Genevieve Reed

Recommendations

Genevieve is adept at dealing with troubled and difficult clients, gaining their confidence and putting them at ease. She has confidence and gravitas beyond her call and she is a commanding presence in court.

― Legal 500 2024

Genevieve is fearless, tenacious and a very persuasive advocate.

― Legal 500 2023

Sexual Offences

Genevieve is highly experienced in defending cases across the full spectrum of Sexual Offences. Genevieve provides advice at pre-charge stage through to trial, and has experience in relation to a number of high-profile cases involving historical sexual allegations and vulnerable complainants.

Featured cases

• R v M (2024)- Successfully represented a 26-year-old male charged with rape and attempted rape in relation to a date following an online match.
• R v N (2024)- Currently representing a 90-year-old man charged with historic sexual offences against a relative, dating back to the 1990s.
• R v T (2023)- Represented a teacher who pleaded guilty to a number of child sex offences against a child.
• R v M (2023)- Represented a mother who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing her 14-year-old son.
• R v Z (2023)- Represented a man who pleaded guilty to raping his 12-year-old sister.
• R v N (2023)- Successfully represented a man charged for sexual activity with a child.
• R v B (2023)- Successfully represented a man charged with multiple rapes of a child.
• R v T (2022) – Represented a man charged with historic sexual offences against a relative, dating back to the 1980s.
• R v N (2022) – Successfully represented  a man accused of historic offences of rape of a child.
• R v D (2022) – Successfully represented a man accused of multiple stranger rapes.
• R v Z (2021) – Successfully represented a man accused of committing historic child sexual offences against a relative.
• R v A (2020) – Successfully opposed an Attorney General’s reference in respect of a sentence imposed for arranging to commit a child sex offence.
• R v B (2019) – Successfully defended a man in respect of a number of allegations of making indecent images of children.
• R v Z (2018) – Successfully represented a teacher accused of sexually assaulting another teacher.
• R v C (2018) – Currently representing a man accused of a series of unconnected stranger rapes and assault by penetration.
• R v P (2017) – Successfully defended a teacher accused of sexually assaulting a colleague.
• R v I (2017) – Successfully defended a man accused of attempting to rape a stranger in the toilets of a hotel.
• R v R (2017) – Successfully defended a taxi driver accused of sexually assaulting one of his passengers. In addition to calling the complainant the Crown relied upon the 999 call and recent complaint evidence.
• R v C (2017) – Successfully defended a man accused of exposing himself to two women. s78 argument to exclude all ID evidence successful and the Crown offered no evidence. [Press Report]
• R v M (2017) – Successfully defended a man accused of sexual assault on a co-worker. The Crown sought to rely upon bad character evidence of a similar complaint and recent complaint evidence.
• R v T (2016) – Successfully defended a man accused of sexually assaulting a fellow student.
• R v U (2016) – Defended a guilty plea to posting videos online of the defendant engaging in sexual activity with the complainant i.e. “revenge porn”. A suspended sentence was awarded.

Serious & Organised Crime

Genevieve has a wealth of experience defending and prosecuting cases involving Serious & Organised Crime.

Recently she has been heavily involved in the prosecution of cases arising from Operation Venetic, the largest operation of its kind.

Featured cases

• R v T (2024)- Currently instructed to represent a young woman for her alleged involvement in a human trafficking conspiracy.
• R v M (2024)- Currently instructed as leading junior for the first defendant in a multi-million pound commercial conspiracy to steal and burgle.
• R v M (2023)- Successfully defended a male charged with the supply of multi-kilos of Class A drugs.
• R v V (2023)- Successfully represented a man for his alleged involvement in a large scale, commercial conspiracy to cultivate cannabis.
• R v T (2023) – Instructed as a led junior in a large scale case involving an OCG who are alleged to have provided FOG passports to criminals who are seeking to flee the jurisdiction.
• R v D (2022) – Instructed as a leading junior on a trafficking case where the defendants are alleged to have facilitated the unlawful immigration of Afghan nationals into the UK.
• R v M (2022) – Instructed as leading junior on a case involving multi-handed, large scale conspiracies to supply Class A drugs.
• R v D (2022) – Currently instructed to defend in a firearms conspiracy which arises from an undercover operation.
• R v D (2021) – Instructed as a led junior, successfully prosecuted a large-scale 12-handed, OCG case arising from Operation Venetic. This involved complicated evidential and disclosure issues arising out of EncroChat material. The case included conspiracies to supply Class A drugs, money laundering and GBH.
• R v S (2020) – Instructed as led junior in respect of a test purchase operation conducted in East London, involving 45 defendants and several drug ‘lines’.
• R v M (2019) – Successfully represented the first defendant in a highly organised and sophisticated conspiracy to kidnap and blackmail carried out by an OCG.
• R v L (2019) – Currently acting for the first defendant in a large scale ‘county lines’ and human trafficking case.
• R v L (2019) – Instructed to prosecute a gang-related case of violent disorder involving expert evidence on gangs.
• R v D (2019) – Instructed to act for the defence in a blackmail case involving wide ranging threats made against male sex workers.
• R v C (2018) – Instructed as led junior in relation to a large scale conspiracy to produce cannabis.
• R v D (2018) – Successfully represented a man accused of cultivating cannabis on a large scale. There was a successful submission of no case to answer.
• R v P (2017) – Successfully represented a prison guard accused of misconduct in a public office. There was a successful submission of no case to answer.
• R v S (2017) – Instructed to act for one of two defendants accused of conspiring to commit a series of armed robberies at various banks and bookmakers.
• R v L (2017) – Successfully prosecuted a defendant charged with possession with intent to supply Class A and B drugs.
• R v Y (2017) – Instructed in an appeal against sentence to the Court of Appeal, arising out of a conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
• R v M (2017) – Instructed to defend a guilty plea to perverting the course of justice by receiving payments to withdraw an allegation of violence. The judge was persuaded to take an unusual course and imposed a suspended sentence.
• R v T (2017) – Instructed to defend a guilty plea to possession with intent to supply Class B drugs and breach of a suspended sentence imposed for the same offence. Successfully argued that it would be unjust to activate the suspended sentence. T received a further suspended sentence.
• R v O (2017) – Instructed to defend an aggravated burglary with a number of complex forensic issues.
• R v F (2016) – Successfully defended a prison guard who was accused of conveying restricted documents out of a prison.
• R v N (2016) – Successfully defended a large-scale cannabis production involving extensive forensic, photographic and video evidence.
• R v Y (2016) – Successfully defended a number of firearms offences.
• R v J (2016) – Instructed to defend a large scale conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
• R v K (2016) – Successfully defended in a Newton hearing in respect of possession with intent to supply Class B drugs.
• R v C (2015) – Instructed to defend a guilty plea to a third domestic burglary. Successfully argued that the mandatory term should not apply: suspended sentence.

Serious Violence

Genevieve has considerable experience prosecuting and defending allegations of violence from violent disorder to homicide cases.

Featured cases

• R v M (2024)- Successfully defended a woman in relation to offences of s18 involving weapons.
• R v N (2024)- Successfully defended a male accused of aggravated stalking over a period of two years.
• R v S (2021) – Successfully defended a woman in a s18 GBH where the defendant was alleged to have stabbed another woman multiple times and robbed her in a drunken rage.
• ​​​​R v D (2021) – Successfully defended a senior care worker working in a care home charged with multiple counts of abusing care home residents.
• R v D and others (2019) – Currently prosecuting a multi-handed conspiracy to commit s18 GBH.
• R v P (2018) – Successfully represented a defendant who was originally charged with s18 GBH, following submissions the charge was reduced to ABH. He was acquitted at the conclusion of the trial.
• R v T (2018) – Successfully represented the defendant at trial in respect of s18 and s20 GBH, witness intimidation and affray.
• R v F (2017) – Instructed to defend a carer who was accused of assaulting and neglecting residents at a care home who were suffering from dementia, pleaded on the first day of trial. Received community order.
• R v S and others (2017) – Successfully represented two prison guards who were accused of assaulting an inmate.
• R v Z (2017) – Successfully represented the defendant in a multi-handed affray. The defendants were accused of participating in a fight involving rival business owners where a number of non defendants sustained injuries from shovels and metal bars, including a blood clot on the brain and other serious head injuries.
• R v F (2017) – Instructed to defend a carer who was accused of assaulting and neglecting residents at a care home, pleaded on the first day of trial. They were given a community order.
• R v L (2017) – Successfully defended a man jointly charged with another of assault occasioning actual bodily harm during the course of a football match.
• R v O (2017) – Successfully defended two prison officers accused of assaulting an inmate.
• R v A (2016) – Instructed to defend a man alleged to have strangled a stranger and thrown him to the ground face down, causing a bleed to the brain and a facial fracture. CCTV captured the incident. Originally charged with s18 GBH a plea to s20 was accepted with a resulting suspended sentence.
• R v W (2016) – Instructed to defend a man alleged to have robbed his elderly father leaving him with significant injuries. A plea to assault and theft was accepted and they were given a suspended sentence.
• R v M (2016) – Instructed to defend a guilty plea to breaching a restraining order and robbing a former partner, which involved biting her to steal her phone. They were given a suspended sentence.

Fraud

Genevieve has substantial experience of prosecuting and defending on cases involving Fraud, corruption and corporate crime, as a led junior and junior alone.

Genevieve has dealt with various fraud cases including conspiracy to cheat the revenue, large scale benefit fraud, insider dealing, conspiracy to defraud including “boiler room” frauds, frauds committed against HMRC and immigration fraud.

She was seconded to Peters and Peters in 2016 and worked on a high profile SFO investigation involving several Barclays employees who were ultimately charged with conspiracy to commit fraud. She also advised and dealt with numerous cases involving money laundering and corruption arising out of crypto currency fraud.

Prior to joining the Bar, Genevieve worked on large scale Fraud cases including a £5m pension fraud and what was, at the time, the biggest insider dealing case prosecuted by the FCA.

Genevieve regularly acts for the CPS Serious Fraud Division and the Insolvency Service.

Genevieve understands the importance of early investigative advice and continuity from pre-charge through to trial in complex and serious cases; working collaboratively from an early stage to drive and lead cases through to their conclusion.

Featured cases

• R v M (2024)- Currently instructed as a led junior in respect of a multi-million pound bounceback loan fraud.
• R v N & Others (2023)- Currently instructed as a led junior in respect of a multi-million pound mortgage fraud.
• R v T (2022) – Currently instructed as a led junior in respect of a large-scale Trading Standards case.
• R v P (2021) – Currently instructed as a led junior in respect of a multi-million fraud
• R v N (2020) – Currently instructed as a led junior for an appellant in one of the appeals due to be heard by a specially constituted Court of Appeal, considering the case of Ivey.
• R v L (2020) – Instructed to prosecute a defendant charged with benefit fraud to the value of £120k. This involves complex issues arising out of the number of offences committed during a 13-year period.
• R v T (2019) – Currently instructed to defend in a multi handed, £5m VAT evasion case.
• R v M (2019) – Currently prosecuting, on behalf of the Insolvency Service, in respect of a prosecution against a bankrupt accused of concealing and removing property after the date of an unsatisfied judgment was made.
• R v T (2019) – Instructed to prosecute a defendant for acting as a company director whilst disqualified, on behalf of the Insolvency Service.
• R v S (2018) – Instructed as led junior in respect of allegations of a “boiler room” fraud in relation to bogus carbon credits.
• R v B (2018) – Instructed as led junior in respect of allegations of benefit fraud amounting to over £700k.
• R v N (2018) – Instructed to defend a guilty plea in relation to a former police officer accused of a £500k fraud. A suspended sentence was imposed.
• R v K (2017) – Instructed to defend an Insolvency Service prosecution relating to a fraud against PayPoint and Lloyds Bank where the value was over £100k. A guilty plea to alternative charges was accepted on the first day of trial and a suspended sentence imposed.
• R v P (2017) – Instructed to defend seven counts of fraud. The trial involved a number of experts.
• R v Z (2017) – Instructed to defend a guilty plea in a multi-handed money laundering case, in which the total sum laundered was £100k. This resulted in a suspended sentence.
• R v A (2017) – Successfully prosecuted a fraud by abuse of position by a woman who had defrauded her company, a well-known pawn broker.
• R v N (2017) – Instructed to defend a guilty plea to fraudulent evasion of £125k duty on cigarettes. This resulted in a suspended sentence.
• R v O and others (2017) – Successful defence of a woman accused of defrauding a vulnerable young woman with learning difficulties of £80k. The co-defendants had pleaded guilty and were sentenced to immediate custodial sentences.
• R v S (2017) – Successfully prosecuted a fraud on the NHS.
• R v K & Others (2016) – Instructed to defend a conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation in relation to paying people to sit driving theory tests on behalf of others.
• R v D (2015) – Instructed to defend a guilty plea to defrauding a company of a large sum of money, in breach of trust, over a sustained period of time. This resulted in a suspended sentence.

Murder & Manslaughter

Prior to coming to the bar, Genevieve worked on a number of homicide cases, in particular, cases of non-accidental head injury in children. In one particular case of non-accidental head injury, the Defendant had pleaded guilty to a s20 GBH and served a custodial sentence. 12 years later, however, when the child died from complications said to have arisen from the original injury, he was charged with manslaughter. Genevieve continues to build her experience in this area at the bar.

• R v S (2023): Instructed as a led junior. Successfully represented a male accused of murder and robbery.
• R v D (2023): instructed for the defence as a led junior in relation to two allegations of murder. D is alleged to have murdered his wife and their child. Complex psychiatric and other medical issues arise.
• R v M (2022): instructed alone for a defendant accused of perverting the course of justice in relation to an allegation of murder. M was jointly tried with the alleged murderer and two others who were accused of perverting the course of justice. M was running a cut-throat defence against the alleged murdered who was represented by Silk and junior. D was acquitted.
• R v P (2021): instructed for the defence as a led junior in relation to an allegation of murder. P was alleged to have been involved in a group attack on a male that related to a drugs debt. The case involved complex cell site, ANPR and other telephone analysis as well as contentious medical evidence. D was ultimately convicted of violent disorder.

Education

• Graduate Diploma in Law, City Law School, Commendation
• BA [Hons] English Literature, Queen Mary University of London: 2.1

Awards

• Diplock Scholarship
• Blackstone Entrance Exhibition

Professional appointments

• CPS Panel Advocate (General Crime) (Grade 3)
• CPS Panel Advocate (Serious Organised Crime) (Grade 3)
• CPS Panel Advocate (Serious Fraud) (Grade 3)

Memberships

• CBA
• Female Fraud Forum
• South Eastern Circuit

Publications

Commentary on the “rough sex defence”, The Justice Gap, July 2021

‘Delay and Stay Proceedings’, Criminal Bar Quarterly, Issue 4, Winter 2014

‘Social Media Offences’, Criminal Law and Justice Weekly, Vol 178, September 2014

Other expertise

• Crime

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