Martine Snowdon

Call 2000

snowdon@exchangechambers.co.uk

Photo of Martine Snowdon

Criminal

Martine is an experienced Category 4 Prosecutor with a wide range of experience in both prosecuting and defending criminal cases. She is appointed to the Specialist Panel for serious crime at Level 4, and is a member of the CPS Specialist Rape Panel.

She covers all aspects of criminal work including:

  • Fraud (VHCC, vat, fuel, benefit, publishing, banking fraud, identity, insurance and mortgage fraud)
  • Proceeds of Crime, money laundering, forfeiture and confiscation
  • Sexual offences
  • Serious violence and firearms offences
  • Murder and attempted murder
  • Drugs supply, conspiracies and importation
  • Motoring offences including fatalities
  • Environmental, Health and Safety and RSPCA prosecutions

Martine has particular experience in complex and high value frauds and drugs conspiracies as well as cases of child sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

Martine is able to communicate effectively with people, be they clients or witnesses, so they are comfortable in her company. She is able to gain their trust even when dealing with complex and harrowing cases. She can deal with distressing subjects sensitively and comprehensively, instilling confidence in people. For example, she was Junior Counsel defending the youth charged with the murder of 7 year old Katie Rough.

A tenacious and formidable presence and authority in the courtroom with the ability to put her case over powerfully, her growing practice continues to go from strength to strength.

Martine is also a Pupil Supervisor at Exchange Chambers.

Cases

R v O (2018) prosecution of multi complainant rapes/sexual offences against strangers, fitness to stand trial a live issue.

R v W (2018) successful application to dismiss in death by dangerous driving.

R v S (2018) defence in 12 handed large scale class A &B drugs conspiracy.

R v G (2018) defence of mother in child cruelty where the child had been severely burned and scarred by boiling water as form of punishment. Defence relied on sibling with ASD and called him during trial with appropriate special measures.

R v D (2018) prosecution for trafficking offences where none of the victims would cooperate with the police, contested application to dismiss and complicated hearsay arguments in order to establish case and ultimately D pleaded G.

R v W (2018) successful prosecution of 83 year old father for historic offences of rapes/assault against son and nephew. Son suffering with severe PSTD as a result of making disclosures. Use of intermediaries for both D and C in the trial.

R v H (2018) defence of 64 year old for sexual offences against 4 year old recorded on home cctv. Successfully responded in the Court of Appeal to the AG’s reference and suspended sentence upheld despite much publicised outrage of family.

R v B (2018) successful defence of grandfather of good character accused of sexual offences against 8 year old friend of his granddaughter. We were able to evidence from social media research that C had been exposed to age inappropriate and sexualised content as an explanation for the allegations. Used s28 procedure to call child witness for the defence.

R v C & B (2017) successful prosecution of OCG members for variety of offences of child sexual exploitation. The teenage victims were hostile to the police and made efforts to protect the Defendants so the case relied heavily on detailed forensic evidence.

R v L (2017) junior defence counsel for 15 year old who killed 7 year old Katie Rough. Case involved complex psychiatric issues and many conferences with experts and defendant in order to engage her in the legal process. Ultimately resolved by plea to manslaughter.

R v W (2017) prosecution of multi handed attempt murder where severe knife wounds to face and neck in revenge attack. Complainant refused to cooperate and was arrested and compelled to attend, treated as hostile and then case was proved by combination of circumstantial and hearsay evidence.

R v L (2017) prosecution of police officer for voyeurism, 8 complainants. Defence case was police corruption conspiracy and consent. Concurrent police disciplinary proceedings. Robust approach to disclosure was required and sensitive presentation of the recordings recovered necessary to hold some of the trial in private.

R v W (2016) defence in rape of 8 year old where D only 11 at time of offences and with severe learning difficulties. Following extensive reports non custodial sentence imposed upon G plea.

Operation Prestige (ongoing) prosecution of 38 defendants involved in fraudulently claiming childcare tax credits of £800,000 by creating illusion of work and childcare to exploit system of government contribution to childcare.

Operation Supola (2016) prosecution of 14 handed OCG for drugs conspiracies including trafficking into prison over several months.

R v W (2015) junior defence counsel for main defendant in £6m publishing fraud. Investigation took many years and there were applications to stay on the grounds of abuse of process, issues of LPP and hearsay.

R v M & Others (2014) junior counsel prosecuting 12 Defendants to a conspiracy to escape which involved a break out of 2 prisoners from a prison van en route to court with the use of weapons including an imitation firearm.

R v W (2014) prosecution for a campaign of sexual and physical abuse against 2 partners involving extreme degradation and torture of the victims and resulted in a discretionary life sentence after trial.

R v H (2014) defence of historic allegations of sexual abuse involving also the mother of the complainant as an aidor and abettor of the abuse.