Neelam Sharma
Neelam practices in all areas of criminal law both prosecuting and defending in equal measure. She is a designated Grade 3 prosecution advocate and is on the CPS list of accredited ‘rape’ advocates.
Neelam has been instructed in a wide range of criminal matters both in her own capacity and as junior counsel including murder, firearms, drug importations and money laundering offences.
In recent years her practice has developed with a strong emphasis in complex fraud cases. Due to her background in Economics she is particularly proficient in dealing with frauds centred on the financial markets. She is regularly instructed by individuals and corporations in the financial services on regulatory issues and VAT tribunals.
Unusually for her call she has gained significant experience and a strong reputation as a specialist defence advocate in serious sexual offences.
Cases
Criminal Defence
- R v Rastogi & others – Second junior in one of the largest multi million pound global frauds to be prosecuted in the UK. She was heavily involved in preparing the cross examination and drafting the legal arguments
- R v Rigden & others – Junior counsel in complicated ‘phoenix’ fraud.
- R v Fensham & others – Junior counsel in carousel fraud.
- R v Naeem & others – Instructed in her own capacity in £2million banking fraud.
- R v M (2005) – Instructed in her own capacity in a case of stranger rape/indecent assault on a disabled complainant.
- R v H (2005) – Instructed in her own capacity where the defendant was charged with nine counts of rape where the prosecution were given leave to call evidence of seven previous allegations of rape by a previous complainant.
- R v H (2006); R v K (2007); R v W (2008) – Instructed in her own capacity as defence advocate in historical rape allegations, ‘date’ rape and allegations involving child complainants.
Professional memberships
- Criminal Bar Association
- South Eastern Circuit
- Young Fraud Lawyers Association
- Grade 2 CPS Counsel