Anita defends and prosecutes general crime cases and is a Level 2 CPS Panel Advocate. She is well placed to deal with vulnerable defendants and witnesses. She also has experience with private prosecutions, having previously been a senior associate at private prosecution firm in London.

General crime

• Re X (2021) – Instructed to defend pre-charge following racially aggravated incident and make detailed representations. No charges were brought.
• R v D (2020) – Instructed to prosecute driving offences resulting in injury to third-party requiring cross-examination of experts. Resulted in conviction after a 3-day trial.
• R v Y (2021) – Instructed to prosecute multi-handed youth robbery turning on identification. Resulted in conviction after two-day trial.

Fraud and Proceeds of Crime 2002 (POCA)

Anita has appeared on civil and criminal cases involving allegations of fraud and money laundering. She is currently instructed on a high profile judicial review leave application with underlying POCA issues. She has advised on a wide range of POCA issues, including on high value and sensitive matters led by Jonathan Fisher QC.

• Re E (2021) – Instructed to lodge complaint to the Financial Ombudsman following termination of bank account for POCA concerns.
• Re F (2020) – Instructed by venture capitalist firm to challenge bank account freeze in place for several months. Following detailed representations freeze was lifted within three weeks of being instructed.
• Police v C (2019) – Instructed to defend the respondent to an account forfeiture application relating to circa £100,000. Following detailed representations the application was withdrawn day of hearing.
• NCA v S & N (2019, led) – Instructed to appeal a cash forfeiture order turning on the use of an unregistered money service business and Hawala banking. Appeal allowed and the Court took exceptional step of ordering costs against the NCA.
• R v C (2018, led) – Instructed to defend banker in multi-handed fraud trial. Evidence was led of unauthorised customer account access and the defendant was acquitted.

Financial regulatory

• Re E (2021) – Instructed to deliver tailored anti-corruption training to high street fashion brand with international presence and to advise on development of business-wide financial sanctions policy.
• Re Belarus sanctions (2021, led) – Instructed to advise commercial firm on width of new Belarus sanctions imposed by the UK and impact on firm’s clients and work in progress.
• Re W (2021) – Instructed to advise law firm on Suspicious Activity Reporting in context of high value property conveyance raising ‘red flags’.
• Re Y (2021, led) – Instructed by a global regulated business to advise on and represent it in dealings with HMRC in the context of AML investigation and complex transaction in background.
• Re O (2020) – Instructed by a Trust and Company Services Provider to advise on represent it in dealings with HMRC in context of self-reporting of AML registration breach.
• Re M (2020) – Instructed by a Money Service Business to advise on and review AML policy in context of HMRC investigation for alleged AML regulatory failures.
• Re S (2020) – Instructed by a High Value Dealer to make representations to HMRC seeking review of the penalty proposed to be imposed for AML breaches. Representations resulted in 2/3 reduction of penalty.

Anti-Money Laundering for the Professional Expert, 28 September 2021, Academy of Experts, guest speaker.

Unexplained Wealth Orders: Where to Next? 11 December 2020, Royal United Services Institute, panellist.

Criminal Finances Act 2017, book of legal commentary published by Informa Law, 2018, co-author with Jonathan Fisher QC.

Case Note: Menci & Garlsson Real Estate SA and Others v. Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa (Consob) & Joined Cases Di Puma v. Consob and Consob v. Zecca (CJEU), International Legal Materials, 2018, 57(4), 583-615, author.

Corporate Criminal Liability in the Supply Chain: A Coherent Divergence? Crim. L.R. 2018 8, 633-645, co-author.