- All Barristers
- Janet Ironfield
Janet Ironfield specialises in criminal defence advocacy.
Janet's principal areas of practice are:
- Offences of violence (including murder and manslaughter);
- Armed robbery and firearms offences; drug importation, production and supply (local or regional);
- Arson;
- Large-scale public disorder;
- Driving offences (particularly those resulting in death or serious injury).
Janet's practice also places an emphasis on serious sexual offences: historic and familial offences; offences against and committed by children or young persons; rape and gang rape; the making of indecent images. Her work also includes offences of people trafficking and sexual offending arising in the context of such conduct.
Janet also has an interest in the law of the British Overseas Territories. She has appeared in Court in the Falkland Islands, and has defended in the trial of a Chilean national charged with violent and sexual offences. The resulting acquittal withstood a subsequent appeal by the Crown.
In addition to general criminal practice, Janet also undertakes prison law and regulatory work. She appears at Court Martials and has represented many Service personnel in relation to Crown Court matters.
Notable Cases
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R-v-Wilson
Murder
42 stab wounds, successfully contested trial – Defendant admitting manslaughter (Defence junior).
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R-v-Tait
Murder
Murder charged, result –manslaughter (Defence Junior).
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R-v-Cochraine
Manslaughter
Defended granddaughter/carer of dementia-suffering deceased whose true cause of death was covered up for 4 years - locally reported as ‘granny-killer walks free’.
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R-v-Thomas
Serious Violence
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R-v-Holmes
Sexual Offences
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R-v-S
Sexual Offences
Teenager charged with series of rapes and sexual assaults of his sisters under 12 years old – rapes not proved.
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R-v-Bates & another
Sexual Offences
Gang rape
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R-v-Teale & another
Sexual Offences
Gang rape by 14 year old of 14 year old - rape not proved.
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R-v-Crewdson & another
Sexual Offences
Gang rape of juvenile by juvenile and another, rape not proved at trial.
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R-v-F
Sexual Offences
13 year old boy falsely accused of raping 9 year old boy.
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R-v-McInnes & others
Drugs Offences
Regional conspiracy to supply Class A drugs from Liverpool to Lancashire towns.
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R-v-Hales
Drugs Offences
Industrial production of cannabis.
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R-v-Nguyen & others
Drugs Offences
Industrial production of cannabis.
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R-v-J Cancino Contreras
International Law
Falkland Islands - Non-English speaking Chilean national acquitted of violent sexual offending against partner.
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R-v-Dawkins
Money Laundering & Fraud
High value ‘Streamline’ machine fraud, proceeds laundered.
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R-v-Onobrara
Money Laundering & Fraud
Internationally organised lottery fraud; confiscation of £860,000 successfully resisted.
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R-v-Drage
General Crime
Defending teenager for failure to disclose key to computer encryption to police; thought to be first prosecution under S 53(1) RIPA 2000. Case result provoked extensive reporting and debate on Internet.
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R-v-Glasscodine
General Crime
HGV overturned, crushing pedestrian, when driven (dangerously) under low bridge – undiagnosed eye condition - suspended sentence imposed.
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R-v-Sweeney
General Crime
Excessively drunk and abusive airline passenger necessitated aborting of flight – suspended sentence imposed.
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R-v-Daly
General Crime
Armed robbery of shop; firearm and knife used.
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R-v-Carter & another
General Crime
Armed robbery of bookmakers – sentence successfully reduced in Court of Appeal.
Appointments
- Approved Falkland Islands Advocates Panel
Professional Associations
- Member Northern Circuit
- Member Criminal Bar Association
Education
- Bolton School
- St Hilda’s College, Oxford
- Inns of Court School of Law
- BA (Oxon)
