Ranked in The Legal 500 (2025) for Crime, Katherine Robinson is Head of the Criminal Team at PSQB.
Katherine is regularly instructed in the most serious prosecution and defence cases. She has particular expertise in Serious Organised Crime, including Terrorism, multi defendant conspiracies and Encrochat investigations.
“‘Katherine is an engaging jury advocate who remains serene in tumultuous circumstances.’ – The Legal 500 (2025)
“She has a superb ability to get to the point, and she is excellent with young and vulnerable witnesses. A very calm and collected barrister.” – The Legal 500 (2024)
She is regularly briefed to prosecute and defend in homicides, both as leading and led counsel, and serious sexual cases. She is often requested to represent defendants with particular vulnerabilities or difficulties due to her ability to communicate well and develop relationships which assists in the smooth running of cases.
She is regularly requested to provide pre-charge advice to the Complex Casework Unit in unusual cases with novel issues of law and fact.
Katherine has particular experience of money laundering and proceeds of crime proceedings, including all aspects of confiscation. She has lectured extensively on the Proceeds of Crime Act both from a prosecution and defence perspective for a variety of audiences including the Regional Assets Recovery Team and Local Authorities.
As the UK government’s Criminal Justice Advisor to Somaliland, Katherine worked in the Horn of Africa on Counter Terrorism between 2015 and 2019. Since her return to practise, she is regularly contracted on international Government projects in the fields of Terrorism and Serious Organised Crime. She acted as the Senior Legal Advisor to the EU SOC project in Georgia, and has recently provided training in Kenya as a subject matter expert. Katherine is currently working part time on criminal justice reform in the Maldives.
Notable cases:
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Op Poplincard – Successful prosecution of a 14-year-old for the fatal stabbing of a 15-year-old boy. Junior Counsel to Craig Hassall KC
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Op Pedalbourne – Successful prosecution of four teenage defendants for the fatal stabbing of a 17-year-old at a house party. Junior Counsel to Craig Hassall KC
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Op Endale- Successful Encrochat prosecution, leading proscution Counsel
- R v PB- Successful terrorism prosecution for bomb and firearm manufacture.
- Op Plumeham- Ongoing defence kidnap and murder case, said to be linked to international OCGs. Junior Counsel to Abdul Iqbal KC
- Operation L. Leading junior for the Crown on 9 defendant drugs and firearms conspiracy in which loaded automatic pistols were transported around West Yorkshire.
- R v K and R instructed with Mr Moulson QC to prosecute a murder with complex psychiatric evidence on the issue of diminished responsibility.
- R v H Briefed to defend a historic child sexual offence trial with multiple allegations over many years. Defendant acquitted on all counts.
- R v A Briefed to defend a child sexual offences trial with complex legal and cultural issues. Defendant did not speak English. Defendant acquitted on all counts.
- Operation G: Instructed by CPS Complex Casework Unit to prosecute firearms importation conspiracy.
- Operation P: Instructed by CPS Complex Casework Unit to prosecute a care home abuse trial, including pre-charge advice on legal complexities.
- R v C: Instructed to prosecute alone a murder against a QC and Junior for the defence.
- Op Tendersea: Instructed for a defendant with mental health issues in a 10 defendant historic grooming trial.
- R v B: Instructed for a defendant with mental health issues charged with rape of his 4 year old step granddaughter
- Leading junior R v C and others. 7 week trial, Conspiracy to defraud and money laundering in excess of 2 million involving 3 companies. Successful prosecution securing convictions for all defendants.
- R v S successful prosecution of fraud on Morrisons involving complex computer evidence including the Dark Web.
- R v GS successful defence of female charged with large scale fraud / money laundering
- R v I, R and T successful prosecution appeal against terminatory ruling in regulatory case. Issues concerned the admissibility of complex scientific evidence
- R v C and others. Confiscation proceedings, succeeded on behalf of defendant in reducing benefit figure from more than 2 million to less than 250k in Multi million £ counterfeit currency case.
- R v T instructed on behalf of defendant in complex confiscation proceedings involving international property issues, rights of spouses outside of the jurisdiction and the availability of funds to satisfy an order in a country not recognised by UK authorities (TRNC)
- R v R successfully defendant charged with child sexual abuse allegations dating back 38 years. Complex third party disclosure and abuse of process issues.
- R v Rose & Rose 2010 – Prosecuted multi million pound fraud
- R v Tiffany (Arthur Geoffrey) AG Ref 52 of 2009 – Represented the defendant in a reference by the Attorney General in a serious child sexual abuse case
- Junior to Richard Wright – R v Singh & others (2009). Defended in multi-defendant fraud and money laundering trial
- Junior to Kama Melly QC in Multi defendant death by dangerous driving trial involving the first prosecution of spectators in a road race leading to the death of 4 teenagers.
- R v Umakanthan & others 2009 – Prosecuted large scale fraud
- R v Silvester [2009] EWCA Crim 2182 – Appeal against sentence – Confiscation order quashed as the victim of the relevant offences has obtained a civil judgment against the offender
- Junior to Andrew Dallas – R v Young & Others (Prosecution of four youth Defendants for Murder)
- Junior to Tim Capstick – R v Cleary & Others 2006, R v Busby & Others (both Prosecutions of large scale Class ‘A’ drug dealing conspiracies)
- West Yorkshire Probation Board v Townend [2005] EWHC 1953 & West Yorkshire Probation Board [2005] EWHC 2342 v Boulter – Advised and appeared for the Probation Service in the High Court. Cases concerning proof of identity of defendants and breach of probation order hearings
Contact Katherine’s clerks
Andrew Thornton on 0113 213 5202
Rebecca Wilson on 0113 213 5203
- Ranked Tier 2 in Crime (general & fraud) in The Legal 500 (2025)
‘Katherine is an engaging jury advocate who remains serene in tumultuous circumstances.’ – The Legal 500 (2025)
Katherine is well-versed in matters of regulatory law, including Trading Standards and environmental matters
Katherine is regularly instructed to prosecute and defend in a range of Trading Standards, DWP and other regulatory prosecutions and is currently Leading Counsel in a multi million pound conspiracy to defraud prosecution involving three companies and their directors.
Contact Katherine’s Regulatory & Public Law clerks on 0113 213 5218
Madeleine Gray on 0113 202 8603
Patrick Urbina on 0113 213 5250
Jenny Dwan on 0113 213 5213