Alia is an experienced barrister specialising in criminal law, public inquiries and inquests.
She has a strong Crown Court practice as a led junior and junior alone, representing defendants in a wide range of serious criminal matters, including fraud, sexual offences, offences involving serious violence, drugs, and driving.
Alia represents bereaved families in Article 2 and domestic inquests and has acted in a number of high-profile public inquiries such as IICSA, Grenfell Tower Inquiry and currently as junior counsel to the inquiry in the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.
Criminal Defence
Overview
Alia is regularly instructed in a wide range of criminal matters, including offences involving violence, dishonesty, public disorder, drugs, and driving. As a result of her previous experience, she is particularly adept in representing defendants that are vulnerable as a result of old age, mental health or learning difficulties.
Clients have regularly expressed their appreciation for her outstanding client care, willingness to go beyond the call of duty and exceptional attention to detail.
Notable Cases
Past notable cases can be viewed below. Click here to see a list of recent notable cases.
R v O [2020]
Sexual offences. The defendant suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and had severe learning difficulties.
R v B [2018]
Represented a young defendant suffering from ASD at trial. Defendant was charged with offences of robbery and possession of an offensive weapon. Acquitted of possession of an offensive weapon.
R v Z [2018]
Represented defendant at sentence in relation to offences of dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving without insurance and a breach of an SSO. Defendant was sentenced to a Community Order with no separate penalty for failing to stop and driving without insurance. The SSO was not activated and the breach was marked with a modest fine.
R v B [2017]
Represented defendant on a charge of possession of articles for use in fraud where the court were particularly concerned with prevalence. Sentenced to a 6 month SSO with unpaid work.
R v S [2017]
Secured an acquittal for an 81-year-old partially deaf and partially blind defendant on a charge of domestic violence-related non-violent harassment.
R v M [2017]
Defendant acquitted on a charge of racially aggravated public order notwithstanding the court's decision to admit the defendant's bad character.
R v W [2017]
Represented a young defendant on charges of theft whilst riding a moped, possession of cannabis, driving without insurance and driving without a licence. Persuaded the court to deal with the defendant by way of an alternative to a community order. He was ordered to attend an attendance centre with no separate penalties for possession of cannabis and driving without a licence.
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Financial Crime and Proceeds of Crime
Overview
Alia has a particular interest in fraud, money laundering and related confiscation proceedings. She was recently instructed as junior counsel, led by Brenda Campbell QC, in a four-month fraud trial alleging large-scale money laundering, VAT, and excise duty fraud (alcohol and tobacco).
Prior to joining the Bar, Alia gained extensive experience in the financial crime department at Hickman and Rose. Some of the cases she worked on include the SFO's investigation into bribery and corruption at Rolls-Royce, allegations of bribery in a multi-national funding institution and the FCA's investigation into mis-selling of insurance by a corporate insurance intermediary.
Notable Cases
R v MB and another (Isleworth CC) (2021)
Represented the first defendant in an alleged money laundering conspiracy to the value of over £100k.
R v MJ (Snaresbrook Crown Court) (2019)
Represented the lead defendant in an alleged money laundering conspiracy to the value of £35m. Led by Greg Johnson, Carmelite Chambers.
R v SS & others (Kingston Crown Court) (2018)
Allegations of conspiracy to evade duty on cigarettes and alcohol & money laundering. Case collapsed when pursuit of disclosure revealed improper conduct of HMRC investigators. Led by Brenda Campbell QC.
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Inquests
Overview
Alia represents bereaved families in Article 2 and domestic inquests. Her experience as a criminal practitioner provides her with the necessary skills to expertly draw out the relevant factual and legal issues in cases of this nature.
Notable Cases
Inquests touching the deaths of Raneem Oudeh and Khaola Saleem
Alia appeared at Birmingham Coroner’s Court, led by Brenda Campbell KC, representing the family of Raneem Oudeh and her mother, Khaola Saleem. Raneem and Khaola were murdered by Raneem’s ex-partner after a campaign of domestic abuse, of which West Midlands Police were aware. The jury, in their detailed narrative, recorded that a catalogue of failures by West Midlands Police materially contributed to both deaths.
Reported in BBC News, The Guardian, Sky News and Channel 4.
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Public Inquiries
UK Covid-19 Inquiry
Alia has been appointed to join the UK Covid-19 Inquiry legal team. She, along with 11 QCs, and 48 other junior Counsel will support Hugo Keith QC, Lead Counsel to the Inquiry, and Martin Smith, Solicitor to the Inquiry, with the preparation and delivery of the Inquiry’s investigative work.
Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2019 - 2022)
Alia was instructed as junior counsel as part of a wider team representing a core participant in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (2018)
Instructed by the Archdiocese of Birmingham.
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Pro Bono Work
Alia volunteered in the death penalty team at Reprieve and worked as a pro bono legal advisor at the South West London Law Centre.
She was also recently appointed, on behalf of the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales, to conduct a trial observation in Egypt in the case of prominent human rights lawyer, Khaled Ali. The Trial Observation Report is available online.
