Helen regularly appears in the Magistrates and Crown Courts, and has a particular interest in political and protest related offences, as well as in offences arising out of human trafficking. She is currently instructed with Clare Montgomery QC to prosecute Lord Hanningfield on charges of false accounting concerning his expenses. She is instructed in criminal justice related public law matters, including appeals by way of case stated and judicial reviews of prosecutorial decisions. She is a contributing author to practitioner texts on criminal justice and human rights, fraud and asset recovery.
Helen has experience in public law, human rights and public international law, and is currently instructed in Al-Saadoon v United Kingdom and Al-Jedda v United Kingdom, both before the European Court of Human Rights concerning issues of Article 1 jurisdiction and competing international law obligations. She is also currently instructed as part of the team representing Croatia in its claim under the Genocide Convention before the International Court of Justice, and, with Karon Monaghan QC and Jessica Simor, for the EHRC in its intervention before the Supreme Court in HJ (Iran), concerning the correct approach to determining asylum claims based on sexuality. Her recent cases include R (Al-Saadoon & anor) v Secretary of State for Defence (2008, 2009, Divisional Court and Court of Appeal) and E v Secretary of State for the Home Department (2007, House of Lords).
Helen has a strong interest in prison law, public inquiries and police law. She was junior counsel for the Public Prosecution Service in the Robert Hamill Inquiry in Northern Ireland and her recent cases in the prison law field include R (Shaheen) v Secretary of State for the Home Department and R (Botmeh & Alami) v Parole Board. She is regularly instructed in civil claims against the police, including assault, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, discrimination, misfeasance and breaches of Articles 2,3,5 and 8 of the Human Rights Act at all stages from advice to trial.