Suzanne Francis

Suzanne has specialises in serious sexual cases and offences including violence, negligence and dealings with vulnerable people.

Sexual offences:

Notable cases include:

• R v DP 2017  Birmingham CC – acquittal of defendant accused of a 3 year campaign of raping and abusing his girlfriend aged between 16 to 19 years old.
• R v MP 2017 Birmingham CC  – successful application for a Mental Health Act disposal following guilty pleas to rape and sexual assault of step-sister; the defendant was profoundly deaf and there were fitness to plead issues.
• R v MT 2017 Wolverhampton CC – allegations by two complainants of historic serious sexual offences committed by family friend – initial acquittal on first complainant and full acquittal of all counts after re-trial.
• R v  TG 2016 Leicester CC – acquittal of defendant accused of years of rapes and sexual and physical assaults upon his wife.
• R v MK & Anor 2013  Croydon CC – acquittal of one of two men accused of raping and abducting a stranger from the street.
• R v NH 2013 Snaresbrook CC – acquittal of defendant with learning difficulties accused of sexual activity with his 4 year old neighbour whilst babysitting.
• R v WS & Anor 2013 St Albans CC – acquittal of defendant accused of gang rape of a waitress at a Christmas party.
• R v PP 2012 Woolwich CC – acquittal of defendant accused of sexual activity against his daughter aged 4-6 years old.
• R v LB 2011 Southend CC – acquittal after re-trial of ‘stranger’ rape.
• R v DD-C 2010 Basildon CC – acquittal of defendant accused of sexually assaulting disabled 12 year old girl.
• R v CM 2010  Reading CC – acquittal of a defendant accused of raping a young girl with learning difficulties – intermediary for complainant.
• R v AF 2009 Reading CC – acquittal of rape where complainant claimed she was raped whilst highly intoxicated in a graveyard and incapable of giving consent.
• www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/andrew-fagbohungbe-cleared-rape-charge-4233924
• R v TF 2009 Reading CC – convicted of serious sexual offences against foster parents pet dog. Secured a Community Order following psychiatric and psychological evidence.
• www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/teenager-thomas-fletcher-sentenced-dog-4237404
• R v DP 2008  Isleworth CC – acquittal of youth with learning difficulties accused of rape of his neighbour. Defendant gave evidence over video-link – first usage for a defendant in London.

Offences Against the Person:

Notable cases include:

• R v CD 2013  CCC – junior in Murder case.  After a psychiatric assessment ruled Defendant was ‘fit to plead’, appeared alone for sentence.
• R v AH 2013  Wood Green CC – acquittal in large scale conspiracy to commit cash in transit robberies, case involved complex cell site analysis.
• R v IS 2012 Reading Crown Court – junior Counsel defending in manslaughter and death by dangerous driving case, the first ‘cash for crash’ scheme to cause death of driver.
• www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2232954/Innocent-female-motorist-34-killed-gang-staged-crash-cash-insurance-scam-busy-motorway.html
• R v  DH 2011  Isleworth CC – instructed alone in attempted murder, successful application to dismiss.
• R v TK 2007 CCC – junior, attempted murder and murder of defendant’s ex-wife and her new partner. Witnessed by defendant’s very young son. All witnesses and defendant’s evidence given through interpreters.
• R v JS 2018 Worcester CC – acquittal of a mother accused of a campaign of child cruelty and assaults against her daughter and neglect of her 2 siblings.
• R v DC 2018 Birmingham CC  – represented a father for plea and sentence, charged with cruelty to his 11 day old baby son.
• R v KS & oths 2011 Lewes CC – acquittal of defendant in a case involving kidnapping, false imprisonment and serious assault.
• R v LP  2017 Birmingham CC  – represented a defendant for plea and sentence for an extremely serious assault on a cancer patient in remission.
• www.itv.com/news/central/2017-07-28/man-given-jail-sentence-after-attack-on-a-cancer-patient/
• R v IW 2017 Stafford CC  – acquittal of a serious allegation of grievous bodily harm by doorman on customer, despite evidence of 4 eye witnesses.
• R v KK & oths 2009 Reading CC – successful submission of ‘no case to answer’ for an alleged get-away driver in a serious robbery and grievous bodily harm, all other defendants were convicted.

Drugs and Gang-Related Offences:

• R v MJ & oths Worcester CC – representing a defendant for sentence in a large scale drugs conspiracy (cocaine).
  www.worcesterobserver.co.uk/news/four-further-members-of-worcester-drugs-gang-jailed/
• R v LB 2012  Snaresbrook CC – acquittal in large scale conspiracy to cultivate cannabis – ten defendants.

Other notable cases include:

• R V SN  2008 Oxford CC– acquittal of a defendant with mental health issues who had stockpiled bomb-making equipment and literature.
• R v OK 2006 Isleworth CC– represented Britain’s most prolific bigamist for plea and sentence.
  www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-407549/The-man-14-wives.html