+44 (0) 20 7421 8007
Katya Saudek is an experienced, effective, and determined advocate, known for her thorough preparation and attention to detail.
Katya’s practice encompasses all aspects of serious crime, including murder, manslaughter, serious violence, modern day slavery, drugs and firearms, and fraud. She has a particular specialism in defending serious sexual offences, including historic, inter-generational offences, with multiple Complainants, and is skilled at dealing with vulnerable or young witnesses and defendants, including those with learning disabilities and mental health disorders. She also occasionally undertakes serious cases in the Youth Court. She is known for her excellent client care and approachable manner.
Katya has been instructed alone and as a led junior in cases of murder and attempted murder, and has also been instructed as leading prosecution counsel in drugs and firearms.
She is a Grade 4 CPS Advocate, and was appointed as a Recorder (Crime) in 2024.
Key cases
R v Jones, Wootton, Williamson, Blake and Allen (2025)
Leading prosecution counsel in a 2-month trial involving possession of prohibited firearms with intent to endanger life, and the supply of large quantities of Class A and B drugs. The main Defendant had targeted complicit single mothers and struck up relationships with them, to persuade them to prepare his drugs and store his firearms and drugs. All Defendants convicted.
https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/nottingham-drugs-kingpin-single-mums-10069317
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg45x7pd600o
R v R (2025)
Instructed alone to prosecute a 16-year-old boy who had stabbed 3 other children over the course of 6 months. Gang related violence. Guilty pleas.
R v RJ (2025)
Defending allegations of marital rape. Analysis of Family Court documents and Social Services records, and careful and detailed cross-examination of the Complainant revealed that she had fabricated the allegations to prevent the Defendant having access to their children. Defendant acquitted.
R v Gulati (2025)
Defending stranger rape where the issue was whether the Complainant had the capacity to consent due to her intoxication. The Defendant had filmed the incident. Defendant convicted.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy7088e8n0ko
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/rapist-targeted-lone-woman-during-10068325
R v Thompson (2024)
Defending a man with a learning disability for sexual offences against two young girls. Appeal against a terminating ruling. Court of Appeal judgment reported at [2024] EWCA Crim 1146
R v James Williams (2024)
Murder – joint enterprise – drug related, gang violence
Led junior in the defence of an 18-year-old accused of joint enterprise murder with five other child/youth defendants. Allegation was joint intent to stab a known drug dealer in return for payment. Case relied on CCTV and telephone evidence. Analysis of CCTV demonstrated audio capture of comments by the main defendant to the effect that the others had thought he was joking when he said that he would stab the deceased. Acquitted of murder. Convicted of manslaughter.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c144z7y1v79o
R v Machaya (2023)
Instructed alone to defend a young man with paranoid schizophrenia charged with the attempted murder of two strangers in their 60s, in the street, by repeatedly stabbing them. Resolved by way of guilty pleas to wounding with intent. Defendant was given a hospital order.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-67623030
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/braunstone-man-who-randomly-stabbed-8947634
R v Kane Brookes (2023)
Instructed alone to prosecute attempted murder by KB of his partner, in which he stabbed her whilst she slept and then chased her downstairs, inflicting 27 stab wounds, and also stabbing her brother who came to help. Life sentence imposed.
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/man-repeatedly-stabbed-woman-frenzied-8812096
R v R (2023)
Instructed alone to defend 18-year-old charged (charged alongside other child and youth defendants) with attempted murder, resolved as causing grievous bodily harm.
R v David Rollins (2023)
Defence of disabled man who attempted to take his own life in a Job Centre by ingesting a poison classified as a chemical weapon. The exceptional circumstances led to him receiving a suspended sentence.
R v O (2022)
Defence of man charged with multiple rapes of two vulnerable and troubled teenagers. Analysis of messaging showed that they had attempted to blackmail him with false allegations. Acquitted.
Amy Redfern (2022)
Instructed alone to defend woman charged with attempted murder of a woman whom she believed to be having an affair with her partner. Resolved as causing grievous bodily harm.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-64006961
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/jealous-mum-slashes-innocent-woman-7938512
R v J (2022)
Defence of man alleged to have drugged and raped his partner, who had since died. Acquitted.
R v Christopher Antill (2022)
Prosecuting an unrepresented Defendant for a serious incident of blackmail and causing grievous bodily harm with intent in which he held his housemate hostage for several hours, leading to a police siege.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/knifeman-attacked-housemate-held-another-26085369
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/housemate-hell-who-held-fellow-6771701
R v Lushiku (2022)
Defence of main defendant in a modern slavery allegation, in which the prosecution were driven to offer no evidence after 4 weeks of trial, due to the alleged complainants having been discredited in cross-examination. Acquitted.
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/police-name-man-charged-modern-3136166
R v Emma Tustin and Thomas Hughes Coventry Crown Court (2021)
Murder of six-year-old by neglect, violence, salt poisoning.
Led junior in the defence of Tustin who was convicted of the murder of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, spurred on by Arthur’s father. Arthur endured a horrific daily existence of standing against the wall, different treatment, assaults and neglect. This case attracted international media attention.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26236225
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Arthur_Labinjo-Hughes
R v Julian Davies (2021)
Led junior in the defence of an 18-year-old drug dealer who had stabbed the victim in self-defence whilst the defendant was being robbed of his drugs. Acquitted of murder, convicted of manslaughter.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-59639300
R v D (2020)
Instructed alone to defend a 17-year-old drug dealer charged with attempted murder. Analysis of undermining material and representations made to the prosecution, persuaded them to offer no evidence. Acquitted.
R v Alban Elezi (2020)
Defence in OCG drugs conspiracy.
R v D and others (2020)
Instructed alone to prosecute 4 teenagers charged with gang-related revenge stabbing of a child. Dangerousness findings for the two main offenders.
R v Whatsize (2019)
Instructed alone to defend a man with schizophrenia who had repeatedly stabbed his 92-year-old father. Charged with murder, resolved as manslaughter.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-50576448
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/mentally-ill-son-who-stabbed-3582248
Further information
Memberships
Inner Temple
Member of the Criminal Bar Association
Midland Circuit
South Eastern Circuit