Member
Louisa Collins:
· Tenant at Argent Chambers since 2006
· Called in 2004, Lincoln’s Inn
· BVC College of Law
· LLB Hons (King’s College London)
Louisa Collins practice covers criminal matters, extradition and immigration work. Recent criminal instructions have included murder, firearms offences, large scale VAT and tax credit fraud, confiscation proceedings, large scale drugs production, deception and money laundering offences, sexual offences, robbery and other violent offences. In 2007 – 2008, Louisa completed a seven-month secondment as a Senior Crown Prosecutor within the Extradition Unit at the CPS. Louisa is regularly instructed in extradition matters before the Magistrates’ and Administrative Courts on behalf of both the requesting states / authorities and on behalf of the defence.
Notable criminal work:
R v Silvano Turchet, Jan 2011 (Manchester Crown Court): Louisa was led by Roderick Johnson QC in this complex confiscation matter on behalf of the defendant, arising out of two separate sets of criminal proceedings (large scale drugs importation and money laundering matters).
R v Clark & Drury, Jan - Nov 2010 (Court of Appeal, Criminal Division): Louisa was disclosure counsel, led by Mark Ellison QC and Mark Aldred for the CPS in this appeal which arose from a referral from the Criminal Cases Review Commission. The appeal was brought on the grounds that there had been significant non-disclosure during a trial which had taken place a decade previously. A fresh team for the respondent had been brought in for the purposes of this appeal and disclosure counsel’s role involved consideration of over fifty crates worth of documentation (tens of thousands of pages of material). This case also involved complex public interest immunity issues, which had evolved and changed since the first trial had taken place.
R v Rizwan Arif, Oct 2010 (Preston Crown Court): Louisa was led by Roderick Johnson QC on behalf of Mr Arif in this murder trial in which there were four other co-defendants. The Crown’s case was brought principally on extensive phone mapping and call data evidence, used to demonstrate the defendants’ movements and contact. Mr Arif was discharged after a successful half-time submission was made.
R v Tammy Cassar, Jan 2010: Louisa was led by Nadine Radford QC in this murder case on behalf of the defence. The 20 year-old defendant pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and was assessed for dangerousness, which involved live evidence being heard from two psychiatrists and one psychologist.
Notable extradition work:
Targosinski v Polish Judicial Authority, Feb 2011 (Administrative Court): Louisa appeared alone on behalf of the Respondent Polish judicial authority in this appeal brought on human rights grounds (article 3 of the ECHR). The appeal was dismissed.
Krzysztof Ras v Polish Judicial Authority, Feb 2011 (Administrative Court): Louisa appeared alone on behalf of the Polish judicial authority in this judicial review against a refusal to adjourn proceedings by a district judge and substantive appeal against extradition. Permission for judicial review was refused and the appeal was dismissed.
Gorniak v Polish Judicial Authority, Feb 2011 (Administrative Court): Louisa appeared alone on behalf of the Respondent Polish judicial authority in this appeal brought on human rights and medical grounds as the requested person was considered to be a suicide risk. The appeal was dismissed.
Janusz Stankiewicz v Polish Judicial Authority, Dec 2010 (Administrative Court): Louisa appeared alone on behalf of the Respondent Polish judicial authority in this appeal brought by a litigant in person. The appeal was dismissed.
Public Prosecutor’s Office, Milan v Marisa Merico, Nov 2010: Louisa successfully defended in this matter, the proceedings of which continued for a period of approximately a year. Ms Merico was discharged pursuant to section 14 of the Extradition Act 2003. This case raised a number of difficult and sensitive issues due to the offences arising out of Ms Merico’s links to the Calabrian mafia, the ‘Ndrangheta.
Republic of Turkey v Sean Quinn, August 2010: Louisa appeared alone on behalf of the Republic of Turkey in this extradition matter, which was fought principally on Article 6 grounds.
Dytlow & Dytlow v District Court in Ostroleka, Poland, 2009 (Administrative Court): Louisa was led by James Lewis QC in this case in which guidance was issued to assist courts in dealing with requested persons who are refugees and who had originally fled from the requesting country.
Background:
Prior to her career at the Bar, Louisa was a law tutor at two universities, namely University College London and Reading University. She tutored criminal, contract and tort law to first and second year LLB students.
