Bathsheba Cassel

Criminal Barrister

Year of Call
2005

bathsheba.cassel@walnuthouse.co.uk

Criminal Law

Murder, Manslaughter and Non-Fatal Violence:

Overview

Bathsheba Cassel appears regularly for the defence and the prosecution in cases involving murder and all other allegations of violent offending. Bathsheba consistently brings to such cases her skill and tenacity, her strong knowledge of the law and her ability to connect and communicate effectively with all within the courtroom, regardless of background or ability.

R v Mangori: Instructed as Junior Prosecution Counsel led by Simon Laws QC in this high-profile murder trial

R v TK: Instructed as Junior Defence Counsel led by Simon Laws QC to represent the first defendant where two men were accused of murdering a family friend for his life savings.

R v CJ: Instructed as Defence Counsel to represent one of 15 defendants on an indictment alleging attempted murder, conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm and conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

R v RZ and GW: Instructed to prosecute an allegation of conspiracy to cause GBH where weapons including a firearm and an iron bar were taken to the scene of the offending.

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Serious Sexual Offences

Overview

Bathsheba Cassel appears regularly for the prosecution and defence in cases involving allegations of sexual offending. She has been appointed to the CPS Advocate Panel rape and child sexual abuse list. Bathsheba has extensive experience of the issues involved in such cases which enables her to deal with the sensitivities of these cases to the highest professional standards whilst delivering a consistently high quality of work.

R v MR: Instructed as Defence Counsel to represent a Defendant accused of raping his biological daughter regularly between the ages of 6 and 12 years.

R v DKL: Instructed to prosecute allegations made against the Defendant by 3 girls aged between 14 and 20 of rapes and other sexual offending.

R v DP: Instructed to prosecute allegations dating back to the 1980s by a stepdaughter of rape and regular sexual abuse by her stepfather during her childhood.

R v DM: Instructed to defend a single allegation of rape which arose between 2 strangers who had attended a house party.

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Fraud, Commercial Crime, Confiscation and other Dishonesty Offences

Overview

Bathsheba Cassel appears regularly for the prosecution and the defence in cases involving financial crime. In 2008, she undertook a secondment at the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office where she had conduct of some of the largest confiscation cases in the country at that time, giving her invaluable and unrivalled experience. She is adept at handling, presenting and/or challenging serious and complex points of law and fact in such cases.

R v HS: Instructed to defend allegations of converting criminal property of a value in excess of £275,000 arising from a Ghanaian internet romance scam involving vulnerable and elderly victims.

R v DW: Instructed to prosecute allegations of fraud by a defendant in a position of trust from a number of local amateur sports clubs. The value of the fraud totalled in excess of £100,000.

R v JB: Instructed to defend allegations of frauds of in excess of £65,000 by an elderly defendant of 2 dependents in his care with significant learning difficulties.

R v DG and others: Instructed to prosecute 3 defendants accused of conspiracy to burgle involving 39 house burglaries and losses to the victims of in excess of £100,000.

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Regulatory Offences:

Overview

Bathsheba Cassel is regularly instructed for the prosecution and defence across a broad spectrum of regulatory offences.

R v TA: Instructed to prosecute on behalf of the Insolvency Service for a range of dishonesty offences and offences contrary to the Company Director’s Disqualification Act 1986.

R v CM: Instructed to defend one of 4 Defendants in this prosecution by Trading Standards of a conspiracy to sell counterfeit goods for approximately £2,000,000 and associated money laundering offences.

R v JM: Instructed to defend allegations of benefit fraud totalling in excess of £130,000.

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Drugs offences

Overview

Bathsheba Cassel has significant experience of cases involving drugs offences, appearing regularly for both the prosecution and defence.

Operation Ipanema: Instructed as junior Prosecution Counsel, led by Simon Laws QC, to prosecute 30 defendants for a large class A drugs conspiracy.

R v JR: Instructed to defend one of 10 defendants in a 4 month trial of an indictment alleging class A drugs conspiracy, controlling and coercive behaviour and serious sexual allegations

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Driving Offences:

Overview

Bathsheba Cassel appears regularly for the prosecution and the defence in road traffic offences at all levels. She has an in-depth knowledge of complex road traffic law as well as a keen understanding of the predicaments of both victims and those charged with such offences.

R v WSL: Instructed to prosecute an allegation of death by careless driving where an elderly driver had pulled out of a junction into the path of an oncoming motorcyclist, sadly killing him.

R v AB: Instructed to prosecute an allegation of dangerous driving where a delivery driver drove across an activated level crossing, missing an oncoming passenger train by seconds.

R v MW: Instructed to defend an allegation of driving with excess alcohol in the magistrates’ court, extensively challenging the police and forensic procedure.

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Parole Board and Prison Adjudications:

Overview

Bathsheba Cassel has experience representing prisoners at parole hearings and prison adjudications.

ASL: Instructed to represent a life prisoner at their parole hearing to make representations for a move to open conditions.

KL: Instructed to represent an IPP prisoner at their parole hearing to make representations for release.

SK: Instructed to represent a prisoner on remand at their prison adjudication for possessing a mobile telephone.

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Biographical and Other Information

CPS
CPS Panel Advocate - Grade 3. CPS Panel Advocate - Rape and Child Sexual Abuse list.
Member
Member of the Criminal Bar Association

Criminal Law team members

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Lee Bremridge

Year Of Call : 2003; Head of Chambers

Lee Bremridge is Head of Chambers at Walnut House and a criminal barrister experienced in all areas of complex and serious crime. Lee is known for dealing with serious cases, defending and prosecuting in equal measure.

lee.bremridge@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Simon Laws KC

Year Of Call : 1991

In May 2021, Simon Laws KC was instructed to represent the victims in a trial in The Hague in which the former President of Kosovo and three others are being tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The proceedings are ongoing and Mr Laws is therefore currently unable to accept other instructions.

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Paul Cavin KC

Year Of Call : 1995; Door Tenant

Paul is a Door Tenant of Walnut House, with family connections to the South West. He is also Head of Chambers at 2 Harcourt Buildings in London. Paul specialises in homicide, fraud, corporate crime – particularly bribery and corruption but also money laundering, cyber crime, and proceeds of crime.
He is regularly instructed by the CPS and the SFO and was on the Attorney General’s Criminal List for many years. Before his call to the bar he trained as a solicitor at a city firm (where he gained experience in all aspects of commercial law before qualifying in the commercial litigation/fraud group). He is a member of the Private Prosecutors’ Association and the Fraud Lawyers Association.

paul.cavin@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Adrian Chaplin

Year Of Call : 1990

Adrian is a highly effective and sought-after advocate with extensive experience of heavy-weight and sensitive cases before a broad range of courts and tribunals.
He advises in criminal, misconduct, regulatory and coroner’s court work. He is experienced in appeal cases and judicial review.

adrian.chaplin@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Simon Burns

Year Of Call : 1992

Simon Burns is a specialist in criminal law undertaking prosecution and defence work.

simon.burns@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Peter Coombe

Year Of Call : 1993

Peter is regularly instructed in cases of murder, manslaughter, attempted murder and other cases of serious violence.

peter.coombe@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Heather Hope

Year Of Call : 1993

Heather was called in 1993 and after having practiced in a leading criminal set in London for 22yrs, moved to the South West in 2015. Heather has prosecuted and defended in large-scale drug cases, gang violence and firearms cases along with rape and serious sexual offences. Heather has also defended and prosecuted as a led junior in murder trials at the Central Criminal Court and as leading junior counsel in numerous trials more recently. Grade 4 and RASSO panel Counsel.

heather.hope@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Mary McCarthy

Year Of Call : 1994

Mary is regularly instructed in cases of murder, manslaughter, attempted murder, rape and fraud.

“She’s an extremely good advocate, brilliant at cross-examination and very good tactically; she knows how to destroy the opposition.”
Chambers and Partners 2018

mary.mccarthy@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Nikki Coombe

Year Of Call : 1994

Nikki joined us from Albion Chambers on 7th April 2025.

She will be practicing in Criminal and Family Law.

Profile to follow.

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Kelly Scrivener

Year Of Call : 2001

Kelly appears for both the Prosecution and Defence in all matters before the Crown Court and the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division).

kelly.scrivener@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Bathsheba Cassel

Year Of Call : 2005

Bathsheba is a criminal barrister with a wealth of experience across all areas of complex and serious crime.

bathsheba.cassel@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Joss Ticehurst

Year Of Call : 2006

Joss Ticehurst is instructed to defend and prosecute in cases involving the most serious criminal offences in the Crown Court, particularly those relating to allegations of rape, attempted murder, multi-defendant cases involving drugs and murder, and multi-defendant cases of fraud and drug conspiracies.

joss.ticehurst@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Dan Pawson-Pounds

Year Of Call : 2007; Head of Crime / Deputy HoC

Dan has wide experience in all aspects of criminal law, quasi-criminal regulatory law, corporate investigations and international war crimes. He specialises in business crime, criminal law, terrorism and private prosecutions, both in court and in an advisory role.

Legal 500 2025 – Leading Junior Tier 1
Chambers & Partners 2025 – Band 3
Recorder (Crown Court) 2023

dan.pawson-pounds@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Will Parkhill

Year Of Call : 2015

Defends serious crime.

will.parkhill@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Brian FitzHerbert

Year Of Call : 2008

Brian prosecutes and defends in all areas of criminal law. His practice encompasses murder, manslaughter, sexual offences, serious violence and organised crime. He is a Grade Four advocate on the Crown Prosecution Service Advocate Panel and is also on the RASSO and Serious Crime Panels.

brian.fitzherbert@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Felicity Payne

Year Of Call : 2010

Felicity is a common law barrister with an established and varied practice in all aspects of criminal and civil law. Felicity is thorough, practical and robust in her approach, whilst remaining personable.

felicity.payne@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Frederick Hookway

Year Of Call : 2011; Door Tenant

Frederick is a door tenant at Walnut House and lives in the South West. We are happy to accept instructions on his behalf for any matters that are relevant to the Western Circuit. His main Chambers is 5 King’s Bench Walk in London and his full profile can be found through their site.

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Catherine Daly

Year Of Call : 2015; Door Tenant

Catherine is a 5* Google review rated Criminal Defence Barrister who became a Door Tenant at Walnut House after relocating to the Southwest.

She is also a member of MC Chambers in London.

catherine.daly@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Evie Dean

Year Of Call : 2019

Evie accepts instructions in both criminal and family law. She regularly appears in the Crown and Magistrates’ Courts where she prosecutes and defends in all stages of proceedings. She also acts for parents in both private and care proceedings from application stage through to contested interim and final hearings.

Since joining Walnut House after successfully completing a twelve-month pupillage in chambers, Evie has continued to enjoy a busy and varied practice. She has been complimented on her pragmatic and personable manner with her clients.

evie.dean@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Zoe Kuyken

Year Of Call : 2021

Zoe joined chambers after successfully completing a 12 month pupillage in 2022.

Zoe accepts instructions in criminal and family law.

zoe.kuyken@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Azzam Bhatti

Year Of Call : 2017

Azzam has a mixed Civil, Criminal and Family practice at Walnut House.

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