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Sarah is a senior criminal practitioner. Her practice spans 30 years. She is instructed to prosecute and defend.
Sarah is frequently instructed at an early stage in an investigation (often pre-charge) to provide guidance to the Police and the CPS in case preparation. She is a highly regarded part of the prosecution team and is known for her meticulous preparation. She is hard working and committed.
Sarah has considerable experience in cases involving allegations of rape and serious sexual offences. A significant volume of Sarah’s work in this area of expertise has involved professionals (eg social workers, teachers, foster carers and religious leaders) accused of serious sexual offences. She is very experienced in dealing with complex disclosure matters in cases of this kind.
Sarah is well respected for her sensitivity in dealing with witnesses and defendants with mental health issues and other vulnerabilities.
Sarah practises predominantly in Nottingham and across the East Midlands.
Work Undertaken:
Homicide & serious violence
- Domestic abuse context
- Youth victims and youth defendants
- Victims and defendants with complex mental health issues
Rape & serious sexual offences
- Historic child sexual abuse – involving multiple complainants and / or multiple defendants
- Youth victims and youth defendants
- Victims and defendants with complex mental health issues
CPS Panel appointments
General Crime Level 4
RASSO Level 4
Key cases & testimonials
Op Hackney – Nottingham Crown Court – 2026 (Junior Counsel)
Instructed by East Midlands Complex Case Unit
Aggravated Burglary at night of mobile home at remote location and Manslaughter of co-burglar who died during the incident
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1d9e2l969zo
R -v- Skebas – Lincoln Crown Court – 2026 (Junior Counsel)
Instructed by East Midlands CPS
Murder of unrelated 8 year old girl whilst playing in the street in Boston. Jury rejected his partial defence of diminished responsibility.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lpwg366do
Op Holyhead 2 – Nottingham Crown Court – 2025/2026 (Leading Counsel)
Instructed by East Midlands CPS
Multiple Defendants charged with Assisting Offenders involved in a fatal stabbing in Nottingham City Centre
R -v- Skidmore – Lincoln Crown Court – 2025
Instructed by East Midlands CPS
Manslaughter of pedestrian following road rage incident
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gvn4vemv4o
R -v- Young – Derby Crown Court – 2025 (Leading Counsel)
Instructed by East Midlands CPS
Murder of house mate followed by staging of burglary to try and deflect detection
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd978gpe923o
R -v- Tailby – Derby Crown Court – 2025 (Junior Counsel)
Instructed by East Midlands CPS
Domestic murder of young woman by partner
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c99neyr49yeo
Op Moneypenny – Leicester Crown Court – 2024 (Leading Counsel)
Instructed by East Midlands Complex Case Unit
Serious organised crime group carrying out campaign of ATM attacks in England and Scotland as part of Conspiracy to Steal and Burgle.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-68991721
Op Caulk – Nottingham Crown Court – 2024
Instructed by East Midlands Complex Case Unit
Cruel and callous group taking part in Conspiracy to Kidnap a member of the Sikh community and Conspiracy to Blackmail his father.
https://www.iclr.co.uk/document/2026000718/transcriptXml_2026000718_2026030313102099/html
R -v- Marriott – Nottingham Crown Court – 2024 (Junior Counsel)
Instructed by East Midlands CPS
Mentally ill man killing his father found guilty of Manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-68898744
R -v- Shafiq – Nottingham Crown Court – 2024 (Leading Counsel)
Instructed by The Johnson Partnership
Secured acquittal of man charged with kidnap and rape
R -v- Barrow – Nottingham Crown Court – 2023 (Junior Counsel)
Instructed by East Midlands Complex Case Unit
Murder of mother and her two young children by arson attack on their home at night.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-69008735
R -v- Jessop – Nottingham Crown Court – 2023 (Junior Counsel)
Instructed by East Midlands CPS
Murder in Colston Bassett of partner in her own home late at night following breakdown of short relationship.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-64152882
R -v- Singh – Nottingham Crown Court – 2021
Instructed by East Midlands CPS
Attempted Murder of a hospital nurse at Highbury Hospital.
R -v- Green – Lincoln Crown Court – 2022
Instructed by East Midlands CPS
Serious sexual abuse case concerning a mother and daughter.
R -v- Pipe – Nottingham Crown Court – 2021 (Leading Junior)
Instructed by East Midlands Complex Case Unit
Housemaster committing historic sexual abuse of boys at a residential children’s home.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-58904641
Sarah is excellent and a very experienced senior junior. Chambers UK, 2026
Sarah Knight has a very gentle manner with a core of steel. Chambers UK, 2026
Sarah is a brilliant advocate who prepares her cases with skill and talent. Her quiet, forensic style of advocacy is compelling and persuasive.Legal 500, 2026
Sarah is an exceptional advocate with a clear and persuasive approach to advocacy. She takes the most complicated of cases and carves a clear channel through the evidence with her understanding. She is calm and methodical and oozes good judgement and presence in a court room. She is quite exceptional all round.Legal 500, 2025
Sarah is very diligent and hard-working.Chambers UK, 2025
Sarah is engaged by the prosecuting authorities on difficult and sensitive cases for good reason - sympathetic and closely attuned to the demands that they place on counsel.Legal 500, 2023
Sarah is a good prosecutor. Chambers UK, 2023
Calm, thorough, with excellent communication skills. A silk in the making.Legal 500, 2022
Commended for her professionalism, dedication & commitment whilst working on a case involving sexual abuse of a child. Her efforts leading the prosecution & presenting to a jury were tremendous.Derbyshire Police 2018
Further information
Memberships
Midland Circuit
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple
Criminal Bar Association
Women in Criminal Law
BA(Hons) in French with German – University of Nottingham, 1993
CPE / Post Graduate Diploma in Law – University of Westminster, 1994
Bar Vocational Couse – Inns of Court School of Law, 1995
Called to the Bar – The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, 1996
CPS Level 4 Prosecutor
CPS Special Panel Advocate Rape and Serious Sexual Offences
Chief Constable of Derbyshire Commendation – 2018
Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire Commendation – 2012
Former Chair of the Nottingham Bar Mess