Paramjit Ahluwalia > One Pump Court > London, England > Barrister Profile

One Pump Court
ELM COURT
LONDON
EC4Y 7AH
England

Work Department

Crime Modern Slavery & Trafficking Team

Position

Call: 2002

Career

Described as an ‘outstanding junior,’ and as a ‘new talent, rising star,’ Paramjit Ahluwalia has a high profile practice in Criminal Appeals and represents in cases of homicides, human trafficking, modern slavery, immigration offences, sexual offences and firearms.

Paramjit is experienced in complex and sensitive cases often involving vulnerable defendants. She is deeply committed to ensuring the very best representation for all her clients and effective pragmatic advocacy. She is a contributing author to the chapter on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking in the lead Criminal Practitioner’s text ‘Blackstone’s Criminal Practice’ as well as ‘Women who kill, Criminal law and Domestic Abuse’ and her published article on reforms relating to Domestic Abuse law have been referenced in the House of Lords.

Homicide cases and attempted murder

Paramjit’s work involves representation in high profile murder cases both at first instance, as well as advising as fresh counsel on appellate cases. She has been sole junior in successful attempted murder cases.

Paramjit has acted in homicides involving issues of domestic abuse and coercive control as well as gang related offences and firearms. She often represents in cases concerning psychiatric vulnerabilities and complex pathology issues. Paramjit is a contributing author to a chapter in ‘Women who kill, Criminal law and Domestic Abuse’ published in 2023. Her work on cases on domestic homicide trials have included R v Emma Jayne Magson and R v Farieissia Martin.

Criminal Appeals

Paramjit has a high profile practice in Criminal Appeals reported in the national news:  (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/coercive-control-mothers-heartbreaking-story-back-courts/ and https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/oct/28/mother-jailed-in-uk-over-babys-injuries-blames-former-partner-at-appeal). She has been described in a Court of Appeal judgments as providing ‘expert assistance’ in a County Lines exploitation appeal and has successfully represented individuals coerced into criminal offending (such as an individual subjected to sex work, conviction quashed despite being over 15 years old in R v O [2019] EWCA Crim 1389). Paramjit regularly advises in cases involving fresh evidence, such as Psychiatric, expert medical evidence and pathology. Paramjit has made successful applications to the Criminal Cases Review Commission for referral of convictions (such as 6 separate convictions for a youth client in Feb 2022 – https://ccrc.gov.uk/news/ccrc-refers-convictions-to-crown-court-due-to-concerns-that-the-minor-at-the-time-of-convictions-was-a-victim-of-trafficking/).

The Observer in 2019 described Paramjit as being a ‘new talent, rising star’ for her work ‘representing society’s most vulnerable, fighting human trafficking, modern day slavery and immigration crime.’ Her published article through the Criminal Bar Association on duress and section 45 Modern Slavery Act 2015 was referenced in a House of Lords debate on proposed amendments to the Domestic Abuse Bill.

Paramjit is the contributing author to the chapter on Modern Slavery and Immigration Offences in the leading Criminal Practitioner Text, Blackstone’s Criminal Practice. She has been a speaker at the Justice Colloquium on Coercive Control at De Montfort University and on updates relating to Article 4 to the Criminal Law Review conference.

Paramjit has been leading junior counsel against silk counsel in both high profile modern slavery cases, as well as in Appellate work and first instance work.

Modern Slavery, Human Trafficking and s45 Modern Slavery Act defence

Paramjit has a significant ground breaking practice concerning Human Trafficking, Modern Slavery, County Lines, and section 45 Modern Slavery Act 2015 Defences. She conducts leading junior work in multi-handed trials and has done so even before the 2015 legislation came into force (Acquittal secured for Defendant in 2013 multi handed exploitation case – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-22552912).

In addition to being the contributing author to the chapter on Modern Slavery and Immigration Offences in Blackstone’s Criminal Practice, she is a contributing author to chapters on criminal court process, special measures and criminal appeal process in Bloomsbury Professional ‘Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery Law and Practice’ 2020.  She has provided updates on the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (Blackstone’s Briefing, Autumn 2022) and updates on how AAD and others [2022] EWCA Crim 106 applies in practice (Crimeline).

She has been a speaker at seminars and workshops, including internationally at the ECPAT Conference in Paris to judges and lawyers from 7 European Countries- on ‘Trafficking for Criminal Exploitation,’ as well as a speaker at the Judicial College on Modern Slavery updates in 2022 and Oct 2023 and with the Criminal Bar Association on Human Trafficking in 2022.

Advisory work

Paramjit has provided advisory work in relation to Disclosure Barring Services, VRR’s and illegal working legislation, in addition to the advising of charities (e.g. Class Acts- examining modern slavery legislation across the UK).

Paramjit has spoken at conferences particularly on issues of Modern Slavery, duress, coercive control and domestic abuse including:

  • 2022- Human Trafficking – Criminal Bar Association members.
  • 2022- speaker at seminar to Criminal Cases Review Commission on coercive control issues in appeals.
  • 2021- Speaker – criminal law module -Open University – reform of duress
  • 2020 – Speaker at Justice Colloquium on Coercive Control at De Montfort University
  • 2019- Criminal Law Review conference – updates Article 4.
  • 2019- LAPG conference

Paramjit was previously a trustee of the charity ‘Women In Prison’ and is on the advisory board for the charity ‘APPEAL.’ Post Bar school Paramjit worked with AMICUS and a death row charity in the US specialising in appeals, and post qualification worked with a charity Immigration Advisory Service working on Immigration appeals in Birmingham and London.

Homicide and serious criminal offences

R v AWJ [2021] EWCA Crim 1776– Leading junior in appeal against conviction for causing or allowing physical harm of a child. Complex coercive control and domestic abuse faced by female defendant, biomechanical expert evidence (https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/oct/28/mother-jailed-in-uk-over-babys-injuries-blames-former-partner-at-appeal)
R v B – Sexual Offences matter (Central Criminal Court)

Sexual offence – case concerning complex expert evidence on Sexsomnia.

Acquitted. Sole junior counsel against silk.

R v FM – Murder (Liverpool Crown Court)
R v EM – Murder re-trial (Birmingham Crown Court)
Junior led by Clare Wade KC. Background of domestic abuse and coercive control in relation to high profile re-trial, issues included self-defence and diminished responsibility.
R v P (Blackfriars Crown Court) – Sole junior in attempted murder trial. Representation of woman with mental health vulnerabilities. Victim in coma for 2 weeks as a result of injuries. Acquitted of attempted murder, convicted of s18 GBH.
R v TJB (Croydon) – Sole junior in attempted murder. Stabbing by known acquaintance. Issue one of identification, acquitted of all counts.
R v N (Croydon) – Large scale drug conspiracy cases, concerning Encrochat.
R v F (Luton)– Case concerning Multi-handed Encrochat, drug and firearm conspiracies.
R v MA (Kingston) – Sole junior – Bangladeshi male accused of encouraging terrorism. Co-defendant represented by silk. Acquitted.
R v AS (Central Criminal Court) – led junior, acquitted of manslaughter and possession of firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
R v LM (Kingston Crown Court)– Representation of young person, acquitted of possession of firearm, ammunition and possession of drugs with intent to supply.
R v KM (Harrow Crown Court)– Concerned group attack on pregnant teenager, allegations of punching, stamping and force feeding detergent and attempts to pervert course of justice.
R v B (Southwark) – multi handed conspiracy to commit fraud- over £2 million- led junior- acquitted.

Human Trafficking, County Lines and Modern Slavery

R v I – CCRC application – Referral by CCRC of 6 convictions concerning same individual who had benn subjected to child criminal exploitation (https://ccrc.gov.uk/news/ccrc-refers-convictions-to-crown-court-due-to-concerns-that-the-minor-at-the-time-of-convictions-was-a-victim-of-trafficking/)
R v AAJ [2021] EWCA Crim 1278 – 2 Convictions for County Lines exploitation quashed, victim of modern slavery, fresh evidence case.
R v M – Canterbury – Leading junior in multi handed 3 month trial against prosecuting silk – first on indictment. Charges stemmed over a 10 year period concerning human trafficking, modern slavery and exploitation. Cross-examination undertaken in case concerning ABE evidence and multiple complainants.
R v A [2020] EWCA Crim 1408 – Historic exploitation of victim of trafficking appeal.
R v O [2019] EWCA Crim 1389 – August 2019- Conviction successfully quashed- Appellant had life of repeated trafficking and sexual exploitation.
R v M – Norwich – Defence in County lines case relating to serious violence. Prosecution offer no evidence post defence representations.
R v HTD- Liverpool – Age dispute issues, vacating of guilty pleas for youth who had pleaded guilty to large scale cannabis production and victim of trafficking.
R v SG – Cardiff – County lines – foreign national charged with serious conspiracy. Prosecution offer no evidence.
R v QS – Kingston – Defence counsel in multi handed complex trial- concerning International human trafficking of entire family units into UK and allegations of home factory production of identity documents.
R v VN – Harrow – Defence counsel for Victim of Trafficking, cannabis factory.
R v OB – Croydon – Multi-handed sham marriage conspiracy case. Crown offer no evidence.
R v PB – Chelmsford – Vulnerable woman charged with immigration document offences who went on hunger strike in prison. Non-custodial sentence.
R v B- Croydon – Leading junior counsel in multi handed international trafficking case concerning sexual and labour exploitation. Acquitted of all counts.
R v M – Junior counsel led in multi-handed people trafficking case -involved work on intricate disclosure requests from social services and UKBA.
R v H – Croydon – Case concerning policy by Secretary of State towards a young single mother, who was Albanian, charged with immigration offences, where claim of asylum upon the basis of being Kosovan. Granted absolute discharge.

APPELLATE WORK

Paramjit regularly advises on merits of appeal against conviction and sentence. She has particular strengths in the representation of vulnerable individuals. Paramjit works regularly as fresh counsel in appeals that concern the handling of expert evidence (psychiatric, medical and pathology). Some of her reported cases include:

R v AWJ [2021] EWCA Crim 1776– Leading junior in appeal against conviction for causing or allowing physical harm of a child. Complex coercive control and domestic abuse issues. Fresh evidence concerned psychological evidence as well as biomechanical expert.
R v A [2020] EWCA Crim 1408 – Historic exploitation of applicant, a Victim of Trafficking coerced into criminal offending.
R v O [2019] EWCA 1389 – Convictions committed by a victim of human trafficking. Paramjit was fresh counsel in this appeal which was 11 years post the original offence.
R v Farbar [2019] EWCA Crim 1716 – successful appeal- rule of specialty, extradition defendant should only be dealt with for offences detailed in European Arrest Warrant.
R v AT [2018] EWCA 1890 – Fresh counsel at appeal- Dangerousness quashed in sentencing appeal (instructed 1 week prior to hearing).
R v NR [2017] 1 Cr App R (S) 42 – Successful appeal against sentence of defendant who had carried drugs and SIM cards into prison for her partner. Bangkok rules (rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and non-custodial measures for women offenders) raised for first time – see also R v KG [2017] EWCA Crim 602.
R v DS [2014] EWCA Crim 846, [2015] MHLR 336
Arson – successful appeal against sentence – Psychiatric evidence on community mental health treatment.
R v Dhabaneey [2013] EWCA Crim 2184 – Successful appeal against sentence for taxi driver
Regina (A) v Lowestoft Magistrates’ Court (2013) EWHC 659 (Admin)
Judicial review of magistrates’ decision to refuse to grant a reporting restriction.
R v Davis [2013] EWCA Crim 1038 – Successful appeal against IPP sentence. Hospital order and restriction order imposed in place, for wounding with intent.
R v Lima [2010] EWCA Crim 284 – quashing of ASBO.
R v Petrou [2009] EWCA Crim 1409– quashing of extended sentence and replacing with determinate sentence.
R v DEK [2007] EWCA Crim 2117– appeal against sentence allowed for youth charged with conspiracy to supply drugs.
R v Onung [2006] EWCA Crim 2813 – travel restriction order quashed in relation to drug trafficking.
R (on application of O) v SSHD [2006] EWHC 2469 – successful judicial review concerning age assessment.

Memberships

Criminal Bar Association
Member of Social Mobility Committee – CBA

Education

BA Jurisprudence (Oxon)

Lawyer Rankings

London Bar > Crime

(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 4

Paramjit AhluwaliaOne Pump Court