Helen Chapman

Fraud

Fraud Crime provides the mainstay of Helen’s practice. She prosecutes and defends offences across the criminal spectrum with a particular emphasis on fraud.Helen is instructed as sole counsel and as a led junior.　

Skills

• Provides clear advice to her clients
• Confident on her feet with a reassuring manner
• Handles paper-heavy cases with ease and organisation
• Formidable advocate. Revered by her peers.
• Quick thinker with decisive thought

Fraud Cases

Instructed in two lengthy frauds in 2018, one as D1 in a 9 handed fraud.

In 2019 Instructed in a 6 week immigration fraud (D2).

R v LC (2018) – instructed for second defendant in multi-handed credit fraud.  The case was paper heavy with reams of telephone records disclosed mid-way through the case.  LC was the only defendant to be acquitted.

R v CE (2018) – instructed for first defendant in multi-handed NHS fraud.  The case featured two QE witnesses, heavy volumes of invoices and financial documentation and cut-throat defences from several of the co-accused. 

R v CE (2018) – sole junior representing the first defendant in a multi-handed £500,000 fraud on the NHS (5 weeks, Hull)

R v LC (2018) – sole junior in a multi-handed fraud on building suppliers (6 weeks, Leeds)

R v B and S – led junior in prosecution of allegations of fraud against NHS employees.　

R v SB – successfully defended client in both fraud and POCA proceedings in respect of £300,000 and various foreign bonds suspected to be part of a multi-million pound fraud

Criminal Cases

R v LF – led junior in defence of an allegation of murder.　 Complex case including issues regarding the defendant’s mental health and admissibility of the defendant’s interview

R v SO – led junior in defence of multiple allegations against an independent financial advisor

R v RS – defended allegations of familial rape and sexual assault.　 Defendant was acquitted

R v JS – successfully defended allegations of multiple violent rapes.

Criminal Law including Serious Sexual Offences

Helen prosecutes and defences in equal measure. She is a Grade 3 prosecutor and is an accredited member of the CS Rape Panel. Helen has particular expertise in cases involving Rape and Serious Sexual Offences. She is a well-regarded defence advocate noted for her sensitivity to vulnerable clients and robust cross-examination.

Helen has successfully prosecuted and defended regulatory offences for many regulatory bodies

• Prosecuted a Trading Standards case of a cowboy builder who had targeted the elderly. Progress was being frustrated by persistent submissions from defence counsel. Helen dealt with arguments as to abuse, disclosure, admissibility and the form of the indictment.  The Defence capitulated, and the case resolved successfully by way of guilty pleas.
  
  
• Instructed as a led junior prosecuting a substantial care-home fraud. Helen conducted advocacy in respect of the regulatory aspects of the case, drafting and resisting the abuse of process arguments. The case was a NHS investigation and Police investigation ultimately prosecuted by the CPS resulting in disclosure difficulties. Helen was responsible for the compilation of the evidence.
  
  
• Helen has dealt with expert evidence including medical evidence as to causation, engineering and computing evidence, and forensic accountancy evidence.
  
  
• Helen was instructed to prosecute breaches of Waste Management Regulations in the Magistrates’ Court she secured convictions against 5 defendants in person. The Defendants raised points of admissibility, limitation, the appointment of Mackenzie friends, intepreters and issues relating to the bad character of a prosecution witness.  Helen secured convictions in the face of hostile and vexatious litigants.
  
  
• Assisting with preparation of gross neg, corp manslaughter and s.2/3 HSWA 1974 offences. Gross negligence manslaughter following a fall from height at a warehouse in Birmingham. Issues as to the victim’s employment status researched and prepared skeleton arguments relying on the case of Pola. Drafted an indictment with sections 2 and 3 as alternatives. Prepared a sentencing bundle and Friskies schedule in line with F. Howe & Son.

Helen has defended individuals in respect of regulatory offences.

• Instructed as a led junior for a financial advisor prosecuted for regulatory offences under FSMA 2000 and a multi-handed fraud amounting to over £1m. Helen prepared legal arguments about the correct application of the relevant statutory instrument. She conducted advocacy throughout the trial in conjunction, including cross examination of a forensic accountant.
  
  
• I have conducted contested appeals against Local Authority Enforcement Notices before the Magistrates’ Courts.
  
  
• Helen has conducted breaches of land use licences before the Magistrates Courts.
  
  
• She has conducted committals for sentence for s2 HSWA offences including inadequate RAMS.

Helen Chapman Privacy Policy 2022