Kate Wilkinson KC

Kate is an extremely experienced and able criminal advocate. She has defended in sensitive and complex cases ranging from murder and rape to fraud including defending a mother charged with the mercy killing of her son and a well-known actor charged with sexual offences and possessing indecent images of children. As a former Treasury Counsel monitoree, Kate is also regularly instructed to prosecute serious crime including murder, armed robbery, drugs importation and sexual offences as well as high-profile cases. She has been appointed as a Level 4 prosecutor on the specialist panels for serious crime, counter-terrorism, fraud and POCA. She has also been instructed to lead in multi-handed cases such as drugs exportation cases with terrorist funding connections, and conspiracies to pervert the course of justice. Kate has a wealth of experience in difficult criminal appeals both in relation to conviction and sentence, including providing advice to the Attorney General.

Kate is experienced in this increasingly important area of advisory and litigation work. She has advised on the international complexities of data retrieval from remote server hosts involved in the commission of terrorist offences using cyberspace and regularly advises officers from the High Tech Unit and Digital Media Exploitation Unit. She is also familiar with the technical details involved in computer, website and file-sharing analysis having defended in Op Ore (indecent images of children) cases.

Kate has acted both as counsel to the inquiry and as counsel to core participants in significant and complex public inquiries. She has many years of experience as inquiry counsel to the Undercover Policing Inquiry, has acted for the Ministry of Defence in the Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan and has acted for the Care Quality Commission in the UK Covid-19 Inquiry. Kate is well versed in the procedural issues engaged in all aspects of the setting up of a public inquiry and its conduct including the arguments surrounding restriction orders, privacy, data protection and judicial review challenges.

Kate has an eye for detail and for simplifying complex matters which makes her a versatile fraud practitioner. She has defended in frauds including trademark infringements, benefit fraud and payroll dishonesty. She also prosecuted the largest PAYE tax and National Insurance evasion case where her command of the voluminous exhibits permitted them to be skilfully presented to the jury in both hard copy jury bundles and electronically on screen.

As a Grade 4 prosecutor on the specialist Proceeds of Crime panel, Kate is very familiar with confiscation proceedings. She regularly advises on, and conducts hearings in, complex and protracted cases. Her experience prosecuting such matters makes her an ideal choice for those seeking advice in defending potential confiscation claims.

Kate is regularly instructed to prosecute by the Counter Terrorism Division and has extensive experience in dealing with extremely complex and sensitive matters of disclosure. She conducts prosecutions alone as well as being led. She is also familiar with advising on how to shape difficult cases and in particular on the use of the Electronic Presentation of Evidence to assist a jury’s understanding of the case.

Kate has acted for the Service Prosecution Authority both in advisory capacity and as prosecution counsel at the trial of army personnel in Sennelager Military Court Centre charged with sexual offences. She is also familiar with Army Act offences and has acted for the Ministry of Defence in public inquiry proceedings.

Kate regularly advises in criminal cases where jurisdictional issues arise from evidence gathered abroad. She also has experience of Courts Martial prosecutions abroad.

Kate has advised individuals involved in the police enquiries into practices at News International and has been frequently instructed by publishing companies to assess video material for potential defamation claims. Kate has lectured on the topic of how the media can influence legal
proceedings.

Kate has conducted judicial review proceedings in respect
of several matters ranging from challenges to the decisions of the Chair of a public inquiry to decisions not to prosecute a youth for rape. Her long term work in the field of public inquiries has made her a specialist in obligations of public authorities and familiar with the body of associated European case law.

• Attorney General’s Panel of Prosecuting Advocates
• Treasury Counsel Monitoree

• Criminal Bar Association
• Central London Bar Mess
• South Eastern Circuit

University of Sheffield (LLB Hons)

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