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Zafreen prosecutes and defends the full range of offences including sexual offences, drug conspiracies and violent offences.
Zafreen commenced pupillage in 2020 and later became a Senior Crown Prosecutor at the CPS. Whilst there, she prosecuted cases in the magistrates’ courts, youth courts and Crown Courts. As an SCP, she prosecuted a range of offences, including attempted murder, firearms offences, section 18, drugs supply, fraud, NCA and Home Office prosecutions. She regularly had conduct of media interest cases. She undertook a secondment at the Attorney General’s Office reviewing cases referred under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme.
Prior to joining chambers, Zafreen had a busy criminal practice, both prosecuting and defending.
Before commencing pupillage, Zafreen was a legal advisor at the magistrates’ courts in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, advising the magistrates on all areas of criminal law. She also worked as a paralegal at the Financial Conduct Authority and at Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs, working on insider dealing and civil fraud cases. She worked as an adjudicator for the Financial Ombudsman Service.
She also volunteered with Citizens Advice Bureau, Support Through Court, Islington Law Centre, Toynbee Hall, City of London (Independent Custody Visitor) and Free Representation Unit.
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)