Melanie de Freitas > Chambers of David Berkley KC > Winchester, England > Barrister Profile

Melanie de Freitas

01962 868884 melanie.defreitas@3pb.co.uk View profile

Work Department

Family. Barrister and mediator.

Position

Melanie De Freitas specialises primarily in child care work (public and private law).

In public law cases she has been instructed by Local Authorities, Guardians and Parents

Recent Public Law cases include:

• Representing mother involving allegations of rape on a 4yr old by a  12 year old (11 day hearing)
• Physical abuse, neglect and, more recently, factitious illness
• A case involving serious NAI injuries to a baby. Complex medical issues resulting in numerous medical experts giving conflicting opinions (20 day hearing)
• Case involving serious neglect and sexual abuse involving disabled parents (26 day hearing)
• Hearing  involving  a serious factitious illness case heard in the High Court (8 day hearing)
• Section 38(6) application  representing long term drug/alcohol user (7 day hearing)
• Represent a mother whose already disabled child suffered acute subdural haemorrhages and the central issues resulting in a finding of fact hearing to decide the range of possibilities on how the injuries were caused.  Complex medical evidence hearing necessary (9 day hearing)
• G and H (welfare of the children) [2021] EWFC B21 (06 April 2021)
• OCC v P [2020] EWFC B48 (21 October 2020
• OCC v P [2020] EWFC B47 (01 June 2020)

Recent Private Law cases involve:

• Private law residence, contact and removal out of the jurisdiction
• Involved in cases with particular cultural and religious aspects. An example of such a case involving Kurdistan refugees had a final hearing (12 day hearing)
• Complex case involved a convicted murderer seeking contact with child in the High Court before Correride J
• Dealt with child aged 14 in a dispute between parents running for 10 years resulting on complex issues of education, residence and relocation before Paulfey J
• Instructed by a Pakistani mother dealing with an allegation of serious domestic violence requiring a fact find hearing  and then proceeded to deal with relocation within the UK (5 day hearing)
• Lecture given on ‘Removal out of Jurisdiction’ after final hearing lasting 4 days in High Court.

Career

Called 1995, Middle Temple. Accredited mediation advocate.

Memberships

• Member of the Trinidad and Tobago Bar
• Accredited Mediation Advocate

Education

BA.