At New Park Court Chambers, we do things a little differently. With 70 junior barristers and 16 King’s Counsel, our reach and influence stretches far beyond the bounds of our Circuit.
As a Tier 1 Set based in Leeds and Newcastle we are home to a number of high profile and nationally and internationally reputable Counsel.
Helen Chapman prosecutes and defends a broad range of heavyweight criminal cases. Her practice covers the full range of criminal work, including murder, manslaughter, rape and serious sexual offences, ‘baby-shaking’, firearms, drugs, fraud, corruption, organised crime and complex multi-handed conspiracies.
Helen is a Grade 4 prosecutor. She is also a specialist panel advocate for the Counter Terrorism Unit.
Helen has appeared as a leading junior to both prosecute and defend complex and lengthy cases, including ‘grooming gang’ cases and those cases featuring multiple complainants. She is also a popular led junior in cases of homicide, gross-negligence manslaughter and complex fraud.
As sole counsel, she is sought after for private instructions in cases across the country, most notably in cases of rape and serious sexual offending.
Helen is also regularly instructed to act on behalf of police officers charged with criminal offences or facing disciplinary action. She is experienced in dealing with young and vulnerable defendants. She is quick to build a rapport, advise, and act in these difficult cases.
Helen’s legal arguments are well-prepared and persuasive, and she relishes addressing the jury and conducting witness cross-examination. She is quick to grasp complex medical and technical materials and is experienced in making them accessible for juries in the most sensitive and challenging cases.
A meticulous and effective advocate, Helen balances a personable style that can put young and vulnerable clients at ease with a robust court demeanour. She has appeared in many murder and serious sexual abuse cases that have attracted national press interest.
Helen has received two judicial appointments in five years. She was appointed a Deputy District Judge in 2019 and a Recorder (sitting in crime) in 2024.
Helen prosecutes and defends the most serious cases either as a leading junior, sole junior or led junior.
Leading junior counsel in a six week trial defending of the owner of a limousine company who was accused of raping and sexually assaulting young women and girls in his limousines.
Leading junior counsel in a multi-handed grooming trial arising out of investigations into the grooming of girls by a gang of males in Rochdale. Helen acted for the eldest of the Defendants, said to have been the most sophisticated in his offending.
Led junior in the defence of a woman who stabbed her husband to death in the course of an argument at Christmas. The first jury were unable to reach verdicts and the matter was tried for a second time. Helen was able to persuade a judge to bail the Defendant, which is unusual in cases of this gravity.
Led junior in defence of an allegation of murder Complex case including issues regarding the defendant’s mental health and admissibility of the defendant’s interview.
Led junior in defence of multiple allegations against an independent financial advisor.
Defended allegations of familial rape and sexual assault. Defendant was acquitted.
Successfully defended allegations of multiple violent rapes.
Helen prosecutes and defences in equal measure. She is a Grade 4 prosecutor and is an accredited member of the CPS Rape Panel. Helen has particular expertise in cases involving Rape and Serious Sexual Offences. She is a well-regarded defence advocate noted for her sensitivity to vulnerable clients and robust cross-examination. She is sought after for private instructions in cases across the country.
Leading junior counsel in a six week trial defending of the owner of a limousine company against 10 complainants who accused him of raping and sexually assaulting them in his limousines over a 20 year period.
Leading junior counsel for a defendant in the Rochdale Grooming Gang trial. Acted for the eldest of the Defendants, said to have been the most sophisticated in his offending. There was a cut-throat defence being run by the First Defendant who sought to suggest that our client had introduced the complainants to him and his group of friends. Successfully argued that the other allegations of rape were inadmissible. Our client was acquitted of all non-consensual offences.
Leading junior for the defence in a multi complainant sex case lasting 10 weeks. D was a former prison officer said to have committed offences against numerous women over a 15 year period. The case was complicated by communication between the complainants, social media material and the need for sensitive but robust cross-examinations.
Defended as junior alone for a privately paying client accused of serious sexual offending 15 years earlier. The complainant was vulnerable and had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act on several occasions in the course of the investigation and was cross-examined under the s28 procedure. The Defendant was acquitted.
Leading Counsel for Prosecution in a seven-complainant case. Defendant (who already had two sets of convictions for like) was alleged to have sexually abused seven children. The timeline was complex, the allegations ranging from 1971 through to 1996. Some of the complainants were vulnerable and whilst now adults were cross- examined using the s28 procedure. The investigation had commenced as three separate investigations from three different police forces across the UK. The Defendant faced 32 counts on the indictment and was unanimously convicted of all counts.
Privately instructed to represent a former District Crown Prosecutor accused of making an arrangement to commit serious sexual offences against a 7 year old girl. The Defendant was caught in a sting operation by undercover police officers after he used the Fetlife website and sought to arrange to rape and sexually abuse a child. The Defendant sought to persuade the jury that the conversations he had were fantastical. The Defendant was convicted.
Defended a youth accused of attempted murder after a stabbing. As a junior alone, successfully resisted the Crown’s application to rely on material obtained from prison phone calls. Case involved the use of social media as evidence and extensive cross-examination of witnesses. Defendant was acquitted.
Defended as junior alone in s18 “baby shaking” case. Defendant was young father. Expert evidence called by both sides as to medical evidence and causation. Successfully argued that there was no case to answer in respect of s18 and that count was withdrawn from the jury by the trial judge.
Instructed a led junior to defend a woman who had stabbed her husband to death in the course of an argument, in what had otherwise been a long and happy marriage. The first jury could not decide on either murder or manslaughter. In the re-trial she was convicted of murder. The case was the subject of local media interest and comment.
Helen has successfully prosecuted and defended regulatory offences for many regulatory bodies. She has also defended individuals in respect of regulatory offences.
Notable regulatory cases:
Fraud Crime provides the mainstay of Helen’s practice. She prosecutes and defends offences across the criminal spectrum with a particular emphasis on fraud. Helen is instructed as sole counsel and as a led junior.
Skills:
Instructed as a led junior for a financial advisor prosecuted for regulatory offences under FSMA 2000 and a multi-handed fraud amounting to over £1m. Helen prepared legal arguments about the correct application of the relevant statutory instrument. She conducted advocacy throughout the trial in conjunction, including cross-examination of a forensic accountant.
Instructed to prosecute breaches of Waste Management Regulations in the Magistrates’ Court and she secured convictions against 5 defendants in person. The Defendants raised points of admissibility, limitation, the appointment of Mackenzie friends, interpreters and issues relating to the bad character of a prosecution witness. Helen secured convictions in the face of hostile and vexatious litigants.
Instructed as a led junior prosecuting a substantial care-home fraud. Helen conducted advocacy in respect of the regulatory aspects of the case, drafting and resisting the abuse of process arguments. The case was an NHS investigation and Police investigation, ultimately prosecuted by the CPS resulting in disclosure difficulties. Helen was responsible for the compilation of the evidence.
Successfully defended client in both fraud and POCA proceedings in respect of £300,000 and various foreign bonds suspected to be part of a multi-million pound fraud.
Led junior in prosecution of allegations of fraud against NHS employees.
Instructed for first defendant in multi-handed NHS fraud. The case featured two QE witnesses, heavy volumes of invoices and financial documentation and cut-throat defences from several of the co-accused.
Instructed for second defendant in multi-handed credit fraud. The case was paper heavy with reams of telephone records disclosed mid-way through the case. LC was the only defendant to be acquitted.
Assisting with preparation of gross negligence, corporate manslaughter and s.2/3 HSWA 1974 offences. Gross negligence manslaughter following a fall from height at a warehouse in Birmingham. Issues as to the victim’s employment status researched and prepared skeleton arguments relying on the case of Pola. Drafted an indictment with sections 2 and 3 as alternatives. Prepared a sentencing bundle and Friskies schedule in line with F. Howe & Son.
Instructed in a 6 week immigration fraud (D2).
Instructed in two lengthy frauds, one as D1 in a 9 handed fraud.
Instructed for second defendant in multi-handed credit fraud. The case was paper heavy with reams of telephone records disclosed mid-way through the case. LC was the only defendant to be acquitted.
Instructed for first defendant in multi-handed NHS fraud. The case featured two QE witnesses, heavy volumes of invoices and financial documentation and cut-throat defences from several of the co-accused.
Led junior in prosecution of allegations of fraud against NHS employees.
Successfully defended client in both fraud and POCA proceedings in respect of £300,000 and various foreign bonds suspected to be part of a multi-million pound fraud.
