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Gayathri Yogarajah

Solicitor Advocate

Departments
Criminal Law

Gayathri qualified in 2007 and specialises in criminal defence work.

She has obtained her Duty Solicitor status and has particular experience in cases involving multiple defendants. Her criminal practice ranges from representing clients charged with low level offences in the Magistrates Court, to representing those in the Crown Court charged with serious offences, such as Murder, Rape, Kidnap and Money Laundering.

Gayathri is known for her intellect, quick thinking and attention to detail. Her passion for getting the right result for her clients is evident and she is known to have an excellent manner with her clients. Her dedication to her clients means that much of her work comes from recommendations from existing or previous clients.

She is a skilled advocate and represents her clients at the Police station, Magistrates Court and through to the Crown Court (where experienced Counsel are instructed).

Warmly regarded by her peers, Gayathri leaves no stone unturned in the defence of her clients. She is a hard-working solicitor and is highly praised for her strategic thinking of cases and judgment.

Gayathri is regularly instructed on both legally aided and private cases.

Notable cases:

Murder

R v MP (Central Criminal Court) – Represented a defendant charged with seven others, with offences of Murder, Four Counts of Attempted Murder and Violent Disorder. The defendant was found Not Guilty of all charges.

R v SS (Central Criminal Court) – Represented a defendant charged with Murder in a cut throat defence where the co-defendant was seeking to blame this defendant for the Murder. Acquitted by the Jury of Murder.

R v MA (Central Criminal Court) – Represented a defendant charged with one count of Murder and two Counts of Attempted Murder. After obtaining psychiatric reports, the Crown accepted pleas to Manslaughter and S18 GBH on the grounds of Diminished Responsibility and offered No Evidence on the Murder and Attempted Murder charges.

R v MS (Central Criminal Court) – Represented one defendant of eight charged with an allegation of Attempted Murder. Four Co-defendants were convicted of Attempted Murder. The Jury acquitted this defendant of Attempted Murder.

Death by Dangerous Driving & Other Driving Offences

R v GT (Woolwich Crown Court) – Represented a defendant charged with Death by Dangerous Driving. After obtaining expert reports which disputed the speed at which the defendant was driving, the Crown accepted a plea to Death by Careless Driving. The defendant was sentenced to a suspended sentence.

R v ZM (Northampton Crown Court) – Represented a Bus Driver charged with Dangerous Driving. Obtained expert reports that demonstrated the driving was not dangerous, the Crown accepted a plea to a lessor charge of Careless Driving and the defendant was not disqualified from driving and instead received points, enabling him to keep his employment.

Money Laundering, Fraud & Theft offences

R v HB, NB, PB & NS (Blackfriars Crown Court) – Represented four defendants in a eleven-handed case charged with offences of Handling Stolen Goods and Money Laundering, alleged to be involved in the organised and dishonest trading in an estimated £5million of stolen mobile phones. The case involved viewing of several months of covert video and audio recordings, taken from within the storage facility which the gang operated from.

R v BS (KIngston Crown Court) – Represented defendant charged with Money Laundering, after he was found with another two defendants to be in possession of over £300,000 cash in a Shopping Centre car park, at an alleged drop off. The defendant was the only one of six defendants, who was acquitted by the jury.

R v AS, TS & VT (Chelmsford Crown Court) – Represented three defendants, accused of Fuel Card Fraud. Two of the defendants were accused of cloning fuel cards at their places of employment at various petrol stations. The Crown’s case relied heavily on CCTV and cell site data showing where the defendants were at the time the cloned cards were used. The defence made numerous disclosure requests which were essential to the trial and the Crown were unable to provide this material. These three defendants were acquitted of all charges.

Sexual Offences

R v PG (Snaresbrook Crown Court) – Represented a defendant who was charged with several counts of Rape. The complainant alleged that these offences had occurred during a three month affair. The Crown offered No Evidence on all charges and the court recorded Not Guilty verdicts.

R v AL (Snaresbrook Crown Court) – Represented a defendant charged with several counts of historical Sexual Assault. Defendant acquitted of all charges.

R v KK (Woolwich Crown Court) – Represented defendant charged with several counts of historical Sexual Assault. The First Jury were unable to reach a verdict and a re-trial was ordered. The Second Jury acquitted the defendant of all charges.

R v SA (Swindon Crown Court) – Represented defendant charged with another defendant of Rape. Both defendants acquitted by the Jury of all charges.

R v OA (Aylesbury Crown Court) – Represented defendant charged with Rape and Kidnap. Detailed prepared statement put forward at the Police Station Interview denying offence and requesting police secure CCTV and fingerprint evidence. The Crown obtained this material and subsequently offered No Evidence. The defendant was formally acquitted of Rape & Kidnap.

R v JA (Snaresbrook Crown Court) – Represented defendant charged with Rape. A detailed prepared statement was put forward at the Police Station stage denying offence. The Crown later offered No Evidence and the defendant was formally found Not Guilty of the charge.

Other Offences

R v DL (Snaresbrook Crown Court) – Represented defendant charged with Witness Intimidation and Blackmail. Representations made to the Crown to discontinue case due to credibility of the witnesses who had made a number of false allegations against the defendant and his friends and who had themselves been charged with an assault on the defendant. The Crown subsequently offered No Evidence and the court recorded a Not Guilty verdict.

R v MF (Kingston Crown Court) – Represented defendant who was arrested with three others in a car park and subsequently charged with two conspiracies to supply Class A drugs (Cocaine) and B drugs (Cannabis). Two kilos of Cocaine were recovered from one defendant’s house. The defendant put forward a denial in his interview. The Crown subsequently offered No Evidence against this defendant only and the court found him Not Guilty of both charges.

R v SK (Inner London Crown Court) – Represented defendant charged with Affray, with four other defendants. Incident related to a large scale fight, caught on camera. The four co-defendants were all from the opposing side in the incident. Defendant acquitted after the Jury was discharged from returning a verdict and the Crown did not seek a re-trial.

R v KG (Snaresbrook Crown Court) – Represented defendant charged with Kidnap and two charges of Attempted Robbery. The Crown offered No evidence and the defendant was found Not Guilty of all charges.

Appeals

R v OA (Court of Appeal) – Represented defendant on Appeal who had been convicted of Rape of a female he had met at a party. The defendant had been represented by another firm of solicitors for his trial and the basis of the appeal was that the previous solicitors had been negligent in failing to advise the defendant correctly at the interview stage in putting forward his defence of consent. Further that the previous solicitors had been negligent in failing to waive privilege at his trial so that the Jury was aware that consent had been put forward at the outset. Court of Appeal overturned the conviction and ordered a Re-trial. Represented the defendant at his re-trial at Ayslebury Crown Court where he was acquitted by the Jury.

R v JG (Court of Appeal) – Represented defendant who had been acquitted of Kidnap but convicted of Blackmail during a trial at Harrow Crown Court. The defendant’s co-defendants had been acquitted of all charges. Appeal to the Court of Appeal on the grounds of Inconsistent Verdicts by the Jury. The Appeal was allowed and the conviction overturned.

Languages: Tamil (working knowledge)