alone.

Rhiannon has developed an impressive reputation across the board, being described by lay clients as “outstanding”; by her instructing solicitors as “a leading light in her profession”, and by the Judiciary as “first class”. It is hardly surprising, therefore that she is consistently instructed in high profile and unusual cases that generate considerable media interest.

Past examples include the matter of R v R in 2018, an allegation of computer hacking involving a large UK telecoms company, spanning international borders, in which the defendant was acquitted. In 2017, she appeared as led junior, in the infamous ‘Pentonville Murder’ trial, again her defendant was acquitted. More recently, in R v P 2019, her defendant was acquitted of murdering her 7 month old, a child who suffered from a myriad of health complications. Rhiannon was led by by Caroline Carberry KC, in the trial before Mrs Justice McGowan KC.

She has just concluded the case of R v MS & Anr, in which her teenage client was alleged to have encouraged right wing/neo nazi terrorism and is now awaiting to defend one of 4 defendants accused of the murder of 17 year’ old Jodie Chesney, to be heard at the Central Criminal Court in September 2019.

Rhiannon puts client care at the heart of her practice. She is particularly approachable to lay and professional clients alike and regularly complemented by lay clients for her down-to-earth approach and fearless commitment to those she defends. She is particularly adept in cases with religious and cultural sensitivities as well as those defendants who are considered vulnerable – she considers that her past expertise in human rights and immigration law, appearing in the High Court and Court of Appeal, has provided her with an excellent foundation in this regard.

She is an impressive jury advocate and has developed a reputation as a truly exceptional lawyer in written and oral legal argument. She is dedicated to meticulous preparation which is borne out by consistently good results.

Testimonials
“Rhiannon is breathtakingly intelligent and beautifully eloquent. She is completely fearless in court, a great cross-examiner and a class act. She is also a calming influence who instils confidence and controls every situation she finds herself in.“-Legal 500, 2024
Murder

R v H, 2023 – Charged with the murder of Jordan Stuart, his long-time friend D claimed accident in self-defence when attacked with a knife by the deceased despite a prosecution eye-witness account of deliberate stabbing. Rhiannon’s devastating cross-examination of the principal eyewitness exposing his dishonesty, and the deceased’s violence led to D’s acquittal of both murder and manslaughter. News story here

R v K , 2022 – Represented defendant was charged as part of an OCG with the fatal shooting in broad daylight of Imani-Allaway-Muir. The shooting was a joint enterprise act of revenge for robbery of a drug dealer. D was said to have acted as a ‘spotter’ in the seconds before the shooting and disposed of the firearm afterwards. D claimed no knowledge of the impending shooting, and following extensive cross-examination, including Rhiannon’s skilful cross-examination of the OIC to demonstrate Ds subordinate role in the OCG, D was acquitted of murder.

2019 – R v O & Ors representing one of 4 defendants charged with the murderof 17 year’ old Jodie Chesney to be heard at the Central Criminal Court in September 2019. Led Junior; led by Charlie Sherrard KC

2019 – R v V – Murder – to be heard at the Central Criminal Court August 2019. Led Junior; led by Charlie Sherrard KC

2019 – R v JW & Ors – ongoing 6 handed gang related murder involving young and vulnerable defendants at the Central Criminal Court. Led Junior; led by Charlie Sherrard KC

2019 – R v P – D charged with murder of 7 month’ old child, heard before Mrs Justice McGowan. Complex expert medical issues. Acquitted of murder. Led junior; led by Caroline Carberry KC

2018 – R v B & Ors – Murder– ‘Ponders End Shooting’ – gang related murder of Russell Jones in context of ongoing gang war in Enfield, North London. Ambush attack in Ponder’s End on group of which deceased a part by 4 attackers armed with a knife and shotgun.  Led Junior; led by Charlie Sherrard KC

2017 – R v K & Ors – The ‘Pentonville Murder’. Alleged murder over control of prison contraband – drugs and weapons. Acquitted of murder and manslaughter. Led Junior; led by Michael Holland KC

2016 – R v N & Ors – ‘Gumtree robbery and Murder’– acquitted of Murder. Led Junior; led by Sally O’Neill KC

2015 – R v K & Ors – gang related murder; Led Junior led by Sally O’Neill KC

2014 – R v BI & Ors – attempted murder; attempted ‘hit’ multiple shooting of complainant in organised criminal network. Acquitted on successful half-time submissions – Led Junior

2014 – R v Okokono (reported) full court hearing appeal against murder conviction– CA led Junior

2013 – R v K – attempted murder– attempted ‘execution’ by shooting of individual D believed to be informant – Led Junior

2013 – R v K-S & Ors – ‘Westfield gang riot and stabbing’ Murder and violent disorder– leading junior; acquitted

2012 – R v JL & Ors – murder-alleged revenge gang related killing – led Junior

2012 – R v PF & Anr – attempted murder, Junior alone – s18 plea accepted

2010 – R v E and Ors – gang related murder; Led Junior – acquitted

2009 – R v G and anr – Murder; led junior; acquitted of murder

2006 – R v P and Anr – Murder– Led Junior (homophobic murder on Clapham Common)

Terrorism

R v A, 2021: Jihadi terrorism – preparation of ISIS inspired mass terrorist attack; undercover operative investigation; extensive multi-media evidence case defendant had wide family terrorism links. Rhiannon’s extensive experience in terrorist cases, and experience with Islamic terrorist cases enabled her to organise the team to collate mass material and research to contextualise the defence advanced to reduced extracts, schedules, admissions, agreed facts, producing defence specific schedules advancing the defence with exceptional clarity to the jury. News story here

2019 – R v MS & Anr – Teenage alleged extreme right-wing/neo-nazi sympathisers charged with encouragement of terrorismand possession of terrorist material

BBC  Independent

2018 – R v A & Ors – Possession of terrorist materials. D allegedly part of extended family sharing Jihadi mindset involved in the distribution and collection of terrorist material.

Daily Telegraph

 

 

Conspiracy to defraud

2019 – R v C & Ors – large scale conspiracy to defraudand money laundering offences – rogue trader builders targeting vulnerable elderly complainants over a number of years. Represented defendant acquitted of conspiracy to defraud following disclosure arguments and acquitted of all remaining counts at subsequent trial.

2016 – R v W – Conspiracy to defraud; 1ston indictment defendant said to be ‘inside man’ in large scale DWP fraud – acquitted (the only acquittal)

2012 – R v AS & Ors – multi-handed conspiracy to defraud, and immigration conspiracy – leading Junior – 1st on indictment, only acquittal

2011 – R v U-U & Ors – multi-handed conspiracy to defraud, and money laundering offences – one of only 2 defendants acquitted on all counts

Drugs and firearms

2018 – R v B & Ors – Conspiracy Class A; defendant in possession 1kg heroin and cocaine. Received suspended sentence.

2018 – R v JJ & Ors – 5 handed conspiracy Class A ‘County Lines’. 1ston indictment ran successful s78 application to exclude prosecution evidence relating to defendants’ phone contact and cell site for disclosure failures. Prosecution thereafter forced to offer no evidence against all 5 defendants

2018 – R v Q & Ors – ‘County Lines’ Class A drugs conspiracyand people traffickingallegations; following legal argument in written submissions prosecution accepted pleas to drugs counts only

2017 – R v M & Ors – large scale sale/transfer firearms conspiracy 17 handguns, ammunition and semi-automatic weapons

2017 – R v H & Ors – conspiracy to transfer firearms– allegation relating to shotguns ‘stolen to order’

2016 – R v K & Ors – lead defendant in extensive ‘County Lines’ Class A conspiracy

2014 – R v K – PWITS large amount Class A– acquitted on defence of duress

2014 – R v A & Ors – conspiracy to transfer firearms

2013 – R v K – Conspiracy Class A. Defendant alleged to be courier in large scale heroin conspiracy – acquitted

2012 – R v MA & Ors – supply firearms conspiracyinvolving undercover officers – acquitted all counts following lengthy legal argument

2005 – R v S – possession of prohibited Firearms. Post legal argument HHJ ruled no case to answer on every count)

2002 – R v B and Ors – Conspiracy supply class A. Led Junior (multiple defendants large scale undercover operation)

Rape and serious sexual offences

R v J, 2023: Privately instructed on behalf of black cab driver accused of raping a city worker after taking her home after an evening out. Rhiannon’s cross-examination of the complainant revealed significant credibility issues which combined with an expert cross-examination of the officers in the case on failures in procedure and defence obtained CCTV footage destroyed the prosecution case against Jacobs. News story here

R v S, 2022: Complex child abuse case involving 4 alleged victims who were pupils at school in UAE at which the defendant was a teacher. Extensive legal argument covering admission of 18-year-old acquittal, alleged confession and bad character. In detailed legal arguments Rhiannon successfully argued neither computer images nor alleged confession should be admitted, carefully crafting closing speech on complex cross-examinations as to witness contamination. Rhiannon used extensive experience with vulnerable witness questioning for effective cross-examination under s28 procedure. Rhiannon’s persuasive legal style has led to leave to appeal on all grounds argued against conviction and sentence being granted by CACD.

2017 – R v R – multiple complainant, multiple count allegations of historical sexual offences alleged to have occurred within context familial relationship – acquitted all counts

2017 – R v C – multiple complainant, multiple count allegations of historical sexual offences related to religious figure – acquitted all 13 counts

2016 – R v M-L – multiple rape allegations made by defendant’s ex-wife – acquitted all counts (in 2 separate trials)

2016 – R v M – alleged child sex offences– acquitted all counts

2016 – R v R – rape allegation – acquitted

2016 – R v M – rape allegation connected to Stephen Pole serial murders of gay men. Prosecution offered no evidence

2016 – R v H – alleged gang rape; acquitted

2015 – R v A  – rape -acquitted

2015 – R v M – rape -acquitted

2014 – R v G– multiple sexual offences; allegations – acquitted

2009 – R v A – Rape-acquitted

2003 – R v O – Rape(acquitted- defendant did not give evidence)

 

Serious violence and child cruelty cases

2018 – R v D & Ors – 3 handed s18 involving extensive injuries to complainant; defence self-defence. Represented defendant acquitted of all counts.

2017 – R v C – s18 and child cruelty allegation related to alleged ‘baby-shaking’– led junior; acquitted all counts

2017 – R v Q & Anr – alleged gang-related revenge stabbing s18central criminal court. Following Rhiannon’s cross-examination of complainant demonstrating ‘fit-up’ by complainant of defendant submission of no case to answer upheld – acquitted

2016 – R v T – alleged drug debt related violent kidnap and s18– defendant pleaded to kidnap and denied s18; cut-throat defences run against represented defendant; represented defendant acquitted of s18

2015 – R v Y & Ors – 5 handed Conspiracy to rob, PWITS Class A – allegation of gang on gang violent armed robbery of drug ‘storehouse’ one of only 2 defendants acquitted all counts

2015 – R v M s18 allegation – defence of self-defence – acquitted all counts

2015 – R v B & Anr – café owners accused of s18 and affray; defence acting in self-defence – acquitted all counts

2015 – R v D – s18 stabbing acquitted on defence that complainant inflicted his own stab wounds

2014 – R v A & Anr – foster parents accused of multiple counts of child cruelty– acquitted on all counts

2013 – R v JS – ‘inside man’ allegation relating to armed robbery of bookmaker – acquitted

2008 – R v C and Ors – conspiracy to rob; leading junior 8 handed – first on indictment multi-way cut-throat defences

2004 – R v LS and Ors – Leading Junior Conspiracy Armed robbery(multi handed armed robbery conspiracy involving tortured victims and Triad connections)

Other notable cases:

2018 – R v R – allegation computer hacking involving large UK telecoms company; UK and India – acquitted

2015 – R v M – Central Criminal Court; allegation of perverting the course of justice by offering to ‘pay off’ complainant with £10,000 in large scale sex offences/grooming case – acquitted

2013 – R v Gill-Webb – ‘100m Olympic final Bottle thrower’

2008 – R v W – s23 Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner accused of ‘poisoning’ client; led junior; acquitted of poisoning;

2007 – R v Z – 12 count indictment alleging sale prohibited speciesTraditional Chinese Medicine (following half time submission on novel and complex legal argument ruled no case to answer on every count on indictment)

2004 – R v O – Court of Appeal (appeal against sentence domestic violence reduced on appeal from 15 months to 6 months)

R v O & Ors – representing one of 4 defendants charged with the murder of 17 year’ old Jodie Chesney to be heard at the Central Criminal Court in September 2019. Led Junior; led by Charlie Sherrard KC

R v V – Murder – to be heard at the Central Criminal Court August 2019. Led Junior; led by Charlie Sherrard KC

R v L & Ors – 4 handed allegation of Conspiracy child destruction. Junior alone. Alleged forced abortion conspiracy – one of only 11 such prosecutions ever brought; to be tried before High Court Judge. Allegation of conspiracy to obtain illegal abortion drugs by 4 defendants subsequently administered in an effort to procure termination of pregnancy.

R v JW & Ors – (ongoing) 6 handed gang related murder involving young and vulnerable defendants at the Central Criminal Court. Led Junior; led by Charlie Sherrard KC

Human rights & asylum

Subesh and others [2004] EWCA Civ. 56)- CA Co-Counsel on nature of a mixed fact and law appellate jurisdiction – test case, 3 days before Judge L.J. Laws L.J. and Maurice-Kay J.

Professional memberships

Criminal Bar Association, Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn
Education: BA Jurisprudence, Oxon
Called: November 1999 Gray’s Inn
Member of Tenancy Committee, Pupil Supervisor

Education

  • BA Oxon
  • Called: November 1999 Gray’s Inn

 

  • Legal 500 UK 2024: Included New Silk
Menu