Lydia Pearce
Call: 2017
Lydia Pearce
Bradford University BA Hons
ULaw York GDL
BPP Leeds BPTC
Middle Temple Harmsworth Scholar GDL
Middle Temple Harmsworth Scholar BPTC
Blackstones Entrance Exhibition Award
Legal Aid Supplier Number 02FXD
Contact
T: 01274 722 560 or 0113 246 2600
Lydia Pearce has been a tenant of Broadway House Chambers since completing pupillage in 2018 and now works exclusively in Criminal Law.
With previous experience in family and civil law, Lydia is able to appreciate the ways in which these other areas of law can impact criminal cases.
Before coming to the Bar Lydia worked for West Yorkshire Police as a Detention Officer whilst studying law part time over 6 years. Before pupillage Lydia was seconded to work with the National Police Chiefs’ Council on the pre-charge bail provisions of the Policing and Crime Act 2017. Lydia’s arguments were successfully used to make changes to the bill prior to royal assent. Lydia’s guidance document to implementation was disseminated to UK police forces and used by BBC reports on the impact of pre-charge bail.
Reputation
Client Feedback:
‘Lydia has made an outstanding entrance to the bar with a seemingly unparalleled zeal and dynamism. Lydia commands a solid presence in court and has strong, dependable advocacy skills. A down to earth approach coupled with meticulous attention to detail almost certainly assure Lydia a very illustrious future. I would certainly tip Lydia as a star who will rise very quickly.’
‘Lydia has excellent client care skills. Lydia is a diligent barrister who is skilled at empathising and reassuring vulnerable clients whilst remaining dedicated to achieving a fair and just outcome.’
‘Both myself and the social work team were very happy with Lydia’s representation. It was clear Lydia was fully prepared and on top of the brief. I am sure we will work together again’
‘I was very impressed with Lydia's grasp of the case, at short notice, and the way Lydia dealt with the hearing, for which both I and my client are grateful.’
Expertise
Criminal
Lydia appears in the Crown Court to both defend and prosecute in a range of matters including assault, sexual offences, weapons, dishonesty matters and drugs. She is known for thorough preparation and being able to respond quickly to changing instructions.
Defence
Lydia has been briefed on a range of criminal defence cases and is particularly skilled in working with vulnerable or juvenile clients.Lydia defends cases from Magistrates' Court to Crown Court maintaining involvement (where possible) across the lifetime of matters including PTPHs, preliminary hearings including S28 pre-recorded evidence and trials. Lydia works closely with instructing solicitors and is happy to have conferences in advance of hearings to ensure readiness. Lydia is equally happy to take last minute instructions where required.
Prosecution
Lydia is instructed in a range of prosecution cases and regularly works for the CPS, Probation Service, SIA and local authorities.Lydia prosecutes cases from Magistrates' Court to Crown Court maintaining involvement (where possible) across the lifetime of matters including PTPHs, preliminary hearings including S28 pre-recorded evidence and trials. Lydia will regularly draft documents and advise on matters outside of court hearings.
Notable Cases
Defence
R v GT (2024): Instructed as Junior Counsel for the defence, led by Abigail Langford. Ms Pearce is instructed as junior counsel in a case of child sexual offences. The indictment has 27 counts covering offending over 20+ years and 5 complainants. In the trial it is anticipated that Counsel will play an active role including cross examination of witnesses, disclosure requests and any applications which may arise.
R v X (2023): Reduction of sentence on appeal to the Court of Appeal, sentence was reduced from 12 months immediate custody to 6 months suspended.
R v X (2023): Securing a not guilty verdict for client accused of producing of methamphetamine due to a successful submission to dismiss the case.
R v O (2023): Defendant pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, drug driving, failing to attend court bail and being in breach of a suspended sentence order. Prior to these offences the defendant had received a suspended sentence order (24m suspended for 24M) in July 2020 for possession with intent to supply cocaine and heroin. Following mitigation advanced by Ms Pearce, the defendant was sentenced to a community order and the suspended sentence was not activated.
R v M (2023): Ms Pearce was instructed to represent defendant who was charged with Handling Stolen Goods value £10,000+. Lydia carefully researched the defence, collated a bundle of defence evidence and secured agreed facts which undermined the prosecution case. The defendant was acquitted by the jury in less than an hour. .
R v X: Acquittal for a juvenile client on a count of burglary dwelling prior to the client attending court by making successful submissions under S78 of PACE and the overriding objective.
R v X: Mitigated a sentence for a drink driver who provided a sample 3 times over the legal limit after having stopped the car on a moving motorway during a rainstorm, very nearly causing a pile up. Sentenced to community order and driving ban.
Prosecution
R v S & B(2023): Ms Pearce prosecuted 2 separate matters arising from the same incident, a fight. B was charged with S18 assault. The jury convicted him in less than 2 hours and he was sentenced to 5 years immediate custody.
R v D (2023): Defendant pleaded not guilty in the supply of class A drugs. In his evidence he claimed not to be the person on incriminating video footage, relying on his prominent left hand tattoo which was not on his left hand in the video. By inspection of the logo on his top in the video, Ms Pearce was able to prove that the video had been inverted and that the hand in the video was his non-tattooed right hand. He was convicted by the jury.
Lydia was instructed by Leeds City Council in their first ever prosecution of a landlord under Section 1(2) of the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. She successfully secured a conviction and a custodial sentence against the defendant.
Prosecuted an appeal against sentence on behalf of Bradford City Council under animal welfare law, the appellant appealed his original sentence of 20 weeks immediate custody, but this was upheld by the Crown Court.
Instructed to prosecute on behalf of Bradford Council under public health legislation a property landlord for waste left in the curtilage of his rental property, the defendant was blind and therefore unable to check if the waste had been collected or not, he was also unrepresented at trial. Lydia worked with the Council sanitation workers, Council legal officers, a trusted and accredited waste removal company and the defendant collaboratively to solve the public health issue and not pursue the matter through the courts.
Clerks
