Eleanor Mitten

“Eleanor has exceptional client care skills, outstanding patience, a great focus on strategy despite adversity or changing landscape, and an exceptional work ethic.”

-The Legal 500 (2026)

Ellie is a diligent and persuasive advocate with a busy Crown Court practice. She appears for the prosecution and defence across the North Eastern Circuit and beyond. Her caseload includes offences such as murder (as a led junior), s.18, rape, kidnap and blackmail.

She is a sought-after junior, recognised for her commitment to going above and beyond what is expected of her. She has been involved in a number of multi-handed and document-heavy prosecutions as a led junior and has taken each of them in her stride, unfazed by their complexity and volume. Whether acting as a led junior or junior alone, she prepares her cases with care and attention to detail.

Ellie has made a number of successful submissions of no case to answer in her defence work. She thinks quickly on her feet, enabling her to respond effectively to applications made by her opponents.

Ellie is a CPS Grade 3 prosecutor and an approved Grade 3 RASSO panel advocate. Since being appointed to the RASSO panel she has successfully prosecuted offences of rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault. She intends to continue to grow her practice in this area.

Ellie prides herself on her calm manner and ability to relate to clients and witnesses from all walks of life. As a result of her background in Psychology, she is well equipped to deal effectively with clients with mental health issues and to understand the particular issues they may face. She is committed to providing a high standard of client care.

Ellie frequently receives praise from the judiciary and other advocates for her attractive advocacy style. She is perceptive and is adept at tailoring her advocacy appropriately dependent on the tribunal, enabling her to achieve the best possible result in each case.

She is recognised by the Legal 500 as a ‘Rising Star’.

Notable cases - Prosecution

Op. Moonbourne – successful prosecution of a large-scale conspiracy to produce Class B. All Defendants convicted.
R v X – successful rape prosecution. The Defendant, who was under 18 when the offences were committed but was tried in the Crown Court, was convicted after trial and sentenced to 8 years’ custody.
R v W – successful rape prosecution. The Defendant received a sentence of 12 years’ custody, including a period of extended licence.
R v N – successful blackmail prosecution. The Defendant was convicted after a 5-day trial before the Recorder of Sheffield and was sentenced to 5 years’ custody.
Op. Hindland – prosecution junior on a conspiracy to steal motor vehicles involving over 60 separate offences. All Defendants convicted.
R v S – successful s.18 prosecution relating to an offence committed in HMP Frankland in which the Complainant was the Finsbury Park mosque terrorist.
R v T – prosecution junior on a murder re-trial where the Defendant was alleged to have stabbed his wife at least 68 times. The Defendant, whose defence was loss of control, was unanimously convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 18 years.
Op. Yodel – prosecution junior on a large-scale conspiracy to convey listed articles into prison.
R v H & H – successfully prosecuted the trial of a mother and daughter (both of whom worked in healthcare at the time) who assaulted a woman suffering with a brain tumour.
R v B – prosecuted the sentence of a man charged with attempted GBH who had poured petrol over his own daughter and attempted to set her alight. The sentence was 9 years 6 months.

Notable cases - Defence

R v T – represented a 22-year-old Defendant who had pleaded guilty to inciting penetrative sexual activity with a child. Despite the offences having a 5-year starting point, Ellie successfully argued that the Judge could rightly take the unusual course of action of imposing a 3-year community order.
R v G – represented a female Defendant charged with joint enterprise oral rape and sexual activity with a child family member. The Defendant pleaded guilty to more minor offences, but it was successfully established that due to a combination of low IQ and significant anxiety, she was not fit to stand trial on the main offences. The Defendant received a community order for the offences to which she had pleaded guilty.
R v W – defence junior on a Newton hearing, representing a Defendant involved in a large-scale conspiracy to supply Class A drugs alleged to have generated hundreds of thousands of pounds in profit.
R v M – secured a 2-year suspended sentence for a Defendant who had pleaded guilty to threats to kill and intentional strangulation in a domestic context, which were very serious offences of their type. Ellie successfully argued that the circumstances of this particular case were exceptional and warranted a departure from immediate custody.
R v R – represented a female Defendant charged with controlling and coercive behaviour. The Complainant’s evidence did not reflect the allegations contained within his witness statement. Ellie made a successful submission of no case to answer, resulting in the case against the Defendant being dismissed.
R v S – possession of an offensive weapon case where the alleged weapon was a baseball bat. Ellie made a submission of no case to answer on the basis that the weapon was not offensive per se, nor was it adapted for use for causing injury, and the Crown had not proved that the Defendant had the intention to cause injury with it. The submission was successful.
R v H – represented a Defendant charged with sexual assault against a 14-year-old girl. This case involved cross-examination of two child witnesses on sensitive subject matter.
R v D – in an appeal against conviction relating to an offence under s.172 of the Road Traffic Act, Ellie successfully argued that the issue of whether the Defendant had further information within his power to give was an element of the offence that the Crown had to prove, and that the burden was therefore not reversed to the Defendant to prove otherwise. The Crown could not prove this ingredient of the offence, and the appeal was therefore allowed.
R v L – in her first jury trial, Ellie secured an acquittal for a young Defendant charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Prior to commencing pupillage, Ellie worked as a paralegal in the Catastrophic Personal Injury team at DWF. She regularly assisted with drafting pleadings and letters of advice to insurer clients on complex and high value cases. She therefore has a strong understanding of key concepts in personal injury litigation.

Ellie frequently acts for both Claimants and Defendants in Fast Track and small claims hearings, Stage 3 hearings and interim applications. She is happy to work on conditional fee agreements in appropriate cases.

Ellie has a wealth of experience in credit hire litigation, assisted by a thorough understanding of the case law in this area.

Ellie accepts instructions to draft pleadings and advices on liability and quantum, and can assist at all stages of a claim’s life cycle. She can work to a short deadline if required.

Notable Cases

Johnson v North Yorkshire County Council and Yorkshire Water Services (2023) – successfully defended in a multi-track trial.
Clark v Yorkshire Water Services (2022) – successfully defended a personal injury claim arising from an injury that occurred when the Claimant fell down a defective manhole cover.
Dyson v Hood (2022) – represented the Claimant in an RTA personal injury matter involving late notification. The claim was successful and the Claimant recovered their costs in full.
Acheampong v Sellars (2021) – represented the Claimant in a Fast Track RTA matter. The Claimant beat their Part 36 offer and was awarded costs of over £12,600.

Ellie is keen to expand her regulatory and public law practice. She has experience of both prosecuting and defending in the criminal courts and is adept at dealing with vulnerable witnesses.

Ellie frequently acts for Yorkshire Water in private prosecutions relating to Water Industry Act offences. She has previously acted for the Complainant in a private prosecution for statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act. The Complainant received compensation and, following a costs argument, recovered over £9,000 in costs.

Ellie has enjoyed success in the Mental Health Tribunal, securing the release of an inpatient detained under the Mental Health Act during her pupillage. Owing to her background in Psychology, which she studied at degree level before converting to law, Ellie has thorough knowledge and understanding of the issues in such proceedings.

Ellie routinely represents South Yorkshire and Humberside Police, appearing on their behalf in applications for Sexual Harm Prevention Orders, Closure Orders, Stalking Protection Orders and more. She frequently advises the Police on a range of matters and has drafted defences in respect of false imprisonment claims made against them. She has also worked with South Yorkshire and Humberside Police on secondment, providing advice on the prosecution of fixed penalty notices issued for breaches of Covid regulations.

Ellie has carried out work for the Government Legal Department’s Exam Procedures Review Service, reviewing pupils’ appeals to Ofqual against Teacher Assessed Grades awarded during Covid.

Ellie also has some experience in dealing with inquests and is keen to expand her practice in this area.