Kitty Colley

Kitty Colley specialises exclusively in all areas of serious crime. She is a highly skilled trial advocate of 26 years experience; prosecuting or defending in all areas of criminal law. She recently successfully prosecuted a murder trial, having been instructed as Lead Counsel.

“Recommended for cases involving either recent or historic sexual offences.”

– The Legal 500 (2021)

She has a thorough, analytical and adaptable approach, and is particularly skilled in the handling of young and vulnerable witnesses and defendants. She is highly personable, putting clients from all backgrounds at ease and has a high reputation as a tenacious advocate. Kitty represents both private and publically funded clients. She is instructed in“cold case” review cases for both defence and prosecution.

Private Client

Kitty secured the acquittal of professional footballer and former Sunderland player “Cabral, former team- mate of Adam Johnson, who was charged with rape. (Rv T-V 2015). The case attracted high media attention.

Kitty has developed a private client practice in cases of rape, historic sexual offences and cases requiring expert and sensitive handling of client and witnesses. She recently secured the acquittal of a professional man charged with rape and of his step-daughter.

Kitty has been instructed by private clients in cases involving driving matters and fraud.

Kitty also accepts instructions in all other areas of crime, including offences of violence (murder/section 18, domestic violence); robbery (knife-point and armed); drugs conspiracy; burglary and conspiracy to burgle; firearms; controlling prostitution; money-laundering; and drugs conspiracies. She handles cases requiring cultural sensitivity

Current instructions include:

Huddersfield ‘grooming’ cases, Operation Tendersea- defence
Murder: coercive behaviour/Loss of Control -defence
Sexual Abuse: Doctor of Chinese Medicine- private client defence
Murder: vulnerable victim in relationship with D/disposal of body- defence.
Death of child/child cruelty- defence
Murder: appeal against sentence- prosecution.
Sexual abuse: child family member- defence
Rape: elderly victim in course of burglary/defendant with mental health issues- defence
Drugs- conspiracy to import ad supply cocaine/POCA.

Rape & sexual offences specialist

Over the past 15 years, Kitty has become one of the most highly rated specialists in cases involving rape and other serious sexual offences. She has both prosecuted and defended serious non-recent cases. Instructions include cases of stranger and familial rape (including at gunpoint or involving extreme violence), as well as recent and non-recent complaints and those of the utmost complexity, sensitivity or public profile. She is very experienced with multi-count indictments, multiple complainant and multiple defendant cases.

Child Sex Exploitation

Kitty has been instructed in child exploitation cases from Keighley, Rotherham and Huddersfield since 2015. She was appointed as lead defence advocate in the Rotherham exploitation trial in September 2016 and was instructed in all 3 of the Huddersfield ‘grooming case, Operation Tendersea 1, heard at Leeds Crown Court in 2018. She is currently instructed in Operation Tendersea 2 2019-2020.

Vulnerable witnesses

Kitty has extensive expertise in questioning and dealing with the most vulnerable witnesses and defendants, including those with severe communication difficulties and mental-health issues. In one case, she dealt with an autistic complainant who could only communicate through drawing. She has extensive experience of pre-recorded cross examination of vulnerable witness under the section 28 pilot scheme.

Kitty was selected as one of 12 trainers on the programme of Vulnerable Witness Training of all barristers on the North Eastern circuit in the questioning and handling of vulnerable witnesses.

Public Access

Kitty is qualified to accept Public Access work, where she can be instructed directly by a member of the public rather than a solicitor.

Training

Kitty is the head of Criminal Team external training at Park Square Barristers. She is available to present seminars on a wide range of subjects, including:

Vulnerable witness & intermediaries
Sexual offences legal updates
Prosecuting cases in the Court of Appeal
Third-party disclosure
Bad-character evidence & dangerous offenders
Defending & prosecuting multi-count indictment cases
Defending non-recent sexual-abuse cases
Child cruelty & neglect
Rape & serious sexual offences (RASSO) CPS training
Child neglect & cruelty

Kitty is a specialist advocacy trainer/facilitator.

Guest speaker at circuit RASSO training,
Guest speaker at Middle Temple Scholars day Nov 2017 and 2018

"Recommended for cases involving either recent or historic sexual offences."

The Legal 500 (2020)

“An advocate of great skill and substantial experience with highly developed inter-personal skills and a deep and detailed knowledge of applicable law.”

Retired circuit judge

Reported cases

R v JOC [Crime – sexual offences] – Non-recent complaint. Rape. Appeal point on presumption of incapacity; whether can be guilty of attempted rape.
R v Perkins: [Crime – sexual offences] – Status of victim personal statements.
Rv Lomax [Crime-historic rape] Section 41 application

Notable cases - Prosecution

R v D- Murder-Successful Prosecution of man who was stabbed through the heart in the street.
R v W- Successful prosecution of foster carers for sexual abuse of 3 vulnerable children in their care.
R v W. rape of a female police officer.
R v RD SD and PD: Familial historic sexual abuse over 4 decades involving 3 generations, including foster children. Guilty verdicts on all 67 charges. Sentences of over 54 years in total
R v JB: rape of elderly lady in her home: Guilty. Life sentence.
R v M and D – Paedophile ring with 10 victims involving internet grooming and pornography; convicted with life sentences upheld on appeal.
R v D – Rape by a police officer of a vulnerable woman whilst on duty; convicted and imprisoned.
R v TJ and Others – Controlling prostitution for gain and money laundering; guilty; life sentence.
R v J – Gun-point kidnap and rape of a schoolgirl; convicted with life sentence.
R v C – Rape and burglary of an elderly lady, involving substantial previous convictions; convicted with life sentence.
R v W,B, F- drugs conspiracy to supply heroin and production of cannabis.

Notable cases - Defence

Kitty regularly receives instructions from private clients accused of serious or historic sexual offences. She regularly succeeds in securing NOT GUILTY verdicts for clients facing allegations of rape and sexual abuse.

R v S: knife point rape of school girl in a graveyard/defendant with personality disorder
R v JH- 16 yr old boy accused of multiple rapes on girlfriend- acquitted.
R v C- multiple violent and sexual offences upon a 3 year old boy, involving complex medical evidence.
R v SL- ex-husband of serving specialist police officer accused of rape of friend- acquitted.
R v C – Not Guilty: Successful defence of former premiership footballer, charged with rape. The Former Player was acquitted by unanimous verdicts after a 9 day trial. Jury deliberated for 45 minutes.
R v BZ – Keighley grooming case. 14 defendants.
R v B – Non-recent rape of step-daughter; not guilty.
R v D – Non-recent sexual assault of child by a businessman of good character; not guilty.
R v L – Mortgage fraud of £1m, with others; plea and community sentence.
R v P – Stranger rape of 15-year-old; not guilty.
R v M – Rape and violence of ex-partner; not guilty.