LB (Hons), LLM (Human Rights Law) (London)
Called to the Bar 2005
Tenant at Mansfield Chambers, Chambers of Michael Mansfield QC. Formerly tenant at Tooks Chambers.
A popular choice amongst lay and professional clients, Sultana’s busy practice spans across criminal litigation & appellate work; financial crime & regulatory matters; human rights & civil liberties; terrorism & national security; international criminal & humanitarian law.
Criminal Litigation & Appellate Work
Sultana is an experienced criminal defence barrister who, as a led junior and sole counsel, has been instructed across the full spectrum of high-level crime. Her practice encompasses a wide range of serious offences including terrorism, homicide, serious violence, firearms, robberies, complex drugs and fraud conspiracies. She is also experienced in advising in appeals against conviction and sentence and has successfully acted as sole and led junior before the Criminal Division of the Court of Appeal.
Regulatory Matters & Financial Crime
Sultana regularly advises corporate clients, in particular a large multi-national corporation, on regulatory matters where criminal law intersects with matters of health and safety, employment, privacy & data production. She is also a versatile fraud practitioner and is regularly instructed in complex, large-scale, multi-handed cases. She has defended in banking frauds, money laundering cases, and trademark infringements, amongst others.
Human Rights & Civil Liberties
Sultana has a strong commitment to the protection of human rights and civil liberties, regularly advising and representing NGOs on issues relating to the right to a fair trial, the right to liberty, Interpol Red Notices, and cross-jurisdictional matters . She is a member of Legal Expert Advisory Panel for Fair Trials International. She also specialises in law surrounding protest and demonstration and has represented clients at the Magistrates' Court, Crown Court, and the Court of Appeal. In particular, she represented the late Brian Haw, Barbara Tucker, Charity Sweet, the renowned Parliament Square protestors for several years in relation to SOCPA, public order and other offences, as their Counsel of choice.
Terrorism & National Security
Sultana provides advice and representation in high profile terrorist cases and has significant experience of the multiple and diverse legal, religious and strategic complexities that arise in these cases. She is on the Organisation of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Roster of Criminal Justice Sector Experts dealing with Counter-Terrorism. Prior to coming to the Bar, she produced reports on issues including conflicts and post-conflict Afghanistan; human rights and humanitarian law issues relating to tactics deployed in the War on Terror; and implications of US & UK domestic anti-terror measures. Further, she provided specialist/ expert reports for immigration cases (including anti-terror/SIAC cases) on the human rights situations in particular countries and their treatment of members of ‘Islamist’ groups/organisations.
International Criminal & Humanitarian Law
Sultana advises NGOs on issues pertaining to these areas. She is currently Joint Chair of Lawyers Against Violence Against Women that focuses on eliminating sexual violence against women in conflict. It provides training, carries out scoping missions, and provides advisory and litigation support. Prior to coming to the Bar, Sultana worked at the International Secretariat of Amnesty International (AI) on the Africa Program, on the International Justice Project of the International Law and Organisations Program, and assisted the legal advisor of the Middle East Program. Her work covered such diverse areas as:
- Investigation and intervention in ‘urgent action’ cases of arbitrary arrests & detentions, disappearances, torture, extrajudicial killings;
- Working on projects relating to violence against women in domestic and conflict settings, children in armed conflict, issues pertaining to the War on Terror, and the Darfur Crisis;
- Analysing International Criminal Court implementing legislation of various states in terms of their compatibility with the Rome Statute;
- Working on law and order issues relating to post conflict Iraq; namely analysing the Iraqi Constitution, the Penal Code, and the justice system in relation to international human rights and humanitarian law. Submitting research and recommendations to the Coalition Provisional Authority.
- Research in relation to Shariah and its compatibility with human rights law.
- Her work with Redress included working on issues relating to International Criminal Court implementing legislation of various states for their inclusion of universal jurisdiction provisions.
- Compatibility of international human rights and humanitarian law with the granting of amnesties for grave violations of human rights and humanitarian law provided in the form of blanket and specific amnesties.
Positions/ Memberships
Member of Legal Expert Advisory Panel for Fair Trials International
OSCE Roster of Criminal Justice Sector Experts dealing with Counter-Terrorism
Member of the International Legal Network of Avocat Sans Frontieres
Joint Chair of International Association of Lawyers Against Violence Against Women
Head of Pro Bono Projects, Counsel For Leadership
Member of War Crimes Committee of the International Bar Association
Joint Head of Criminal Law Group (with Michael Mansfield QC), Mansfield Chambers) (2013).
Some Notable Cases
Terrorism & Homicide
R v M & Others (2014) Luton Crown Court. Led by Imran Khan. Junior Counsel in case involving a conspiracy to murder where defendant was accused of commissioning the shooting of the victim. Attracted national press.
R v Shabaaz Hossain (2012) Woolwich CC. Led by Imran Khan. Junior Counsel where defendant was accused of engaging in overseas terrorism, namely Somalia. He was charged with 7 counts of fundraising and 4 counts of engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism. Attracted national press.
R v Akmol Hussein and others (2011) Snaresbrook CC. Led by Imran Khan. Junior Counsel representing Akmol Hussein in counter-terrorism prosecution. He, along with others, committed grievous bodily harm against a religious education teacher. They were captured as a result of probe evidence obtained by the security services. Attracted national press.
R v Farley (2010) – Central CC. Led by Imran Khan. Junior Counsel in high profile case where defendant accused of the single punch manslaughter of Jade Defoe (the half- brother of Jermaine Defoe, Tottenham and England footballer). The sole issue was causation, revolving around complex neurological/ medical evidence. Attracted national press.
R v S & Another (2010) – Central CC. Led by Imran Khan. Junior Counsel for defendant charged with Assisting an Offender and Perverting the Course of Justice following a murder committed by her husband. Attracted national press.
R v Waris Ali & Another (2008) – Leeds CC. Defendant accused of possessing ‘bomb-making manuals’ and chemicals for the purpose of terrorism contrary to section 57 of the Terrorism Act 2000. He, allegedly planned to ‘blow up the BNP’. Unanimously acquitted of all three counts. Attracted national press.
R v Shakil & Others (2008) – Kingston CC. Led by Joel Bennathan QC. Led Junior where defendant alleged to have been involved in the conspiracy to cause explosions with intent to endanger life – the 7/7 bombings of the London transport system. Attracted national press.
R v R (2008) – Central CC. Led by Stephen Kamlish QC. Junior Counsel in retrial for manslaughter following acquittal of murder in drugs ‘turf war’.
Armed Robberies & Firearms
R v K & Others (2012) Kingston CC. Led by Dora Belford. Junior Counsel in multi-handed armed robbery, acting for defendant accused of conspiracy to rob cash-in transit vehicles.
R v K & Others (2011) – Croydon CC. Junior Counsel in multi-handed trial involving offences relating to firearms, drugs and money laundering in the context of gang-related violence.
R v K & Other (2011) – Defendant accused of conspiracy to rob whereby the victim was repeatedly stabbed, after a failed ‘con’ to extract money from him.
R v B (2010) – Juvenile charged with grievous bodily harm with intent; robbery; and possession of firearms at the time of arrest.
R v A (2010) – Possession of sawn-off shotgun and large arsenal of ammunitions in the context of gang warfare.
R v W (2010) – Commercial robbery including use of firearm and the spraying of flammable liquid onto employees.
R v F & Others (2009) – High profile multi-handed armed robbery that culminated in the death of a police officer. Complex case involving expert evidence relating to fingerprints, footprints and mobile telephones. Attracted national press.
R v A & Another (2009) – Possession of firearms with intent to endanger life & other related offences; class A drugs with intent to supply.
Serious Violence
R v B (2011) – Defendant charged with 18 counts of rape alleged to have been committed against two sisters over a number of years.
R v C (2010) – Defendant charged with numerous counts of committing grievous bodily harm and actual bodily harm against a group of friends at a nightclub. Incident appeared in a reconstruction on Crimewatch.
R v A & Others (2010) - Violent disorder arising out of the anti-BNP protest in the Bury Park area of Luton.
R v S (2010) - Child cruelty case involving defendant’s three children.
R v R & Another (2009) – Doorman in nightclub accused of grievous bodily harm & wounding with intent.
Court of Appeal
R v El-Araj & Others (2010) EWCA Crim 1760. Led by Joel Bennathan QC. Junior Counsel representing Sayed Al-Haddad who was involved in disturbances during the Gaza Protests in London in January 2009. Resulted in reduction in sentence. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10616260
R v Agostini (2010) – Court of Appeal. Sole Counsel. Possession of sawn-off shotgun, 46 rounds of expanding ammunition and 29 rounds of standard ammunition in the context of gang warfare. Sentence reduced from eight years to six and a half years.
R v Dublin [2007] All ER (D) 414 (Nov)
Financial, Drugs & Other Conspiracies
R V R & Others (2015) - Defendant alleged to have been operating a national money laundering operation for drug dealers nationally. Alleged to have laundered over £200 million.
R v S & Other (2011) – Defendant, along with nine others, accused of fraud related offences.
R v P & Others (2010) – Southwark Crown Court. Led by Orlando Pownall QC. Conspiracy to commit fraud by employee of bank. Complex and voluminous evidence relating to fraud centred around banking processes and procedures.
R v M (2009) – Conspiracy to commit fraud of around £2,000,000 alleged by the Crown. Involved breach of trust.
R v M (2009) – Large-scale drugs offences. Included successful emergency judicial review during the trial of judge’s decision to remand the defendant ‘for his own protection’ for running a defence of duress.
R v Brian Haw; R v Barbara Tucker; R v Charity Sweet - represented the renowned Parliament Square protestors for several years in relation to SOCPA, public order and other offences. Attracted national press.
R v Maya Evans & Milan Rai – represented first person/s prosecuted under SOCPA for unauthorised demonstration at contempt of court proceedings.
R v M & Others (2012) - Large conspiracy involving sham marriages and related immigration offences.
Please note that these are some examples of notable cases that Sultana has been instructed in. For further details, please contact the Clerking Team.