Wendy Miller

Career background

Prior to practice at the Bar, employed :

• as a Legal clerk at Messrs. Glaisyers, Birmingham, criminal department, dealing with matters at Crown Court and appellate level
• at Irwin Mitchell, solicitors, dealing with RTA claims and also clinical negligence matters

Practice details

Crime

Instructed to appear on behalf of both defence and prosecution, at Crown Court and appellate level, in a wide variety of cases – allegations of violence, rape and sexual assault (current and historical), fraud and other dishonesty, drugs offences. Prosecution work has included instructions to represent HM Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office, Department of Work and Pensions, and the Immigration Office.  Experienced in dealing with substantial confiscation hearings under the POCA regime.

Recent instructions have included :

• junior for the defence in a multi-handed case, involving 6 defendants with allegations of incest, rape and sexual assault
• represented defendant charged with attempted murder - machete attack to head
• represented a 16 year old youth charged with rape of a 4 year old girl - the defendant was acquitted
• represented a defendant charged with conspiracy to burgle in a multi-handed case with 4 defendants, allegations of 52 offences of burglary
• represented a defendant charged with numerous serious sexual offences against his daughter, over many years, including administration of gas to facilitate commission of offences
• conspiracy to smuggle contraband cigarettes into the U.K., 7 defendants involved in a very sophisticated operation where tax evaded was said to be £900,000 - represented the UK syndicate leader
• POCA confiscation hearings of high value,  up to £1 million
• represented a defendant charged with child cruelty, involving complex medical issues, after substantial challenge to the Crown's medical evidence the defendant was acquitted
• junior for the defence in a large scale ‘obtaining money by deception’, where the defendant was in a position of trust and was principal of a charity
• instructed to represent a company director in a substantial fraud case
• instructed by the Immigration Office to prosecute alleged ‘illegal entry’ cases

Licensing

Has appeared before local councils in licensing matters in various parts of the country, acting on behalf of licensed premises in applications under the Licensing Act 2003. Experienced in dealing with cases involving new licence applications, applications to vary licences, and preliminary hearings in relation to licensing appeals in the Magistrates Courts.

Costs

Experience has included drafting points of dispute for the defence in contentious costs cases, and appearing in contentious costs hearings, including appearances at the Supreme Court Costs Office. Has dealt with cases involving conditional fee agreements and risk assessments. Previous employment handling a caseload whilst employed in a firm of solicitors included calculating risk assessments, and has given a useful insight into the issues involved in contentious costs cases.