Erimnaz Mushtaq

Practice

Criminal law

Extensive Crown Court trial experience for serious offences of violence and assault, dishonesty and fraud, benefit fraud, drugs, public disorder, criminal damage, firearms and money laundering and proceeds of crime and sexual offences, football-related public disorder (football banning orders) and ASBOs. In addition to her own trials, she has acted as junior counsel in large and complex cases involving large scale drugs conspiracy and violent disorder. She has a particular interest in the rights of vulnerable, young or mentally disordered defendants and detainees. She also specialises in representing political protesters in domestic criminal trials and cases involving freedom of expression.

Her criminal practice ranges from regular Crown Court trials, to representing appellants in the Court of Appeal. She continues to defend in the Magistrates and Youth Courts, in particular for ASBO proceedings and football banning orders. Other expertise includes Human Rights, abuse of process and judicial review.

Recent cases:

• R v Price (2006) Court of Appeal (successful appeal against sentence for tendering counterfeit currency and drugs offences involving client with mental health issues)
• Appeared as junior counsel in multi-handed large-scale violent disorder (2006)
• R v Benson [2005] EWCA Crim 2421 (successful appeal against sentence)
• R v W (1) (& W 2) [2005] EWCA Crim 2824 (successful appeal against sentence for 13 year old for serious offence of robbery) more details
• R v Khan [2005] EWCA Crim 3010 (successful appeal against disqualification for dangerous driving)
• Appeared as junior counsel in a multi-handed drugs conspiracy "Operation Dramaticus" (2005) (seven-handed conspiracy to supply Class A, B and C drugs).

Civil Actions against the Police

Experienced in cases involving wrongful arrest, assault, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution.

Prison Law

Substantial experience of prison adjudications, Parole Board hearings and lifer panels. Experience includes judicial review arising out of prison law.

Inquests

Representing families of the deceased in death in custody cases and has experience of inquests following other controversial deaths. Recently represented the family of Raymond Sim (2007) who was found dead in hospital grounds having been missing for 4 days after discharging himself from hospital. Has appeared at a number of pre-inquest hearings for high profile inquests.

Notable cases

R (on the application of Ashman) v Parole Board and another [2007] All ER (D) 439 (Oct) (post-tariff IPP - delayed parole board review - violation of Article 5 right to prompt hearing) > news story

Other Activities

Provides seminars on criminal law. Recent topics: Criminal Justice Act 2003 and Criminal Procedure Rules. Presented a series of lectures on human rights at Nottingham University (2002-3).

Professional Associations

Criminal Bar Association
Amnesty International
Liberty

Background and personal profile

Previously worked for a large firm of solicitors specialising in criminal law.

Languages

Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi.