Anya Horwood

Call 1991

horwood@exchangechambers.co.uk

Photo of Anya Horwood

Criminal

Anya is a specialist criminal practitioner with widespread experience of prosecuting and defending in criminal cases. She is instructed as lead counsel in serious multi handed cases. She is appointed to the Specialist panel for Serious and Organised Crime (including terrorism), Fraud Panel and Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Panel. She is a Grade 4 Prosecutor on the CPS General Crime Panel.

Anya has extensive experience of the following:

  • Homicide and Serious Offences of Violence
  • Child Homicide and Child Cruelty
  • Rape and Serious Sexual Offences
  • Immigration Offences
  • Serious and Organised Crime (drugs, firearms)
  • Fitness to Plead/Stand trial
  • Road Traffic Offences – causing death or serious injury by dangerous or careless driving.

Her case preparation is thorough and she gives clear and robust advice. Her advocacy style is calm and persuasive. Anya deals with clients in a sensitive manner and is often instructed in cases where a witness or defendant is vulnerable through age, mental health or learning disability.

Anya also practises in the field of Regulatory law and is instructed counsel for the GMC.  Anya is instructed throughout the Northwest.

Kindly note that Anya is currently not practising or receiving instructions.

Criminal Cases

Murder  – led Junior

  • Wales and others. Prosecuting. Murder. Convicted.
  • R v Culshaw, Martin and Martin (2016) – Drug gang related firearm murder
  • R v Bilsborough, Hunt and Johns (2017) – Drug gang related firearm murder
  • R v Smith and Willett (2017) – Murder of a 2 year old and child cruelty
  • R v Deakin (2017)
  • R v Smith, Smith, Griffiths, Nelson and Nelson (2015) – drug related
  • R v Munro (2016)
  • R v Shaughnessy, McGill, Hewitt, Hewitt, Dykstra (2014 and 2017) – youths charged with gang related murder. Three defendants appealed their convictions at Court of Appeal in July 2017 on the grounds of joint enterprise, mandatory life sentences for youths and the use of intermediaries. The Government and Equality and Human Rights commission were represented at the appeal.

Manslaughter – sole advocate

  • Burns – Prosecuting. Manslaughter. [2019] Guilty
  • R v Eveleigh (2017)
  • R v Emma Parr (2015)

Attempted Murder – sole advocate

  • Smith – Prosecuting. Attempted Murder. [2019] Guilty
  • R v Scragg (2017)  – attempted murder of girlfriend
  • R v Denver Beddows (2017) – attempted mercy killing of an elderly wife by 95 year old defendant.
  • R v Braithwaite (2016) – Arson and Attempted Murder of wife
  • R v Swainbank and others (2016) – youth defendants in rival gang offence.

Sexual Offences

  • Jones – Prosecuting. Attempted Rape of a 5 year old [2020]. Convicted
  • Simpson – Prosecuting Attempted Rape and False Imprisonment [2020]. Convicted
  • Blackburn – Prosecuting. Rape of a Child. [2019]. Convicted
  • Nicholls – Prosecuting. Rape of two strangers. [2019].Convicted
  • Wright – Defending. Rape of two women. [2019]. Acquitted
  • Fletcher – Defending. Rape [2019]. Acquitted
  • Blackmore – Defending. Child sex allegations. Defendant with learning difficulties. Acquitted
  • Wolten – Defending. Historic sexual offences. Defendant 81 years with dementia. Convicted.
  • R v Blackmoore (2018) – defence of a 19 year old charged with sexual offences. The defendant had executive function disorder.
  • R  v Riley (2016)  – Child Abduction and Rape
  • R v Sullivan – Child exploitation – multiple child complainants

Organised Crime 

  • Leslie – Defending. Firearms offences [2019]. Acquitted
  • Harari – Defending. Firearms offences [2019]. Acquitted
  • O’Brien and others. Prosecuting. Conspiracy to burgle and steal cars in Merseyside, Cheshire and Lancashire. [2019]. Guilty
  • Peverall – Prosecuting. Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs [2019]. Guilty
  • Cheetham and others – Prosecuting. Conspiracy to rob. Youth offenders. [2019]Guilty.
  • Operation Cosy – Prosecuting. Conspiracy to commit Immigration offences [2020]
  • Murphy – Prosecuting. Conspiracy to cause explosions [2020]
  • R v Craig Cartwright and others. Nine defendants charged with conspiracy to cause explosions and conspiracy to burgle banks and building societies. The case was the first of its type in the United Kingdom.

Child Cruelty

  • Ackers – Defending. Child cruelty [2019]. Acquitted
  • Suku – Defending. Child Cruelty. [2019]. Acquitted