Crime group.

Catherine Donnelly is an experienced criminal practitioner, ranked by both the Chambers & Partners UK Bar and Legal 500 Guides [London - tier 2]. She has established a substantial criminal practice prosecuting and defending at the highest level.

Catherine Donnelly is regularly instructed in complex, paper heavy criminal cases. She has particular expertise in homicide cases, large scale conspiracies involving guns/dishonesty offences, serious sexual offending, and drug importations. She has extensive experience of dealing with complex expert evidence including medical evidence, psychiatric evidence, ANPR and cell site analysis. She regularly prosecutes cases where the defence is represented by Queen’s Counsel and has prosecuted allegations of murder for the CPS as sole counsel.

She specialises in the most serious sexual offences “She is an expert in the field of child sexual abuse.” Legal 500.

She was counsel to Operation Pallial 2013 – 2020. Operation Pallial was formed to investigate allegations of child sex abuse in North Wales Children’s homes in 2012 by Teresa May. It was one of the largest investigations into child abuse in the UK to date. The Operation dealt with 255 complainants who made allegations of abuse against 120 possible suspects at 18 children's homes in North Wales between 1963 and 1992. The Operation was investigated by the NCA.

In addition she was counsel to Operation Almond advising and prosecuting historic cases of abuse in care homes in South Wales. She regularly lectures to those involved in the prosecution of such cases.

She is regularly instructed for the defence in case of Murder, Attempted murder, serious violence, drug trafficking and serious sexual offences. She has particular expertise in cases involving vulnerable witnesses including children as young as three.

RECENT CASES

R v Fuller [2021] - She is presently instructed to defend in this case which involves two high profile historic murders which were known as the Tunbridge Wells Bedsit murders.

Operation Greenest [2021] – allegations of serious sexual offending.

R v Allen [2020] Prosecution. Serial paedophile who abused boys in North Wales care homes over 50 years.

R v B [2020] Leading counsel prosecution. Complex child cruelty where allegation of FII (Munchausen by proxy).

R v Dyckhoff [2019] Leading Junior. Defence. Kidnap, blackmail and torture.

R v Brazier [2019] – Secured Murder conviction as counsel alone.

CBA. South Eastern Circuit. Western circuit.

Specialist in homicide and child sex abuse.

Criminal Defence

Criminal Prosecution - Grade 4. Serious Crime Group [Grade 4] and RASSO. 

BA. MA. CPE.