Ria Banerjee

• R v TP & Others – [Wood Green Crown Court] - Ongoing 2022

  Kidnap

  Ria is instructed to represent TP who is one of three defendants charged with kidnap. It is alleged that the complainant was dragged into a car at knifepoint and threatened for money believed to be held by his wealthy father.

• R v KS – [Central Criminal Court] - Ongoing 2022

  Rape

  Ria is instructed to represent KS who is charged with two counts of rape. It is alleged that having been invited with his friends back to the complainant’s flat, he entered her bedroom while she was drunk and asleep and vaginally and anally raped her. 

• R v DB & Another – [Snaresbrook Crown Court] - Ongoing 2022

  s.18 GBH with Intent, Robbery

  Ria is instructed to represent one of two brothers, charged with GBH with Intent and Robbery. It is alleged that the complainant was followed and pursued by the pair, threatened at knife point and beaten until he handed over his property.

• R v DO & Others [Croydon Crown Court] - Ongoing 2022

  Conspiracy to Supply Class A Drugs

  Ria is instructed to represent a sex worker, alleged to have conspired to supply over a kilo of cocaine.

• R v DG and Another [Croydon Crown Court] - Ongoing 2022

  Assault by Penetration

  Ria is instructed to represent DG who is charged with two counts of assault by penetration against the complainant who was intoxicated and alleges being forced to have group sex with DG and his co-defendant.

• R v RK & Others [Central Criminal Court] 2022

  Murder, Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice

  Ria was led by James Scobie QC of Garden Court Chambers and instructed to represent RK who faced trial for Murder and Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice. It was alleged that RK and one of his co-defendants jointly attacked the deceased and then spent days covering up the death, ultimately setting fire to the deceased’s body in a public park. Shortly before trial, the Crown accepted a guilty plea to Manslaughter and Perverting the Course of Justice.

• R v HS [Snaresbrook Crown Court] 2022

  Possession with Intent to Supply Class A Drugs

  Ria was instructed to represent ZW who was the sole tenant of a property where a significant quantity of Class A drugs were found. Ria successfully argued that a video ostensibly showing ZW preparing crack cocaine was inadmissible, leading to the video being excluded and the Crown offering no evidence.

• R v DB & Others [Central Criminal Court] 2021

  Conspiracy to Murder

  Ria was led by David Nathan QC of 33 Bedford Row and instructed to represent DB in a ten week trial involving two allegations of conspiracy to murder and alternative offences of Conspiracy to Cause GBH with Intent and Conspiracy to Possess Firearms with Intent to Cause Fear of Violence. The Crown’s case was that DB had been enlisted by the first defendant to carry out contract shootings on behalf of a senior gang member residing in Turkey and operating on an Encrochat phone. DB was acquitted of all conspiracies arising from the allegations of planned contract killings.

• R v IA & Others [Southwark Crown Court] 2021

  Conspiracy Class A Drugs & Firearms

  Ria was led by James Martin in this multi-kilo Class A drugs conspiracy involving firearms. The case featured extensive Encrochat, probe and surveillance evidence.

• Operation Sacramento - R v AO & Ors [Woolwich] 2020

  Supply of Class A Drugs

  Led by James Martin representing D1 in an alleged multi-kilo conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, featuring extensive telephone evidence.

• R v HS [Snaresbrook] 2020

  Violent Disorder

  Represented D2 in a multi-handed Violent Disorder. Successfully applied to exclude all gang related bad character evidence.

• R v FA [Isleworth] 2020

  Drug Importation

  Instructed to represent D in an alleged importation of 3 kilos of Cocaine.

• R v AM [Isleworth] 2020

  s18

  Instructed to represent D in an alleged s18 Wounding with Intent and Affray.

• R v AK [Blackfriars] 2019

  Robbery

  Represented D2 in a series of moped enabled robberies. Case involved EMS electronic tagging evidence as well as telephone and cell site evidence.

• R v SA [Woolwich] 2019

  Robbery

  Represented D in Newton Hearing in relation to a series of Aggravated Burglaries of sex workers.

• R v CA [Woolwich] 2019

  Fraud

  Acquitted of Fraud after successful submission of no case to answer.

• Grenfell Tower Inquiry 2019

  Disclosure review

  Instructed by DWF as part of a team of junior counsel writing reports, drafting witness statements and conducting disclosure review for one of the public bodies heavily involved in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

• Operation Nemo - R v DP & Ors [Swansea] 2019

  Multi-handed Fraud

  Ria Banerjee was led by Matthew Buckland (Carmelite Chambers) in an eight week trial representing D1 in a ten-handed conspiracy to defraud members of the public of c. £½ million through the operation of a call centre selling products that did not exist or were never provided.

• R v GH & Ors [Basildon] 2019

  Violent Disorder

  Instructed in multi-handed violent disorder arising from an Attempted Murder. Acquitted after trial.

• R v AM [Snaresbrook] 2019

  Robbery

  Successfully applied to exclude all Police Officer identification evidence in Robbery matter.

• R v BD [St. Albans] 2018

  Affray

  Successful application to dismiss in alleged Affray captured on CCTV.

• R v PD [Woolwich] 2018

  Affray

  Acquitted of Affray following successful submission of no case to answer. Acquitted by jury of Dangerous Driving.

• Operation Digamy - R v AK & Ors [Snaresbrook] 2018

  Multi-handed Class A Drugs Conspiracy

  Irshad Sheikh led Ria Banerjee defending D1 in a multi-handed five week Class A drugs conspiracy. D1 was regarded as the leader and wholesale supplier of multiple kilos. The trial lasted five weeks and involved extensive surveillance evidence, probe recordings, call and cell site data.

• R v DS [Snaresbrook] 2017

  Robbery

  Ria Banerjee acted for this defendant who was charged with Robbery. Successful submission of no case to answer on the basis of DNA evidence.

• R v LT [Snaresbrook] 2017

  Knife point robberies

  Ria Banerjee successfully represented a defendant charged, with others, of a series of knife-point robberies of taxi drivers. Successful applications to dismiss on the basis of identification and cell site evidence.

• R v DR [Harrow] 2017

  Threatening with a bladed article and Affray

  Ria Banerjee acted for a defendant charged with Affray and Threatening with a Bladed Article. Crown’s case consisted of a live witness stating that the Defendant threatened him and his friends with a knife. Incident captured on CCTV and mobile phone footage. Defendant gave a no comment interview with no solicitor present. Acquitted of both charges after trial.

• R v SR [Harrow] 2017

  Threats to kill

  Ria Banerjee secured the acquittal of this defendant charged with Threats to Kill where it was alleged that, whilst making the threats, he was wielding a machete. Extensive cross-examination of three civilian witnesses.

• R v SV [City of London] 2017

  Sexual Assault and Outraging Public Decency

  Ria Banerjee acted for this defendant who faced charges of Sexual Assault and Outraging Public Decency. The defendant is blind and alleged to have inappropriately touched four women on the Piccadilly Underground Line on two separate dates, in very similar circumstances. Defence was that the touching was not sexual. Argument for separate summary trials contested by the Crown but acceded to by the District Judge following submission of a detailed skeleton argument and lengthy oral submissions. Defendant acquitted of both charges after two separate trials.

• R v MC [Southwark] 2016

  High profile Historic Sex Abuse

  High profile historic sex abuse case. Ria Banerjee assisted with legal research and formed part of the Defence team led by Sarah Forshaw QC. Defendant acquitted after trial.

• R v MV [Maidstone] 2016

  Possession of a bladed article in public space

  Ria Banerjee successfully secured the acquittal for this defendant who was charged with Having a Bladed Article in a Public Place, namely, a Samurai sword on Dartford High Street. Evidence from a Police officer that he was waving the sword around. Incident captured on CCTV. 

• R v BG [Blackfriars] 2016

  Attempted robbery

  Ria Banerjee acted for this defendant who was charged with Attempted Robbery. Complainant was an off-duty prison officer who gave evidence to state that the Defendant had threatened to stab her and take her handbag. Successfully opposed the Crown’s bad character application to admit the Defendant’s previous convictions for Robbery and Attempted Robbery to correct a false impression. Acquitted after trial.

• R v CC [Snaresbrook] 2016

  Affray and Possession of an Offensive Weapon

  Ria Banerjee secured the acquittal for this defendant who was charged with two counts of Affray and Possession of an Offensive Weapon. Incidents captured on CCTV. Defendant gave a no comment interview.

• R v S & ors [Harrow] 2016

  Committal for Sentence

  Ria Banerjee represented six defendants in a Committal for Sentence where each client was facing a sentence of immediate custody. Succeeded in a legitimate expectation argument, which led to the Judge imposing Community/Suspended Sentences.

• R v AG [Maidstone] 2016

  Harassment whilst on life license for murder

  Ria Banerjee acted for this defendant who was charged with harassment and on life licence for murder. Facing significant consequences in terms of parole if convicted of the offence. Acquitted after trial following lengthy cross-examination of the complainant and legal submissions involving various authorities on “a course of conduct amounting to harassment”.

Notable Cases