Zara Mahmood

Zara has been instructed in a range of criminal matters acting for both prosecution and defence in the Crown and Magistrates’ Court.

During the course of her pupillage, Zara secured an acquittal when defending a robbery matter in her first Crown Court trial.

Zara is Grade 1 on the CPS Advocates Panel.

Prior to pupillage, Zara assisted both prosecution and defence counsel with the presentation of digital evidence in several multi-handed and complex criminal trials.

Notable cases include:

R v Michael Misick and 8 others (2017, 2018, 2019): Instructed as the sole operator of the electronic presentation of evidence in the Supreme Court of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The on-going bribery, corruption and fraud trial concerns the alleged abuse of power by the former Premier and Cabinet members of the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

R v Delroy Wright and others (2017): Supported senior and junior counsel with the delivery of CCTV evidence in a gangland murder trial.

R v Tyndale, Habib and others (2016 and 2017): Assisted counsel in the presentation of evidence in two trials involving multiple defendants who were convicted of counts of conspiracy to defraud, conspiracy to money launder and money laundering. The case involved an international organised crime group that targeted public bodies and fraudulently diverted £12.6m away from legitimate construction projects.

Zara subsequently spent six months, before commencing pupillage, as a Prison Law advocate at a firm in Nottingham. She represented inmates in several matters including independent adjudications, Parole Board paper and oral hearings and recategorization reviews.