R v R (2026) – Southwark Crown Court
Representing a defendant accused of multiple counts relating to the serious sexual and violent abuse of his sister in the 1980s.
Ella Crine practices primarily in crime, financial crime, inquests and public inquiries.
Her recent crime instructions include advising on the scope and operation of the National Security Act 2023, prosecuting cross-border blackmail allegations involving high profile foreign individuals, and defending allegations of historic serious sexual assault and rape.
Ella recently appeared in the High Court on behalf of the Metropolitan Police in a rare application for a Serious Crime Prevention Order for a terrorist (Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis v Ahmed Aweys [2025] EWHC 78 (Admin)).
She is on the Serious Fraud Office C panel of trial counsel and has been instructed as part of the defence legal team in upcoming Glencore trial as well as that of G4S personnel.
Ella is currently instructed on the Manston Inquiry as part Counsel to the inquiry, led by Clair Dobbin KC. She has previously acted for the Thirlwall Inquiry into the murders by Lucy Letby.
Outside of court, she has a wide advisory practice with a particular focus on financial sanctions, national security and covert and investigatory powers, and has responded to threatened judicial review proceedings on behalf of the police for an alleged failure to investigate war crimes.
Prior to joining Chambers, Ella worked as a Judicial Assistant in the Court of Appeal, primarily working with Sir Andrew McFarlane and Lady Justice Carr.
Ella regularly appears in the Crown Court and has experience of cases involving vulnerable witnesses.
Representing a defendant accused of multiple counts relating to the serious sexual and violent abuse of his sister in the 1980s.
Led by Luke Ponte KC. Representing a police officer accused of sexually abusing children together with his ex-partner.
Representing the First Defendant in a multi-handed case alone, involving three victims allegedly kidnapped and tortured in East London. Following legal submissions, the prosecution offered no evidence on all six counts on the indictment.
Represented the fifth defendant in a six-handed drugs conspiracy trial involving a county lines operation between London/Birmingham and Bournemouth.
Represented the Defendant on a single count of GBH for allegedly punching unprovoked a young man at a pub causing multiple fractures to the eye-socket and cheekbone. The Defendant was acquitted by the jury.
Represented the First Defendant in a multi-handed affray trial, where two groups of young men had been involved in large fight in a hotel bar which was captured on CCTV. On day two of the trial the Prosecution offered no evidence against CB following representations.
Recent instructions include acting as prosecuting counsel led by Richard Wormald KC and Katherine Hardcastle on a potential private prosecution of foreign individuals accused of a conspiracy to blackmail on UK soil involving vast sums of money. Issues included jurisdiction as well as the necessary English nexus.
Ella is regularly instructed by the Metropolitan Police in applications and appeals under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, including a four-day hearing of an application for the forfeiture of around £300,000 in cash and gold watches.
She was instructed as part of the team defending one of the Glencore defendants as well as the SFO prosecution of G4S executives accused of defrauding the Ministry of Justice regarding the electronic tagging contracts between 2009 and 2012.
Ella previously assisted in advisory work for the National Crime Agency and the Financial Conduct Authority on complex Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and Fraud Act 2006 offences.
Acting for the police in an application for the forfeiture of £1.1million in bank accounts held by the defendant, a registered solicitor. Forfeiture was granted in the magistrates’ court and is currently under appeal to the Crown Court.
Led by Amanda Pinto KC. Acted as junior in a complicated bribery trial in which a company and its directors were accused of using and accepting bribes in order to secure construction contracts. Two Defendants pleaded at the start of trial and two were acquitted.
Acting for the police in an application for forfeiture of £300,000 in cash seized from an individual in London. The Respondent has disavowed the cash but his relatives claim it is the proceeds of the sale of their painting and apply for the money under s301 POCA.
Successfully acted for the police in securing forfeiture of around £100,000 of cash and 5 gold watches (worth upwards of £200,000), in respect of a fraudulent rental scheme and associated drugs operation.
Ella accepts instructions across all areas of public law. She has advised on numerous issues relating to judicial review and human rights, in particular in the context of policing, and has experience reviewing proposed legislation. She has an interest in matters relating to counter-terror policing and legislation, as well as the scope of investigatory powers. Ella has recently advised on the scope and operation of the National Security Act 2023 and Terrorism Act 2000.
Ella acts in judicial reviews including advisory work and responding at the pre-action stage. Recent instructions include responding on behalf of the Metropolitan Police to a threatened judicial review for an alleged police failure to investigate war crimes including inciting a genocide and advising the MPS after an allegedly flawed response to a Victim Right of Review in a rape case.
Ella is currently instructed as Counsel to the Inquiry on the Manston Inquiry, looking at the operation of the Manston Short-Term Holding Facility between 1 June 2022 and 22 November 2022. She was recently instructed as part of the Counsel to the Inquiry team on the Thirlwall Inquiry, looking into the murders of babies at the hands of nurse Lucy Letby. Ella’s role in the team was to ensure that disclosure was properly carried out, reviewing documents and identifying those which should be disclosed, those which must be redacted, and summarising their contents. Despite the enormous volume of material for review and disclosure, the inquiry was able to begin hearings within a very short time.
Whilst working as a Judicial Assistant in the Court of Appeal, Ella worked on appeals involving complex points of law across a wide range of different public law contexts. In particular, she worked on a number of high-profile cases which concerned public law issues, including:
Ella also acts in inquests, acting in particular for a range of both public authorities and companies. Ella was recently instructed on behalf of a housing association in relation to a death in the lift shaft of their building.
Successfully acted alone for the Commissioner in an application to the High Court under provisions of the Serious Crime Act 2007 for an order in respect of Mr Aweys, who was assessed as posing a high risk of terrorism-related offending.
Ella represented the care company responsible for PC’s care. The inquest arose from the death of PC from complications arising from a fungating wound which had been ongoing for more than a decade.
Ella represented the MPS. The Inquest considered the actions of the eight MPS officers and the LAS and the adequacy of their actions and communications leading up to the tragic death of RF. RF died after falling from scaffolding having experienced an episode of psychosis.
Ella is frequently instructed in complex sanctions matters for high-net-worth individuals and companies. She has experience dealing with applications to remove designation and has advised on several matters arising from the Russian sanctions regime, including as to the effect of designated Directors on company structures, the transfer of shares and bonds, and the management of trusts.
Ella has also assisted companies and banks in foreign jurisdictions and British overseas territories in understanding their obligations under the sanctions regime and ensuring that they are able to act in particular circumstances.
Ella has also assisted companies and banks in foreign jurisdictions and British overseas territories in understanding their obligations under the sanctions regime and ensuring that they are able to act in particular circumstances.
Ella accepts instructions in licensing and other regulatory matters. She is regularly instructed by Transport for London in licensing appeals in the Magistrates’ Court and Crown Court.
Ella also accepts instructions to act in cases involving alleged misconduct by registered professionals. Ella is currently instructed to present cases for the HCPC against registered healthcare professionals.
Ella successfully defended a police officer accused of sexual assault on a work night out. The allegations were found not proven.
Ella acted for the ARB against G who was accused of providing inaccurate, delayed, insufficient and wrong drawings to a client as well as dishonesty.
Ella was instructed to act for the TRA against MJ who was found to have had possession of indecent images of children. This case involved complex technical expert evidence as to the nature of computer storage and downloads.
Ella was instructed to act for the HCPC against EJ who was accused of using restricted substances while on duty in the operating department on a number of occasions.
R v M and Others – Snaresbrook Crown Court (2023)
Represented the First Defendant in a multi-handed case alone, involving three victims allegedly kidnapped and tortured in East London.
Following legal submissions, the prosecution offered no evidence on all six counts on the indictment.
R v M and others – Bournemouth Crown Court (2023)
Represented the fifth defendant in a six-handed drugs conspiracy trial involving a county lines operation between London/Birmingham and Bournemouth.
R v CJ – Bournemouth Crown Court (2023)
Represented the Defendant on a single count of GBH for allegedly punching unprovoked a young man at a pub causing multiple fractures to the eye-socket and cheekbone. The Defendant was acquitted by the jury.
R v CB and others – Inner London Crown Court (2023)
Represented the First Defendant in a multi-handed affray trial, where two groups of young men had been involved in large fight in a hotel bar which was captured on CCTV. On day two of the trial the Prosecution offered no evidence against CB following representations.
Commissioner of Police v NS and others (2023)
Successfully acted for the police in securing forfeiture of around £100,000 of cash and 5 gold watches (worth upwards of £200,000), in respect of a fraudulent rental scheme and associated drugs operation.
Commissioner of Police v MV (ongoing)
Acting for the police in an application for forfeiture of £300,000 in cash seized from an individual in London. The Respondent has disavowed the cash but his relatives claim it is the proceeds of the sale of their painting and apply for the money under s301 POCA.
Commissioner of Police v AT (2023)
Ella successfully secured a Sexual Harm Prevention Order against a man convicted of so-called ‘romance frauds’ which involved misusing their credit cards to book hotel rooms. He had not been prosecuted for sexual offences, though part of the frauds included duping women into having sexual relations with him by pretending to be someone else, and there were also allegations of date-rape using drugs and alcohol.
Commissioner of Police v DG (ongoing)
Representing an individual in proceedings for a Sexual Risk Order in the context of allegations of rape. The Respondent was at the time an NHS paramedic.
HCPC v EJ (ongoing)
Ella is instructed to act for the HCPC against EJ who is accused of using restricted substances while on duty in the operating department on a number of occasions
Scholarships / Prizes
Prior to joining Chambers, Ella worked as a Judicial Assistant in the Court of Appeal on appeals involving complex points of law across a wide range of different legal contexts. She worked on high profile criminal and public law cases, such as R v Damji [2020] EWCA Crim 1774, DPP v Bussetti [2020] EWHC 3004 (Admin), Re HN & others [2021] EWCA Civ 448, and the Al Maktoum litigation.
Ella previously worked in politics, including working on Hillary Clinton’s Presidential campaign in the USA, and as a researcher and speech writer for an MP in the UK Parliament. Whilst in Parliament Ella was responsible for the administration of an all party group (APPG) relating to the conflict in Syria, and established a series of educational seminars for parliamentary staff on human rights, conflict, and genocide.
As a law student she volunteered as a pro bono representative for children excluded from school and individuals held in immigration detention centres, as well as on social security appeals in the first tier tribunal.
I, Ella Crine, am a data controller and can be contacted at 3 Raymond Buildings, Gray’s Inn, London WC1R 5BH or by telephone on 020 7400 6400 or by email at [email protected]. My Data Protection Policy can be found here.
All personal data that I process is for the purposes of providing legal services, conducting conflict-checks, marketing, defending potential complaints, legal proceedings or fee disputes, keeping anti-money laundering records, training other barristers and pupils and when providing work-shadowing opportunities, and/or exercising a right to a lien. The types of data that I process vary upon the nature of the legal matter in relation to which I am engaged to advise, but can include names, contact details, biographic details and ‘special category personal data’ (such as details of racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, health, sex life and criminal convictions and proceedings).
Depending upon the circumstances of the case, the legal bases upon which I process personal data are (i) the performance of a contract to which the data subject is a party or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract, (ii) the processing is necessary to comply with legal obligations to which I am subject, or (iii) the processing is necessary for the legitimate interests set out above, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subjects which require protection of personal data, in particular where the data subject is a child. When I rely on (iii) legitimate interests, my ‘Legitimate Interests Assessment’ can be found here. When I process data which has not be obtained directly from the data subject (e.g. personal data contained in evidential materials), it will have been supplied to me as part of my instructions in circumstances covered by legal professional privilege.
Depending upon the circumstances of the case, I may share the personal data with:
I retain personal data for no longer than 10 years after the case has come to an end or as otherwise required by law.
I do not intend to transfer data to any country which is not either within the European Union, ‘white listed’ by the EU or otherwise permitted by EU law (e.g. to the USA under the provisions of the ‘Privacy Shield’).
Under the UK GDPR, data subjects whose personal data I process have the right to request from me access to, and rectification or erasure of, their personal data, the right to the restriction of processing concerning them, the right to object to processing as well as the right to data portability. Data subjects also have the right to lodge a complaint. Three Raymond Buildings has a data protection complaints procedure which applies to chambers and its barristers. You can find a copy of our procedure here.
In cases where there is a contract between me and the data subject, the provision of personal data is a contractual requirement and the data subject is obliged to provide the personal data in order that I can supply legal services. A failure to provide such data may mean that I will not be able to provide the legal services.
Rev 2.2 – 09.07.2026
| Address | 3 Raymond Buildings, Gray’s Inn, London WC1R 5BH |
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| DX | 237 LDE |
| Opening hours | 08:30 – 18:30 |
| Telephone | +44 (0)20 7400 6400 |
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| clerks@3rblaw.com | |
| Senior clerk | Ella Crine |
