Catherine Donnelly
YEAR OF CALL 1997
"Catherine Donnelly is an extremely competent and hard-working advocate, who always wants to achieve the best for her client."
"She does brilliant advocacy."
"She is hard-working, tenacious and dedicated to delivering a good result. She understands the needs of the firm and lay client."
"She is exceptional, very focused and presents the case with real clarity and impact. She showed fabulous judgement."
Chambers UK Bar 2026
‘Catherine demonstrates clear, strong, and consistent advocacy, while remaining deeply compassionate toward her clients.’
The Legal 500 2026
Catherine Donnelly is an experienced criminal practitioner, ranked by both the Chambers & Partners UK Bar and Legal 500 Guides [London - tier 2]. She has established a substantial criminal practice prosecuting and defending at the highest level.
Catherine Donnelly is regularly instructed in complex, paper heavy criminal cases. She has particular expertise in homicide cases, large scale conspiracies involving guns/dishonesty offences, serious sexual offending, and drug importations. She has extensive experience of dealing with complex expert evidence including medical evidence, psychiatric evidence, ANPR and cell site analysis. She regularly prosecutes cases where the defence is represented by King’s Counsel and has prosecuted allegations of murder for the CPS as sole counsel.
She specialises in the most serious sexual offences “She is an expert in the field of child sexual abuse.” Legal 500.
She was counsel to Operation Pallial 2013 – 2020. Operation Pallial was formed to investigate allegations of child sex abuse in North Wales Children’s homes in 2012 by Teresa May. It was one of the largest investigations into child abuse in the UK to date. The Operation dealt with 255 complainants who made allegations of abuse against 120 possible suspects at 18 children's homes in North Wales between 1963 and 1992. The Operation was investigated by the NCA.
In addition she was counsel to Operation Almond advising and prosecuting historic cases of abuse in care homes in South Wales. She regularly lectures to those involved in the prosecution of such cases.
She is regularly instructed for the defence in case of Murder, Attempted murder, serious violence, drug trafficking and serious sexual offences. She has particular expertise in cases involving vulnerable witnesses including children as young as three.
Recent Cases
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R v X and others 2024. Led by Nicholas Corsellis KC. Youth charged with attempted murder.
R v Murat and others 2023. Led by Ali Bajwa KC. Defence. Conspiracy to murder. Allegations against Tottenham Turks gang background.
R v David Fuller 2020 – 2023. Defence counsel for high profile murderer also charged with high volume of mortuary offences at Pembury Hospital in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
R v Brazier [2019] – Secured murder conviction as counsel alone.
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R v McCleester 2023. Prosecution of Queen Elizabeth II’s former verger for historical sexual abuse against young boys at Southwark Cathedral.
R v Highgate 2022 Leading junior for the prosecution. Successful prosecution of football coach who targeted a number of young children over 30 years.
R v Morel 2022 Leading junior for the prosecution. Successful prosecution of football coach who targeted a number of young children.
Operation Greenest [2021] – allegations of serious sexual offending.
R v Allen [2020] Prosecution. Serial paedophile who abused boys in North Wales care homes over 50 years.
R v Brazier [2019] – Secured murder conviction as counsel alone.
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R v Gracias 2024. Leading counsel for the defence. High value theft at Heathrow Airport.
R v Said 2024. Leading counsel for the defence. High level class A drug conspiracy.
R v Jedynak and others 2023. Leading counsel for the defence. Successful defence of Miss Jedynak for alleged multi million pound fraud against Barclays Bank.
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R v B [2020] Leading counsel prosecution. Complex child cruelty where allegation of FII (Munchausen by proxy).
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R v Dyckhoff [2019] Leading Junior. Defence. Kidnap, blackmail and torture.
MEMBERSHIPS
CPS Advocate Panel Member, Level 4
Rape and Child Sexual Abuse Specialist Panel Member
Serious Crime Group Specialist Panel Member, Level 4
‘Catherine is an extremely capable barrister. She works extremely hard, has fabulous judgement and is brilliant with both the jury and the judge.’
‘She is an outstanding advocate with a proven track record of success in complex and high-profile cases. She has a practical approach and conducts her cases to an exceptional standard.’
‘Catherine is extremely helpful, with vast knowledge and is a great source of reference. She is extremely experienced in working with vulnerable defendants and is very compassionate.’ Chambers UK Bar 2025
‘Catherine is an extremely capable barrister. She works extremely hard, has fabulous judgement and is brilliant with both the jury and the judge. Catherine can go toe-to-toe with silks and come out on top.’ The Legal 500 2025
’Effective, determined, highly capable and good company to boot.’ Chambers UK Bar 2024
Ranked (Tier 2) as a Leading Junior in Crime. The Legal 500 2024
‘Catherine is easy to work with and offers realistic advice to her clients.’
Chambers UK Bar 2023
Ranked (Tier 2) as a Leading Junior in Crime. The Legal 500 2023
‘She has excellent personal skills and is an oasis of calm in difficult trials.’ Chambers UK Bar 2022
‘A good advocate who inspires trust in juries.’ Chambers UK Bar 2021
‘A sound jury advocate who is committed and hardworking’
‘A diligent and thorough junior.’
The Legal 500 2021
‘She has a track record of the most serious sex cases.’
The Legal 500 2020
‘A good advocate: a great tactician, charming and hardworking.’
‘A charming strategist.’
The Legal 500 2019
‘A top-rate advocate with a very appealing jury manner and robustness during legal argument.’
‘An oasis of calm in a trial.’
The Legal 500 2017
‘An impressive advocate with extensive and detailed knowledge of criminal law.’
‘She is an expert in the field of child sexual abuse.’
The Legal 500 2016
