logo1
logo2

Kate Batty

Kate is a member of the Criminal, and Mental Health & Court of Protection teams.

A very well respected local advocate who transferred to the Bar in 2011 to further specialise and develop her Crown Court advocacy.  Having grown up and worked in Leeds, Kate has a great insight into the pressure criminal defence firms are under and an appreciation of what they are looking for from their instructed advocates

Contact a clerk
Areas of Practice:

Criminal law: predominantly defence but also experience of prosecuting on behalf of West Yorkshire Trading Standards and Leeds City Council

Background:

Leeds Girls’ High School

2(i) LL.B (Hons) Exempting at University of Northumbria at Newcastle

Joined Henry Hyams Solicitors Leeds office as a trainee in 2000, qualified as a solicitor in 2001 before becoming a partner in 2005 and gaining her higher rights in 2006

Called to the Bar in 2011

Areas of Speciality:

All areas of criminal law with a particular interest in cases involving children or vulnerable clients with mental health issues

Notable cases:

R v Flesher (2007) – Leeds Crown Court and Court of Appeal – defence of a female charged with arson being reckless as to the endangerment of life arising out of her suicide attempt in which she set a fire at home. Successful appeal against the custodial sentence imposed in the Crown Court

R v Xue (2008) – Leeds Crown Court – successful defence of a female Chinese national tried for cultivation of cannabis after a large scale cannabis factory was found at her home address

R v P (2010) – Leeds Crown Court – assault occasioning actual bodily harm on his 1 year old child where there were parallel care proceedings

R v X (2010) – Leeds Crown Court – child cruelty and assault occasioning actual bodily harm on her children where there were parallel care proceedings

R v Stephenson (2011) – Leeds Crown Court – Historical familial rapes and indecent assaults

R v McLaren (2011) – Leeds Crown Court – GBH with intent; sustained knife attack

R v Walker (2011) – Leeds Crown Court – possession with intent to supply £25,000 worth of cocaine

R v McLean (2011) – Leeds Crown Court – robbery of his 65 year old grandmother; strangling her to the point of unconsciousness before locking her in a cupboard