Zafreen is an experienced criminal practitioner. Her practice includes cases with serious violence, sexual offences, drug conspiracies, coercive and controlling behaviour, firearms offences, and white-collar crime. Her recent instructions include cases concerning murder, wounding with intent, Class A drug supply, intentional strangulation and youth gang violence. She is experienced in matters involving vulnerable or hostile complainants and young defendants, as well as cases in which careful analysis, negotiation and focused advocacy are required.

Her work has included matters brought by the National Crime Agency and Home Office, and she has appeared in POCA hearings in the Crown Court. Zafreen commenced pupillage in 2020 before joining the Crown Prosecution Service, where she handled cases involving attempted murder, firearms offences, wounding with intent, drug supply and fraud. She was seconded to the Attorney General’s Office, reviewing cases referred under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme.

Before pupillage, Zafreen was a legal adviser in the magistrates’ courts in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. She also worked at the Financial Conduct Authority and HM Revenue & Customs on insider dealing and civil fraud matters, and as an adjudicator for the Financial Ombudsman Service. This financial-regulatory background complements her experience of POCA hearings in the Crown Court.

 

Key cases

R v SC & Others – Leicester Crown Court – 2025 – defended an individual charged with assisting an offender with murder.

R v T & Others – Woolwich Crown Court – 2025 – defended an individual at sentence who was involved in a nine-handed conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. Successfully persuaded the judge to impose a suspended sentence on her client.

R v BF – Leicester Crown Court – 2025 – defended an individual charged with wounding with intent. Persuaded the judge to impose a suspended sentence instead of immediate custody.

R v JW – Basildon Crown Court – 2024 – prosecuted an individual charged with multiple offences of intentional strangulation and coercive and controlling behaviour over an extended period. The defendant was convicted and sentenced to six years’ imprisonment.

R v HG – Aylesbury Crown Court – 2025 – prosecuted an individual charged with intentional strangulation and coercive and controlling behaviour involving a hostile complainant. The defendant was convicted.

R v RR – Croydon Crown Court – 2025 – prosecuted an individual charged with sexual assault against a vulnerable complainant suffering from borderline personality disorder. The defendant was convicted.

R v MJ – Croydon Crown Court – 2025 – defended a 19-year-old individual charged with ABH for assaulting his 4-year-old sibling. Successfully persuaded the judge to impose a community order instead of a custodial sentence.

R v CW – Maidstone Crown Court – 2025 – defended an individual at sentence who was charged with intentional strangulation, ABH and criminal damage. Custody was inevitable but through mitigation and citing case authorities, she was able to persuade the judge to impose a suspended sentence.

R v MH – Croydon Youth Court – 2024 – defended a 16-year-old individual charged with offences of section 18, violent disorder and possession of bladed article arising out of gang violence. Successfully negotiated with the CPS to resolve the matter by way of a plea to violent disorder and possession of a bladed article only.

Areas of expertise

Zafreen accepts all Crown Court instructions.

Zafreen has dealt with POCA hearings in the Crown Court.

Further information

  • University of London – LLB (Hons) (2009)
  • University of Westminster – LLM (2011)
  • BPP Law School – Bar Professional Training Course (2012)
  • Criminal Bar Association
  • The South Eastern Circuit
  • Women in Criminal Law
  • Lincoln’s Inn
  • Advocate Pro Bono Panel Member

CPS General Crime Panel – Level 3

CPS Serious Crime Panel – Level 2

CPS RASSO Panel Member

Hindi & Bangla (Fluent)

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