Lesley Manley

Lesley Manley is a highly experienced barrister. She has a well deserved reputation for dealing with challenging cases and clients.

In recent years Lesley Manley has continued to be instructed in a number of high profile and sensitive cases in view of her special expertise with both clients with psychiatric issues and vulnerable witnesses. She has cross examined numerous section 28 hearings having taught the vulnerable witness course to members of the Bar both in the UK and at the Attorney Generals Department in Gibraltar.

She also is highly experienced in dealing with issues of fraud having had extensive experience in conducting trials both as a leading and junior counsel in the UK and overseas.

She has defended in a number of serious fraud matters.

The case of R V G concerned an alleged cheat on the Revenue of £1.2 million by a two defendants. Having inspected original files held by the Revenue the court ruled Lesley and co-defending counsel, a commercial specialist and using a multi disciplinary approached successfully argued that the prosecution was an abuse of process. Both defendants were acquitted. Thereafter Lesley was instructed in a complex conspiracy to defraud in Gibraltar.

She became known internationally for her role as defence counsel in R v Marrache. The trial lasted for 9 months and was the longest running fraud trial in the history of Gibraltar and concerned the loss of £40 million pounds. This case was tried at The Supreme Court of Gibraltar. This was a complex case that necessitated reviewing of the bankruptcy files from various civil actions brought by those who had suffered financial loss, reviewing volumes of other unused material including trust agreements.

In addition to factual issues in the trial the case gave rise to numerous legal complications and arguments which included recusal of Judge, abuse of process, applications to exclude evidence and a possible appeal to the Privy Council in relation to Judge only trial.

This case was complex not only in terms of the financial and Tusts aspects of the case but in terms of its international aspects. Evidence was received by live link by agreement with the government of the Czech Republic. There was evidence relating to a number of EU countries in particular Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and the Republic of Ireland and also to Israel, Canada and the United States.

This case was the subject of international media attention and reports can be found on www.chronicle.gi and www.gbc.gi/ . This matter is the subject of an appeal to the Privy Council.

In addition to acting as junior in respect of the criminal matter Lesley researched legal issues in respect of constitutional matters and appeared in court to assist Charles Gomez, Gibraltar Counsel, who brought a Constitutional Motion against the Attorney General’s Office and The Governor of Gibraltar on behalf of Behalf of Benjamin Marrache. The trial concluded in 2014.

On her return to the UK and upon joining Churchcourt Chambers Lesley was instructed as leading counsel in OPERATION AGULLIAR R v N in £1 million pound fraud at Southwark Crown Court. The defendant was deaf and accused of conspiracy to defraud the DWP of ATW payments and also charity funds. Conferences and the giving of evidence were facilitated by the services of a sign language interpreter

Sexual Offending

Lesley Manley is very experienced in defending in cases alleging sexual offending including cases where other offences such as violence, cruelty or robbery are connected. She has acted as leading and junior counsel.

Lesley is often instructed to represented defendants accused of serious sexual offending including multi-handed cases involving human trafficking and grooming. Recent examples are set out.

• November 2023 R v B defended a man accused of rape of a former partner
• June 2023 R v S successfully defended a man accused of rape in family context
• In July 2022 as junior counsel represented Callum Wheeler on charge of murder of Julia James
• In July 2021 R v S successfully represented a man accused of sexual assault on exceptionally vulnerable adult. Interpol asserted the man had a prior conviction for rape but after initiating extensive enquires with the embassy in a South American country this was found to be wholly incorrect. Miss Manley prevented the trial proceeding with information that was found to be incorrect
• 2019 OPERATION ALMOND Shrewsbury Crown Court R v Q and others. Trafficking and sexual assault.
  This case was successfully concluded with the acquittal of her lay client and was the subject of intense media scrutiny – BBC, Shropshire Star
• 2019 Woolwich Crown Court R v W. Sexual assault on child under the age of 13
• 2018 Lincoln Crown Court R v E. Historic sexual offending against multiple complainants. This case involved two vulnerable complainants one of whom required the assistance of an intermediary. The defendant had mental impairment and also required the services of an intermediary in order to be able to give evidence
• 2018 Bradford Crown Court R v W Historic sexual offending and child cruelty against multiple complainants
• 2017 Reading Crown Court R v A. Leading counsel in lengthy multi handed trial defendants alleging grooming and rape and gang rape of vulnerable child
• 2016 Lincoln Crown Court R v H. Counsel in multi-handed case alleging trafficking and sexual abuse of vulnerable complainant who had been in care
• In this case which resulted in acquittal the jury were discharged at the first trial upon the application of Miss Manley who managed to ascertain disclosure had not been properly completed
• 2015 Central Criminal Court OPERATION ARTICULATE R v AH. Counsel in lengthy multi-handed trial concerning 11 defendants accused of sexual abuse against vulnerable complainant

In particular she has special expertise in representing defendants with mental illness, mental impairment and autism. She has written published articles on this point. She is also experienced in representing deaf defendants

She has been asked to provide written advises for convicted persons in connection with references to the Criminal Appeals Review Commission.

Lesley is a trained vulnerable witness facilitator and has provided training on several occasions to other members of the bar.

She is also a pupil supervisor and trained advocacy trainer at Middle Temple where she has taught for over 15 years.

This year she attended the Advocacy Trainers Symposium at the ICCA. She also was selected to attend the Florida Advocacy Course in Gainesville in 2018. She has experience of the most up to date teaching methods used nationally and internationally.

The diverse nature of her practice has led to her being instructed in a wide range of offences. Examples are armed robbery, kidnap, attempted murder, murder, child cruelty, cases where rape has been accompanied by section 18 and robbery, aggravated burglary and copyright theft.