Overview
Niamh joined 5SAH as a third-six pupil following the completion of an 18-month criminal pupillage at a London Chambers.
Niamh has a broad criminal practice, defending and prosecuting in a wide range of criminal cases and has a depth of experience acting for Requested Persons in extradition proceedings.
She accepts appropriate instructions in all of Chambers’ areas of practice, including crime & extradition.
Prior to pupillage, Niamh spent five years assisting leading solicitor, Gareth Peirce, in defending Julian Assange’s extradition to the United States of America throughout the first instance proceedings and subsequent appeals until his release in 2024. She also assisted in number of appeals against deprivation of citizenship for British women detained in Syria and advised clients subject to financial sanctions, Temporary Exclusion Orders and anti-social behaviour injunctions.
Before being called to the Bar, Niamh was a paralegal assisting in specialist judicial review claims in the human rights department at Leigh Day solicitors.
Professional Panel Appointments
- Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) General Crime Advocate Panel: Level 1
Publications
- CrimeLine Extradition Case Comment (with Douglas Wotherspoon) on Government of Japan v Chappell [2025] EWHC 116 (Admin)
- Research Assistant in Hoyle, C. Tilt, L. (2019) ‘Not innocent enough: state compensation for miscarriages of justice in England and Wales', Criminal Law Review, 2020 (1), 29 – 51
- Quille, N, (2018) ‘The Windrush Generation in Britain’s ‘Hostile Environment’, Criminal Justice, Borders and Citizenship Research Paper No. 3174533
Education & Awards
Education
- Bar Professional Training Course with LLM Legal Practice (Very Competent)
- MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Wadham College, Oxford
- Graduate Diploma in Law (Commendation)
- BA (Hons) Political Science, Class I, University of Birmingham
Awards
- Princess Royal Scholarship, Inner Temple
- Exhibition Award and Duke of Edinburgh Entrance Award, Inner Temple
- Kalisher Trust Scholarship for the MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Oxford
- Senior Scholar, Wadham College, Oxford
- Runner-up, Border Criminologies, Oxford, Masters’ Thesis Prize
- H.S Ferns Prize for Outstanding Merit in Political Science, University of Birmingham
Professional Memberships
- Criminal Bar Association
- Defence Extradition Lawyers Forum
- Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers
- Women in Criminal Law
Cases of Note
CRIME:
R v A [2026] Willesden Magistrates’ Court
Defending an ongoing prosecution of a bus driver charged with careless driving on the basis of alleged ‘foot pedal confusion’.
R v L [2026] Croydon Magistrates’ Court
A supervising bus driver prosecuted for careless driving after a trainee struck a bridge during a lesson was acquitted following trial. Expert evidence established that he had acted reasonably and that the limited nature of his controls meant he could not, in law, be regarded as "driving".
R v Y [2026] Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court
Defendant acquitted of multiple theft charges following cross-examination of the officer on identification procedures and a successful application to exclude the conviction of the accomplice, a family member.
R v B [2025] Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court
The prosecution of a two-handed assault with a hammer was dismissed at half-time after cross-examination of the Crown’s witnesses substantially undermined their credibility.
R v W [2025] Bromley Magistrates’ Court
Successfully resisted an application for a Sexual Harm Prevention Order on behalf of a neurodiverse defendant, having obtained evidence from an expert psychologist.
R v R [2025] Wimbledon Youth Court
Secured bail for a youth defendant, despite opposition from the Youth Offending Team, following successful abuse of process submissions and detailed argument that the alleged offences of child abduction were not made out and were therefore not imprisonable. At trial, a submission of no case to answer was successful.
R v P [2025] Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court
Following an early guilty plea to possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, submissions on the evidence, personal mitigation and delay secured a Community Order.