Clara Sibanda

EDUCATION:

2018: BPTC - BPP

2016: Bachelor of Laws with Honours - Anglia Ruskin University

 

Areas of Work

 

Following the successful completion of pupillage with the Crown Prosecution Service and probationary tenancy at Chambers, Clara has joined 9KBW as a Tenant.

As a result of her training which involved both Magistrates’ and Crown Court work, Clara has experience in a vast range of offences, not limited to acquisitive offences, domestic abuse, drugs, sexual offences as well as offences against the person, including attempted murder. While employed by the Crown, Clara also spent one month in the homicide department both reviewing and observing cases. In the 10 months spent prosecuting after qualification, Clara also acted as a reviewing lawyer, which enabled her to spend time considering the appropriate charges, disposals, and applications for each case. She is highly conversant as a result with the requirements of the Code for Crown Prosecutors and what submissions are likely to result in discontinuances or amendment of charges.

Clara is well regarded by lay clients and solicitors alike. She has been instructed in multi-handed youth and adult trials, as well as multi-handed indictment trials on matters including burglary, robbery, affray, witness intimidation and stalking.

 

Crown Court cases:

R v C & S: conducted successful cross examination of the complainant of a robbery, leading to the Crown accepting pleas to the lesser offence of Unlawful Wounding, resulting in a sentence of 22 months for that offence rather than a starting point of 5 years imprisonment for the originally charged robbery.

R v H: Made oral submissions to the Crown about the realistic prospect of conviction in a case where the client was charged with the offence of Sending an Electronic Communication with Intent to Cause Distress or Anxiety, contrary to s.1(1) (a) of the Malicious Communications Act 1988. In response, the Crown offered no evidence. 

R v A: Secured an 18-month suspended sentence at the Central Criminal Court for a client who had pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon and cannabis amidst an affray. The offences charged had been committed during the operational period of a Suspended Sentence Order and these offences represented the fourth breach of such an order. 

R v H: Secured a community order for a client convicted of Possessing an Article with a Blade/Point in a Public Place, where the starting point is 6 months’ imprisonment.

R v N: Conducted a successful appeal on behalf of a client convicted of a Racially Aggravated s.5 Public Order Act offence against an emergency worker.

R v C: drafted and conducted a successful joinder application in respect of the harassment of C’s former partner and her new partner. Also successfully resisted an application to dismiss in respect of the same.

R v G: successfully opposed bail in a bail appeal hearing on a multi-handed robbery case.

 

Magistrates Court cases:

R v C: secured a community order for a client who had pleaded guilty to the offences of impersonating a police officer as well as Threatening behaviour as defined by the Public Order Act 1986. 

R v F: successfully opposed bail in a public attempted murder of a woman outside an Essex supermarket.

R v M and others: successfully opposed bail for 3 defendants charged with money laundering offences related to organised crime. 2 of the 3 did not have an antecedent history.

 

 

Miss Clara Sibanda is regulated by the Bar Standards Board, holds a current practising certificate and her details can be found on the BSB’s Barrister Register https://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/regulatory-requirements/the-barristers'-register/

Miss Clara Sibanda holds insurance cover for all legal services supplied through professional indemnity insurance with the Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund (BMIF) The coverage is worldwide subject to their terms which are available on their website https://www.barmutual.co.uk/

Miss Clara Sibanda is registered with the Information Commissioners office under the Data Protection Act https://ico.org.uk/

If you are not satisfied with the service that Miss Clara Sibanda provides you can make a complaint to Chambers. Information on Chambers Complaints Procedure is available on Chambers website www.9kbw.com/about-us/complaints-procedure

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from Chambers you may complain to the Legal Ombudsman (This must be done within the time limits set out) The contact details can be found on the Legal Ombudsman’s website http://www.legalombudsman.org.uk/

 

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