Nicola Peers

Nicola Peers

  • M.A. (Hons) (Oxon)
  • Year of Call: 1996

  • Inner Temple

    Practice

    Criminal law specialist, predominantly dealing with cases involving serious sexual offences, such as rape, murder and serious violence, drug importation/ supply, and dishonesty, including armed robbery.

    Regularly defends cases of multiple rapes against more than one complainant, and child rape. Has also defended cases of attempted murder, serious violence (in one instance described by Judge as “torture”), arson with intent to endanger life, and conspiracy to burgle/ defraud/ import Class A drugs where values frequently exceed £250,000.

    Has vast experience prosecuting sexual offence cases, particularly concerning historic abuse involving multiple defendants/ complainants and distribution/ possession of indecent child images. Also prosecuted in the Bradford Riot cases.

    Grade 4 Prosecutor.

    Has particular experience in the law relating to abuse of process, computer image cases and cases involving the young and vulnerable.

    Has experience of defending children – for example, a 13 year old charged with rape. Frequently appears in cases involving child witnesses, in one instance with over 30 called to give live evidence.

    Has defended those suffering behavioural/ developmental problems, such as verbal/ general Dyspraxia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome, and mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder and borderline personality types.

    Professional Memberships

    Member of the Criminal Bar Association

    Notable/Reported Cases

    Slingsby – (Defending) - schizophrenic charged with multiple counts of attempted murder against hospital staff. Mental Health Disposal ordered.

    Broadbent – (Defending) – allegations of 2 stranger rapes; indictment severed. Acquitted.

    Zackriya – (Defending) – multiple defendants/ rape of child

    Farebrother – (Defending) – allegations of rape and “torture”

    Greenwood et al – (Prosecution Junior) – conspiracy to murder involving drive-by shooting outside Bradford night club.

    Adams and Mortimer – (Prosecuting) - historic abuse alleged to have spanned 3 decades and concerned 6 different complainants. Adams sentenced to 15 years imprisonment

    Dawson – (Prosecuting) - historic abuse of complainant from childhood into adulthood. Imprisonment for Public Protection.

    Further Information

    Bar Caribbean Pro Bono Committee Volunteer 2004 working from the Independent Jamaican Council for Human Rights, Kingston, assisting attorneys in the defence of capital murder cases

    Pegasus International Scholar 2001 (awarded from Honourable Society of Inner Temple) working at Capital Chambers, Wellington, New Zealand