Sarah Gaunt > The 36 Group > London, England > Barrister Profile
The 36 Group Offices
Gray's Inn, 4 Field Court
London
WC1R 5EF
England
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Sarah Gaunt
Work Department
36 Crime
Position
Sarah Gaunt is an experienced criminal practitioner specialising in cybercrime, international justice and serious organised crime and complex criminal cases. She sits as a Legally Qualified Chair in police disciplinary proceedings and has been heavily involved in the Undercover Policing Inquiry since 2019. Known for her thorough preparation, excellent and accessible client/witness care and eloquent but robust advocacy, she has been graded 4 (highest grade) since 2012 on the general and specialist International Justice and Serious Organised Crime/ Rape and Serious Sexual offences prosecution lists.
She regularly deals with the country’s most complex and paper heavy cybercrime and international justice and serious organised crime cases, encompassing large scale international fraud and money laundering, homicide, and serious sexual offences. Recent cases include an estimated 50,000 complainant/£9 million loss multi-defendant cyber conspiracy conducted via a serious of fraudulent websites enhanced by vishing techniques, youth murder and a multi-defendant murder with a suspected serious organised crime background.
She regularly speaks at cybercrime seminars in London and countrywide, including at the Midlands Fraud Forum, at various events involving defence solicitors and to several specialist prosecution units in London and Birmingham. Sarah completed the certified course in Cryptocurrency and Disruption at the London School of Economics in 2019. A vulnerable witness and advocacy trainer at Lincolns’ Inn, she is committed to equality and diversity, providing input to various forums and research in this area.
In 2015 Sarah became a CEDR qualified mediator.
Work undertaken:
Cybercrime
International Justice and Serious Organised Crime
Financial Crime & Fraud
Homicide
Serious Sexual Offences
Professional Misconduct & Disciplinary Tribunals
Career
Called in 1992, Lincoln’s Inn.
Grade 4 prosecutor on both the Rape and Serious and Organised Crime panels.
Legally Qualified Chair (Police Disciplinary Hearings) (South East Region) (appointed 2019).
Mediator (CEDR accredited 2015).
Languages
English and French.
Memberships
Criminal Bar Association
International Bar Association
Midland Circuit
Education
Emmanuel Grammar School; Cardiff (LLB (Hons)) high 2:1, 1st in Criminal Law and a distinction in Constitutional Law, 1987-1989; Darwin College Cambridge (M.Phil (Cantab) 1990-1991 (2 distinctions awarded); Inns of Court School of Law (Very Competent) (Vice President of the Students Society) 1991-1992, (Very Competent). Scholarships awarded: ESRC scholarship; Lincolns Inn Major scholarship and the Lincolns Inn Denning scholarship.
Leisure
France; sailing; flying; art and Chatreuse renovation.
Lawyer Rankings
Regional Bar > South Eastern Circuit > Crime (general and fraud)
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 2Regional Bar > Midland Circuit > Crime (general and fraud)
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 2The 36 Group stands out as a ‘strong circuit set with strength in depth’, which is active across the spectrum of serious criminal cases. ‘An excellent trial advocate’, Mary Prior KC garners praise for her ‘ability to grasp facts and immediately identify the real issues in the case’ and represented the stepmother of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, first at the original trial for his murder and then in the Court of Appeal, defeating an appeal by the Attorney-General that the original tariff of 29 years was “unduly lenient” and should be replaced with a whole life order. Sarah Gaunt appeared for the prosecution in a case concerning a cybercrime fraud conspiracy matter amounting to £9m, while Nadeem Holland prosecuted seven defendants who conspired to supply shotguns stolen in a burglary.