Barrister: Stephanie Hayward

Crime:

Stephanie prosecutes for CPS London and the surrounding Thames Valley area. She has authorised charges against suspects, directing a prosecution from its inception. She is familiar with drafting disclosure management documents and approaches her cases with a sense of fairness and objectivity. This complements Stephanie’s defence work.

Notable Cases:

Violence

• R v E (2019) – successfully prosecuted retrial for sustained domestic assault occasioning ABH following conviction for perverting the course of justice in original trial. Rigorous cross-examination exposed psychological, emotional and ultimately physical abuse levelled against Complainant through painstaking analysis of chat logs and text message evidence.
• R v A (2019) – successfully prosecuted multiple counts of armed robbery involving cell-site evidence. Defendant pleaded to 4 counts on first day of trial.
• R v N (2019) – successfully prosecuted Defendant threatening another with a samurai sword. Defended application to sever counts on indictment. Defendant pleaded on first day of trial.
• R v N (2019) – defended s.20 GBH where Defendant allegedly punched and broke Complainant’s jaw outside a nightclub. Hung jury.
• R v E (2019) – represented Defendant at sentence following conviction for multiple counts of firearms possession with intent to endanger life and supply of Class A drugs.
• R v R (2018) – prosecuted aggravated burglary involving imitation firearm and pepper spray.

Fraud and dishonesty

• R v C (2019) – sole counsel in prosecution against Defendant severed from multi-handed conspiracy to defraud the ‘Redundancy Payment Service’ (Operation Chum).
• R v B (2019) – junior defence counsel in multi-handed, large-scale conspiracy to ring and sell stolen vehicles with theft value exceeding £700,000.
• R v M (2018) - junior prosecution counsel in multi-handed conspiracy to defraud ‘Redundancy Payment Service’. Fraud value exceeded £700,000. 9 convictions. POCA proceedings followed. (Operation Chum).
• R v M (2018) – junior prosecution counsel in VAT fraud linked to Operation Chum where first Defendant falsely claimed in excess of £100,000 in VAT refunds following death of Director. (Operation Curate).
• R v S (2018) – prosecuted charge for perverting the course of justice where Defendant supplied Police with his brother’s details to evade prosecution. Defendant convicted.

Sexual offences

• R v M (2020) – successfully prosecuted Defendant charged with exposure.

Regulatory & Professional Discipline:

Stephanie has defended Registrants before the Health and Care Professions Council and Nursing and Midwifery Council. She can ably acquaint herself with unfamiliar subject matter to skilfully represent clients. Stephanie avoided any sanction for a nurse facing suspension following an admission to accessing confidential patient records, secured the early lifting of a suspension for a paramedic who admitted cannabis use, and defended a clinical scientist in an allegation of misusing an embryo development system. Stephanie has also had success on the force of written submissions; due the Covid-19 pandemic, Stephanie was instructed by Thompsons Solicitors to defend a Band 7 Physiotherapist against whom the HCPC had applied for an interim suspension order. Stephanie argued against suspension, or less draconian conditions of practice due to the clinical safeguards already in place in the Registrant’s new role. The Panel acceded to the submission and no interim order was imposed.

Notable Cases:

• PG v NMC (2020) – represented a nurse who admitted accessing confidential patient records. Persuaded panel that despite NMC application for suspension and admitted misconduct, Registrant’s practice was not currently impaired. Panel agreed and no sanction was imposed.
• AP v HCPC (2020) – on written submissions successfully defended application for an interim suspension against a Band 7 Physiotherapist on the basis clinical safeguards militated against the necessity for suspension or conditions of practice.
• GC v NMC (2019) - successfully defended allegation of fraudulent entry on the Register. Despite Registrant’s admission of “incorrect entry”, Panel imposed no sanction.
• BP v HCPC (2019) – successfully defended Clinical Scientist for misuse of “EEVA” system which monitors embryo development. Allegation of misconduct not proved. Despite Registrant’s admission for failing to transport liquid nitrogen safely, persuaded panel that practice was not impaired.
• ES v HCPC (2019) – represented Paramedic suspended from practice for admitted cannabis use (outside of work duties). Pursuant to advice which Registrant followed, secured early lift of suspension order at substantive order review.
• RC v HCPC (2018) – successfully persuaded Panel that despite allegation of assault an interim order was neither necessary nor in the public interest. Panel imposed no interim order.
• LP v NMC (2018) – successfully persuaded Panel to reframe interim conditions of practice order reflecting Preceptorship programme enabling Registrant Midwife to remain in work, having unsuccessfully applied for numerous midwifery roles.

Parole & Prison Law:

In 2016, Stephanie was seconded to the Parole Board Litigation Team for 5 months which was sponsored by the Kalisher Trust. Stephanie developed her experience of public law, successfully responding to a claim for judicial review against a decision made by the Board not to order an MRI scan when assessing a prisoner’s risk. Stephanie’s core work involved adjudication of claims for compensation for breaches of Article 5 (4) ECHR due to delays in oral hearings being listed and heard.

Stephanie’s interest in parole work was borne out of representing a prisoner recalled to HMP Wayland following breach of licence.