Sallie Bennett-Jenkins KC continues her Star Silk status in Chambers UK 2024 and is described as ‘pheonomenal’ by the directory.
Sallie has been consistantly cited as a leading silk by the Legal 500 and, prior to taking silk, as a leading junior. She is described as “exceptional in court ” in Chambers UK. She was appointed King’s Counsel in October 2006 following a period of 8 years as Treasury Counsel, and has since become first choice defence counsel for firms with private clients who demand an incisive advocate with a mastery of detail, and who can instil real confidence in the client. She has been described as having a “thoroughly devastating style of cross examination which is a pleasure to watch”, “the go-to for clients accused of serious and sexual criminal offences, she is phenomenal” and “she does a wonderful, subtle job and has the kind of gravitas that everybody respects.”
In silk, she has encouraged and maintained a diverse defence practice which ranges from murder to fraud and advisory work for multinational corporations in respect of computer crime, Health and Safety and Food and Drugs.
Her back catalogue of cases demonstrates her exceptional ability as an advocate, in the most complex and demanding of cases.
Sallie was shortlisted as Crime and Extradition Silk of the Year in The Legal 500 UK Bar Awards 2022.
Sallie has a long history of defending in allegations of business crime, whether acting on behalf of companies or individuals. Her ability to master large quantities of complex detail make her an exceptional choice of advocate in this field.
R v FS
Client aquitted in the UK’s largest every money laundering trial- £266 million – in atrial which lasted 7 months at Leeds Crown Court, further details available on request.
R v RSS
This case centred on the inter play between 3 large companies both witnin the UK and other duristictions which provided PPE at the height of the pandemic.
R v Schmidt & Others
This case dealt with the alleged fraud that led to the £20 million collapse of the Crown Currency Companies.
Sallie has deservedly established a formidable reputation as being an extremely able defence advocate who is exceptional with clients and achieves acquittals in the most difficult of circumstances. She is described as ‘a brilliant advocate. She is hard working, fearless, clever and highly strategic in her approach’.
In particular, she has specialist expertise in relation to trials involving those who are in the public eye and require assistance in relation to the media aspects of their cases.
She has defended a number of celebrity clients in relation to allegations of violence and sexual assault and also represents professionals accused of crime arising from their work. She has developed expertise in representing of young offenders, where her ability to instill confidence in her clients is of particular importance. Details of these cases can be provided upon request.
She has a wealth of experience in cases that are factually and legally complex. Many of the cases she undertakes demand an ability to assimilate expert evidence and to cross-examine professional witnesses. Sallie has extensive expertise in relation to intelligence led operations, and in relation to offences of terrorism.
Sallie lectures in the West Indies on a range of topics and to visiting judiciary to the UK on issues relating to Sexual Offences.
R v WMB
Acted for defendant, WMB, who faced allegations of indecent assault against 2 women at a state event. Following legal submissions by Sallie over 4 days, the proceedings were stayed as an abuse of process. The application centered on the failures in the manner in which the police and office of the DPP had instituted proceedings against the defendant and their dealings with witnesses.
R v X
Representated a professional man indicted for allegations of non fatal strangulation and assault against his former partner and her friend. The CPS decided that there was no reasonable prospect of conviction and offered no evidence against the defendant; not guilty verdicts were entered.
CPS v XM
R v X
Represented a counsellor who was acquitted in sexual assault case.
R v X
Represented the student son of a prominent businessman acquitted of rape charge.
R v CG
A prosecution arising from an alleged teenage sexual relationship between a 17 year old boy and two 15 year old girls, resulted in acquittal of Sallie’s client on all 12 counts.
R v FS
Sallie acted for the PA of James Stunt, former husband of Petra Ecclestone. Her client was also charged with forgery together with James Stunt. The trial resulted in the acquittal of Sallie’s client on all counts. Mr Stunt was also acquitted of the forgery allegation.
R v DJS
Acted for a 25 year old man who was accused by his former girlfriend of rape on 2 occasions, against, she claimed, a background of coercive and controlling abusive behaviour. Sallie secured an acquittal.
R v GH
GH was charged with being a member of National Action which, at its height, had over 100 members of young white men drawn from universities. GH was one of 6 defendants that were investigated by police for their involvement in a plot to murder the Labour MP Rosie Cooper and a female police officer and allegedly belonging to the far-right group.
R v OW
OW was accused of being one of a group of 3 men who attacked and fatally stabbed a 43 year old man in broad daylight on a housing estate in North London. The prosecution alleged that each of the 3 defendants were armed with a knife and set upon the victim as a group. Multiple residents witnessed the attack from a neighbouring tower block, with some even filming it on mobile phones. Sallie, leading Vivienne Tanchel, secured an acquittal.
R v Rooney / Operation Pottery
Operation Pottery was an investigation brought by the Lincolnshire Police that sought to investigate the Rooney family – it was the largest ever prosecution of slavery offences in the UK. As well as breaches to the Modern Day Slavery act the case also involved allegations of violence and fraud.
Oxford Deaconal Investigation
Sallie represented an Oxford graduate who had been accused of sexual misconduct. The Oxford college were compelled to withdraw allegations and issue an apology. The Panel ordered that the College should pay the costs of the accused student for the proceedings
R v I
Sallie secured an acquittal of her client who was charged with 11 counts of rape and sexual offenses against 2 complainants dating from 27 years ago. The allegations were made against a backdrop of attempts to extort money from the defendant and collusion between the complainants, who were related to each other.
R v Brizzi
Stephano Brezzi, a 50 year old Italian-born programmer for a US investment bank, was accused of strangling and dismembering a police officer after he met him on the gay dating app Grindr. Sallie led Harry Bentley.
R v Edmondson, Brookes, Coulson & Others
This related to the principal ‘phone hacking trial’, involving allegations that News of the World conducted ‘industrial scale’ hacking of the mobile phones of politicians, those associated with the Royal Family and celebrities.
R v Gnango
The Supreme Court considered the issues of secondary liability in circumstances of transferred malice.
This is widely recognised as an exceptionally complex case where the arguments included a review of comparative jurisprudence from a number of countries.
R v Schmidt & Others
This case dealt with the alleged fraud that led to the £20 million collapse of the Crown Currency Companies.
R v GB
Representing a Company Director where he was acquitted of allegations of anal rape.
Sallie has frequently acted for individuals within inquest proceedings, these include a prominent businessman whose wife had committed suicide and whose family sought to establish that he was responsible for her death. She has also acted in a lengthy inquest into the deaths of two women killed by a former partner who had had his firearms returned to him by Surrey Police after they had been seized. The actions of the firearms department of Surrey Police was the subject of scrutiny within the inquest.
Sallie Bennett-Jenkins KC represented her client in a case involving multiple allegations of occasioning actual…
Sallie Bennett-Jenkins KC acted for defendant, William McKeeva Bush, who faced allegations of indecent assault…
The defendant was indicted for allegations of non fatal strangulation and assault against his former…
