Jocelyn Ledward KC

An astonishing advocate with a high record of achievement in media-sensitive and complex serious crime, Jocelyn Ledward KC is tactically fantastic, fiercely hard-working, and immensely intelligent; she is absolutely outstanding.

Overview 

Jocelyn Ledward is sought-after in the field of general crime. She has particular expertise in sensitive, high-profile and long-running complex cases and of the difficult technical legal arguments that invariably accompany them. Appointed Junior Treasury Counsel in 2014 and  Senior Treasury Counsel in 2022, she has worked across the full spectrum of criminal offences and has specific expertise of the most serious ones including: all types of homicide (including corporate manslaughter) and their respective defences; serious sexual offences, both historic and current; terrorism and national security; public nuisance and protest-related offences; health & safety offences; and offences arising from organised crime including money laundering. She has experience of all levels of tribunal from the magistrates through to the appeal courts, with an abundance of experience of appellate work. She is held in the highest regard by prosecution and defence teams alike and enjoys a varied practice including representing professionals, where her practice in professional regulation is of great benefit. She is always fully prepared, tactically ahead of the game and her advocacy is outstanding.

Jocelyn was appointed a Crown Court Recorder in 2022.

Experience 

Jocelyn prosecutes and defends the full range of criminal offences. As Senior Treasury Counsel, she is sought-after for her extensive experience in successfully prosecuting in high-profile and sensitive homicide cases (e.g. the successful prosecution of the Preddie brothers for the killing of Damilola Taylor; the murder of former EastEnders actor Gemma McCluskie; the murder of Tia Sharpe by her step-grandfather Stuart Hazell; the prosecution of Tania Clarence following her killing of her three disabled children; the prosecution of former police constable Wayne Couzens for the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard; the prosecution of Louis De Zoysa following the shooting of PS Matt Ratana at Croydon Police Station in September 2020.) She is currently instructed to lead in the prosecution of a youth charged with the murder of Harry Pitman on Primrose Hill on New Years Eve 2023, and in the prosecution of Steve Wright for the kidnap and murder of Victoria Hall in 1999. 

She has also been instructed in unusual and sensitive matters relating to terrorism and national security. She was junior counsel instructed by the CPS in the prosecution of Roshonara Choudhry, the self-radicalised student who attempted to murder Stephen Timms MP, as well as the second prosecution of Khalid Rashad for possession of explosive substances after his conviction for the murder of Imam Abdul Hadi Arwani. She was junior counsel in the prosecution of Hashem Abedi for 22 counts of murder arising out of the bombing of Manchester Arena in 2017. Leading Fraser Coxhill, she prosecuted Andrew Dymock for multiple charges including encouraging extreme right-wing terrorism via a website and Twitter account. She led the prosecution of would-be Russian Spy Howard Phillips, the first case brought under Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023 of engaging in conduct intending to assist a foreign intelligence service.She also led a multi-counsel team in the prosecution and appeal against sentence of JSO protesters including JSO founder Roger Hallam for actions on the M25 in November 2022. 

Jocelyn has extensive experience in prosecutions arising from criminal conduct by police officers, including offences of violence, sexual offences, misuse of communications and death by driving (including whilst on duty). 

Jocelyn prosecutes and defends in relation to allegations of rape and sexual offences, including those committed in breach of trust (e.g. by healthcare professionals). She is currently instructed to lead in the prosecution of former Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey for multiple sexual offences. 

She has substantial expertise in relation to digital media and internet-based evidence, which features heavily in most of her cases. She has a particular interest in social media offending and violence against women and girls. She was the Independent Legal Adviser to the CPS London Violence Against Women and Girls Scrutiny and Involvement Panel from 2015-2020 and is now a Trustee of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, the UK's pioneering personal safety charity and leading stalking authority, whose mission is to reduce the risk and prevelance of abuse, aggression, and violence with a specific focus on stalking and harassment, through education, campaigning, and support. 

Jocelyn appears regularly in the Court of Appeal, particularly on behalf of the Law Officers in relation to unduly lenient sentences.

She also has extensive experience of money-laundering, conspiracy to defraud and tax evasion, VAT fraud, large-scale drugs supply and importation, corruption and other offences of dishonesty (including high-value theft and robbery conspiracies). 

Jocelyn is sought-after to provide discrete advice and representation to professionals and others involved in proceedings which have reputational, career limiting, family or other consequences, whether as victims or defendants.    

Notable Cases

R v Howard Phillips (2025)

Leading Counsel in the first prosecution of a UK national under Section 3 of the National Security Act 2023 for attempting to assit the Russian intelligence service. 

R v Hallam and others (2024-2025)

Leading Counsel in the prosecution of Just Stop Oil protesters for conspiracy to cause public nuisance arising out of the 4-day protests on the M25 gantries in November 2022. Jocelyn led a 7-Counsel team in the appeal against sentence in this and linked prosecutions giving rise to issue of public importance (awaiting determination by the Supreme Court) relating to the exercise of Article 9, 1 and 11 ECHR rights [2025] EWCA Crim 2025. 

Cobban v DPP (2024)

Prosecution of former Metropolitan Police officers for offences contrary to Section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 for exchanges of racist, misogynist, ableist and homophobic WhatsApp messages in a group that included Wayne Couzens (at first instance and leading in the Divisional Court [2024] EWHC 1908 (admin); [2025] 1 WLR 256) (although the Court of Appeal certified a question of public important, the Supreme Court refused leave to appeal). 

R v Javed Sheikh (2021-2024)

Leading Counsel in prosecution for aggravated stalking of a judicial office holder. The offender had subjected his victim to a five-year campaign of homophobically-aggravated online stalking and harassment, for which he received an eight-year sentence of imprisonment, subsequently upheld on appeal Sheikh [2025] EWCA Crim 56. 

R v Louis De Zoysa (2023)

Junior Counsel in prosecution for the murder of Sergeant Ratana at Croydon Police Station in September 2020. The case attracted significant UK and Australian/NZ attention. Jocelyn's conduct of the technically challenging cross-examination of the Defendant was commended by the Court of Appeal - De Zoysa [2025] EWCA Crim 668.

R v Tania Clarence (2015)
Prosecution of a mother following her killing of three of her children, who all had spinal muscular atrophy, a muscle-wasting genetic condition. The case involved complex medical, social care and psychiatric evidence. Mrs Clarence’s pleas to manslaughter were accepted by the CPS, after extensive analysis and consideration. Led by Zoe Johnson QC.

R v McCluskie (2013)
Crispin Aylett QC and Jocelyn Ledward successfully prosecuted Tony McCluskie for the murder of his sister and former Eastenders actor.

R v Choudhry (2010)
William Boyce QC and Jocelyn Ledward prosecuted this high-profile case of the attempted murder of Stephen Timms MP at his constituency surgery in East London.

Reviews

Legal 500 2026: Crime - New Silks 

Chambers UK 2025: Crime – New Silks

'A true star at the criminal bar - excelling equally in serious crime and complex fraud. Her encyclopaedic legal knowledge and decades of experience of prosecuting the most serious cases makes her one of the most formiddable defenders. Accurate, unflinching and measured.' Legal 500 Crime (2026) 

'Jocelyn is an exceptional barrister and very bright. She is fair, with a great eye for small detail. Her negotiation skills are exceptional, and she grapples with solutions to obtain the right result.' Chambers UK Crime (2025) 

'Jocelyn is fantastic. She is very bright, tenacious and level-headed. She is a force of nature and has the right balance between intellect and people skills.' Chambers UK Crime (2025)

'Jocelyn has an intellect that is frighteningly powerful. She is meticulously well prepared and possesses advocacy skills of the very highest order. Her elevation to silk was inevitable. It is a metter of time until she is at the very top table in the criminal law.' Legal 500 Crime (2025) 

'Jocelyn is tough but always fair, incredibly clever and has a personality that ensures difficult negotiations and discussions remain collegiate. She is a first class and charming advocate as well as brilliant on paper.' Legal 500 Crime (2024) 

'If there were top trumps for criminal advocate it would be hard not to give her 100 in every skill category.' Chambers UK Crime (2024)

'A superb advocate who is incredibly knowledgeable about criminal procedure' Chambers UK Crime (2023)

‘Jocelyn is fiercely-intelligent, impeccably fair and very hard-working.’ Legal 500 Crime (2023)

'A simply phenomenal barrister with great judgement. She is unbelievably clever, compassionate and one of the most effective advocates at the Bar.' Chambers UK Crime (2022)

'Jocelyn is one of the star juniors in fraud.' Legal 500 Crime (2022)

'A master of cross-examination.' 'Jocelyn operates at the top of her game and has an incredible ability to analyse a significant amount of material and mould it into a fine piece of written work.' Chambers UK Crime (2021)

'Her levels of preparation and attention to detail are flawless. As an opponent you know she is going to be extremely tough but entirely fair. She has a calm, measured style in cross-examination which makes the jury really trust her.' Legal 500 Crime (2021) 

‘A strategic, personable, measured and impressive advocate.’ ‘She is very clever, she's hard-working, she gives competent analysis, and she's excellent at document-handling skills.’ Chambers UK Crime (2020)

‘She has an incredible work ethic and a formidable intellect.’ Legal 500 Crime (2020)

‘A clearly outstanding junior who is highly regarded by both opponents and judges.’ Chambers UK Crime (2019)

‘Ridiculously bright, very hard-working and someone with a very professional manner in court.’ Chambers UK Crime (2018)

‘She’s tactically fantastic.’ Chambers UK (2018)

‘Very intelligent and able to think on her feet. She gains clients' trust very quickly and is tactically astute. An extremely hard-working barrister. She puts in the hours at short notice and still turns things around very quickly.’ Chambers UK (2017)

‘An astonishingly capable prosecutor and a very fine defence counsel who specialises in complex crime and fraud.’ Chambers UK (2017)

‘She is brilliant at client relations and can handle the most complex cases by herself.’ Legal 500 (2017)

‘She is very intelligent, totally straight in her dealings and highly committed.’ Chambers UK (2016)

‘Her calm but firm advocacy is impressive.’ Legal 500 (2016)

‘She really understands the wider practical issues.’ Legal 500 (2015)