Eleanor Fry deals with a broad range of complex and sensitive matters in the criminal and family jurisdictions, often with cross-jurisdictional aspects.

Eleanor’s experience, both prosecuting and defending, ranges from cases of fraud to violence, child cruelty and serious sexual assaults (as a junior alone) and from terrorism offences to murder/manslaughter (as a led junior), with recent successes in the Court of Appeal and High Court.

Following representation at a recent inquest, Eleanor is campaigning (along with Ison Harrison Solicitors) to change the law governing the use of crossbows.

Eleanor speaks fluent Spanish and some French.

Eleanor regularly prosecutes and defends in the Crown Court (as a junior alone, leading and led junior), in cases involving murder, manslaughter, causing death or serious injury by dangerous driving, rape and other sexual offences, violence including child cruelty, dishonesty, etc. Eleanor has conducted numerous complex, multi-handed operational and sensitive cases, involving child witnesses, medico-legal (including sleep), scientific, ballistic, telephone and financial experts. She also has experience of representing both sides in cases involving private prosecutions and regulatory offences.

Notable Cases

  • R v N [2022]

    Led junior, prosecuting the murder of a woman by her husband on their wedding night.

  • R v M and others [2022]

    Led junior, prosecuting firearms offences and allegations of violence.

  • R v H [2022]

    Led junior, defending in allegations of very serious violence towards a very young baby.

  • R v B and others [2021]

    Defending in a large-scale drugs conspiracy involving the importation of millions of pounds worth of cocaine.

  • R v W [2021]

    Defending in a 2-complainant rape trial involving recent offences – defendant acquitted of all rapes.

  • R v K [2019]

    Defending in the case of a man who was acquitted (not guilty by reason of insanity) for an alleged sleepwalking-sleep-sex offence.

  • R v T and others [2019]

    Led junior, prosecuting a multi-handed murder and violent disorder involving youth defendants and witnesses.

Eleanor has experience of representing various IPs at inquest and PIR hearings, before juries and coroners sitting alone, including in cases involving complex expert medical evidence (pathology, psychiatry, endocrinology, emergency medical, renal, trauma surgery, cardiology, etc.) and other expert evidence (toxicology, engineering, psychology, etc.) and evidence on police and prison systems and procedures.  Eleanor has experience of drafting submissions on the engagement of Article 2, the scope of the inquest, the conclusions to leave to a jury, the making of prevention of future death notices, etc.

Notable Cases

  • Re: B

    Death in custody – jury inquest – suicide – represented a detention officer whose actions were ultimately not considered on the evidence to have contributed to the death.

  • Re: T

    Death in local authority foster care – Article 2 was ruled engaged – a rare inquest involving anonymity arguments regarding the deceased – representation of the family of a teenager who died on her first night in foster care having been removed from her family against her will.

  • Re: B

    Death of a pensioner, killed by police van parked in local park – representation of the family – Article 2 was ruled engaged.

  • Re: M

    RTC death in high-speed police pursuit – Jury inquest – Article 2 engaged – narrative conclusion and PFD report.

  • Re: T

    Drafting submissions for and representation at PIRH – Death of a young care leaver, following placement in care as an unaccompanied asylum seeker.

  • Re: J

    Death – accident – tramadol toxicity.

  • Re: G

    Article 2 engaged – jury inquest – Unlawful killing in neighbour dispute.

  • Re: H

    Death in prison – jury inquest – suicide – narrative conclusion and PFD report.

  • Re: A

    Inquest relating to a road traffic collision following a police pursuit.

Eleanor regularly appears in applications in the High Court or on behalf of parents, children and local authorities in the Family Court in private and public law proceedings under the Children Act 1989.

Relevant Experience

  • Representation at case management hearings, findings of fact and final hearings of public and private law applications involving allegations of serious physical and sexual violence (both recent and non-recent), serious emotional harm, involvement in organised crime etc.
  • Use of special measures and other technology (ABE, video-link, TV-link, telephone evidence (for experts), screens, pre-recorded cross-examination, written/pre-prepared cross-examination, etc.)
  • Representation of respondents in child abduction cases under the Hague Convention in the High Court of Justice (at the RCJ).
  • Representation of applicants and respondents in applications for international or national relocation.
  • Involvement on all sides of private law proceedings – applications for CAOs, SIOs, PSOs, SGOs.
  • Involvement in cases involving the Official Solicitor and where the Home Office has intervened.

Notable Cases

  • Re: Y [2022]

    Representing the mother in lengthy care proceedings involving allegations of sexual abuse and failure to protect.  This case involved psychological and independent social work experts.

  • Re: X [2022]

    Representing the father in care proceedings involving fractures to a 7 month old baby. The case involved expert evidence from a paediatric haematologist, radiologist, orthopaedic/trauma surgeon and a paediatrician.  No findings were made against the father.  Reunification was ordered.

  • Re: A [2021]

    Representing the mother facing serious allegations of violence in a case involving multiple fractures to a young baby. This case involved expert evidence from a paediatrician, paediatric radiologist, paediatric orthopaedic surgeon, paediatric haematologist and geneticist and the significant cross-examination of a social work practitioner upon whose erroneous report serious findings could have been made.  No findings were made against the mother. The children were placed in her care.

  • Re: A [2021]

    Representing the father.  Wardship proceedings in the High Court became care proceedings following return of the children from abroad.  The case involved allegations of serious emotional harm caused by parental alienation.  Several experts were involved and needed to be cross-examined.

  • Re: T [2021]

    Representing a mother alleged to be in the pool of perpetrators in care proceedings involving multiple fractures, bruising and a pneumothorax to a very young baby.  No findings were made against the mother and the child was returned to her care.

  • Re: X [2020]

    Representing the intervenor in a case involving allegations of rape and other sexual abuse by him upon the child.  No findings of rape were made.

  • Re: B [2020]

    Representing the local authority in care proceedings involving serious burns to a child.  Findings were made against a parent and other carers were released from the pool of perpetrators.

  • Re: T [2020]

    Representing the mother in care proceedings involving skull fractures to a toddler where the mother was in the initial pool of perpetrators.  No findings were made against the mother.

Eleanor is a consummate advocate, who stands her ground with opponents and judges.
Legal 500 2024 (Family)

An intellectually rigorous junior who is persuasive on her feet in court. She stands her ground with opponents and judges.
Legal 500 2024 (Crime)

Recommended for Crime (General and Fraud)
Legal 500 2023

‘ She has a very calm, measured approach, combined with a great eye for detail. Her judgement and assessment of cases is spot on and her advice to clients always clear and understandable. Judges warm to her manner. ’
Legal 500 2022

Practice Areas

Appointments & Memberships

  • 2023 - Shortlisted Crime and Extradition Junior of the Year at the Legal 500 Bar Awards
  • 2023 - CPS RASSO Panel Advocate
  • 2022 - Appointed Deputy District Judge
  • CPS Level 4 Prosecutor

Education

  • MA (Hons)
  • LLB (Hons)

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