Sarah Przybylska’s work encompasses advice and advocacy across professional discipline, fraud, crime, and public law.
Sarah was appointed as Treasury Counsel in 2020, and a Recorder on the South Eastern Circuit in Jan 2022.
Notable instructions include prosecuting the Finsbury Park mosque attack, the E17 ’night stalker’, the oldest double jeopardy murder yet prosecuted and acting on behalf of the Medical Defence Union at the Infected Blood Inquiry. She recently advised on Jersey’s first ever sex trafficking prosecution, leading to a conviction.
Sarah is instructed as leading counsel and as junior to King’s Counsel, as well as to act alone. She has a reputation for excellent advocacy backed up by careful preparation and a keen intellect. She provides training to professionals including medical and dental experts and investigators.
Sarah is recommended in the current editions of The Legal 500 and Chambers UK and won the award for Crime and Extradition Junior of the year in The Legal 500 UK Bar Awards 2024.
Sarah accepts Direct Access instructions.
In business crime, Sarah has extensive experience of pre-charge advice and a wide range of criminal proceedings.
Sarah is regularly instructed alone to defend in cases of fraud, drug trafficking and rape. She has recently been led in cases including allegations of murder, cocaine importation and human trafficking.
R v HD
The defendant was the partner of a man who orchestrated a series of burglaries of high-end jewellers. After a lengthy surveillance operation she was charged with conspiracy to handle stolen goods and proceeds of crime offences.
R v X
Sarah defended this client in the UK’s largest ever counterfeiting prosecution.
R v KS
The defendant was prosecuted for joint enterprise murder arising from a gang-related stabbing over a drug debt.
R v JU
Represented the lead defendant in a multi-handed case of sex trafficking and repeated rape of a thirteen-year-old girl.
R v AF
Represented a woman charged with perjury and perverting the course of justice after allegedly lying on oath in a murder trial to protect a relative.
R v TF
Represented a child prostitute charged with inciting child prostitution after encouraging a friend to come and work with her at the behest of her pimp. Indictment stayed for abuse of process.
Sarah has experience in a wide range of quasi-criminal areas.
Project X
Advised a private equity house, the owners of a care home group, on their exposure in respect of alleged criminal acts committed by employees against care home residents.
R v Rooftop Rooms
Prosecuted a company, its directors and the site foreman for manslaughter and health and safety offences following the death of an apprentice.
Project A
Advised a client who was subject to an Interpol Red Notice following the institution of a politically motivated prosecution in their home country. The Red Notice was removed.
Project Q
Advised a high-profile couple on entering into a surrogacy arrangement overseas.
Sarah is regularly instructed in coronial proceedings for both professionals and companies. She has appeared in major inquests including the Infected Blood Inquiry, 7/7 inquest and was instructed to represent the Attorney General of Jersey in the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry. Her sensitive and user-friendly approach has won the praise of solicitors and the confidence of the professionals she represents.
Infected Blood Inquiry
Instructed by the Medical Defence Union to represent a series of senior clinicians giving evidence to the Inquiry in relation to the treatment of people with haemophilia in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.
Independent Jersey Care Inquiry
Represented the interests of the Attorney General and current and former Law Officers in the Inquiry into the alleged abuse of children in state care in Jersey.
Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse
Advised a national children’s charity on disclosure and provision of evidence to the Inquiry.
Inquest into the death of X
Represented a doctor who supplied controlled drugs to a friend who then choked to death. Finding of death by misadventure.
Inquest into the death of Y
Represented a GP who treated an elderly woman who died in circumstances suggestive of neglect. Narrative finding with no criticism of the doctor.
Inquest into the death of Q
Represented a dentist whose haemophiliac patient bled to death following an extraction. Narrative finding with no criticism of the dentist.
Sarah is instructed by individuals and corporate clients to advise on the merits of private prosecutions and regularly lectures on the subject.
Project X
Advising an international investment company on the prospects of pursuing a private prosecution against a former client following misrepresentations made by them in civil proceedings.
Project Y
Advising on the prospects of a private prosecution for fraud in the context of a dispute between construction companies.
Project Z
Advising a high-net-worth individual on the possibility of pursuing a private prosecution following a civil settlement.
Sarah has been ranked by the professional directories as a leading barrister in this field since she was six years’ call.
Oil Companies International Marine Forum v Captain PS
Represented a sea captain and accredited vessel inspector accused of breaching OCIMF rules on the inspection of oil container ships. Panel found no case to answer on the facts.
General Dental Council v D
Successfully argued to exclude the hearsay evidence of the complainant and all witnesses of fact in an allegation of sexual harassment against a dental nurse.
General Dental Council v M
Represented a dentist accused of serious failings in relation to the treatment of 25 patients over 15 years. Panel found no case to answer on the facts in relation to all but record-keeping charges, in relation to which no impairment was found.
General Medical Council v P
Represented a consultant anaesthetist accused of misconduct in relation to behaviour in his private life, which had no bearing on his professional activities nor did it require proceedings in the public interest. Case closed with no action following submissions to the case examiners.
British Horseracing Authority v M
Represented a racehorse trainer accused of deliberately racing a horse which had been operated on to numb a foot permanently. Limited factual findings made against the trainer leading to an unusually short period of disqualification.
General Medical Council v O
Successfully appealed the GMC’s decision to refused registration of an Iraqi-qualified ophthalmic surgeon suspected of falsifying documents in support of his application.
General Dental Council v P
Represented a dentist accused of dishonesty and clinical failings. Dishonesty charges dismissed; Panel found no misconduct in relation to the remaining charges.
Sarah was appointed as Treasury Counsel in 2020. She is a grade 4 advocate and is appointed to the serious crime group panel, terrorism panel and rape panel. She is instructed as leading counsel and as junior to Queen’s Counsel, as well as acting alone.
Her prosecution practice is focussed upon serious, complex, organised and sensitive crime. She is regularly instructed to prosecute cases of murder, people trafficking, fraud, firearms, drug importation and rape. Sarah is regularly instructed in multi-defendant and multi-offence cases, often prosecuting Organised Crime Networks (OCNs), following a proactive investigation.
She is familiar with the investigative techniques deployed by specialist police teams and is adept at dealing with surveillance evidence, telephone data including Encrochat material, cell site and attribution, complex scientific evidence, the obtaining and use of evidence from abroad, and bad character evidence in the context of gang prosecutions and otherwise.
She has an interest in war crimes following her work with Karim Khan representing Charles Taylor at the Special Court for Sierra Leone and has recently been instructed to advise pre-charge on allegations of genocide by the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division.
Given the nature of her practice, Sarah has advised upon and routinely deals with extremely sensitive disclosure issues. She has particular expertise in PII and the handling of sensitive material relating to investigative techniques and third party disclosure issues. Sarah is DV cleared.
Sarah has a particular interest in cases involving serious sexual offending and offences against women and girls. She has recently advised at pre-charge stage on an investigation into female genital multilation and advised the Attorney General of Jersey on the island’s first sex trafficking prosecution, leading to a conviction.
Sarah has also prosecuted on behalf of the Specialist Fraud Division and other CPS CCUs in matters relating to VAT and tax fraud (see Business Crime Section) and is experienced in dealing with matters relating to Proceeds of Crime and confiscation, recently advising the CPS East of England Proceeds of Crime Team in relation to a restraint issue.
Sarah appears regularly in the Court of Appeal, acting in her own cases, for the Attorney General and on discrete instructions from the Appeals Unit.
R v Reeve and others
Seven defendants were convicted of homicide, four of murder and three of manslaughter for their parts in a planned and targeted execution, following a five month trial at the Old Bailey.
R v Dennis McGrory
This defendant was charged with offences of murder and rape and was convicted on 19 December 2022, the oldest double jeopardy case so far prosecuted.
R v Osborne
Prosecuted Finsbury Park attacker Darren Osborne who ran over a group of Muslims returning from prayers during Ramadan. Osborne was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 43 years following his convictions for murder and attempted murder.
R v Vyas
Prosecuted the E17 ’night stalker’, convicted of serial rape and murder in Walthamstow in 2009.
R v Bowskill [2022] EWCA Crim 1358, [2022] 4 WLR 98
Bowskill abused and kidnapped his girlfriend, Angel Lynn, who sustained life-changing injuries escaping from his van. Sentence increased following a successful argument that the term imposed was unduly lenient on the basis that the trial judge wrongly failed to consider the injuries suffered by the victim as reasonably foreseeable harm.
R v Tas, Kawa & Davies
Prosecuted a homicide that gave rise to two significant authorities, R v Tas (Ali) [2018] EWCA Crim 2603, [2019] 4 WLR 14 , addressing the availability of overwhelming supervening event following Jogee, and R v Kawa [2023] EWCA Crim 845, [2023] CLJ 395, affirming the distinction between evidence of propensity and evidence of past behaviour that makes it more likely that a defendant acted in a particular way during an alleged offence.
R v Omoworare & others
Prosecuted 3 defendants accused of conspiring to supply commercial quantities of cocaine and cannabis. The conspiracy was revealed following after police infiltrated the ‘Encrochat’ communication network which revealed the open discussion of kilo quantities of cocaine and cannabis being supplied around the coutry. The defendants were convicted on all counts. Leading Fiona Robertson.
R v Slepcik & others (Operation Svanetia)
Prosecuted a network of Slovakian traffickers for bringing women from Eastern Europe to the UK for the purposes of sham marriage and prostitution. Leading Will Martin.
R v Rooftop Rooms
Prosecuted a company, its directors and the site foreman for manslaughter and health and safety offences following the death of an apprentice.
R v Acourt & Others
Prosecuted Jamie and Neil Acourt, who were accused but not convicted of the murder of Stephen Lawrence, for conspiracy to supply controlled drugs following a two-year surveillance operation.
Paul Chambers v DPP (the Twitter Joke Trial) [2012] EWHC 2157 (Admin), [2013] 1 WLR 1833
Represented Paul Chambers, who sent a joke about blowing up an airport by Twitter and was prosecuted for sending a menacing message by a public electronic communications network. Conviction quashed by a High Court constitution of three judges led by the then Lord Chief Justice.
Sarah advises and represents clients in relation to a range of sporting matters.
She has a particular interest in equine sport and has a good understanding of specialist equine veterinary matters, having represented clients at the British Horseracing Authority, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the Farriers’ Registration Council. She has advised on the de-nerving of racehorses and alleged anti-doping.
Sarah’s demonstrable expertise in disciplinary matters and her detailed knowledge of the criminal disclosure regime make her a natural choice for sporting disciplinary matters and areas of crossover between sports and criminal law.
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