Sapna Devi

Expertise

Sapna is a versatile legal professional with expertise in crime, extradition, and professional discipline. She navigates a wide range of cases, ranging from serious crime to sexual violence, drugs, fraud, and terrorism-related offences. With a penchant for complex defences, Sapna adeptly handles cases involving vulnerable clients.

In addition to her criminal practice, Sapna excels in extradition cases, advocating for Requested Persons contesting their extradition from the UK on both statutory and human rights grounds.

Before joining the Bar, Sapna was a law reporter for the Incorporated Council of Law Reporting. Her legal journey also includes roles at Hogan Lovells LLP within the litigation department and with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Sapna’s extensive background in criminal law further includes tenure at the esteemed firm Hickman & Rose, where she contributed to cases spanning serious crime, corporate crime, and regulatory matters.

SAPNA SPECIALISES IN ADVISING & REPRESENTING PEOPLE CHARGED WITH

White-Collar Crime:

• Fraud and Corporate Crime: Misrepresentation or deceit in business
• Money Laundering: Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA); concealing the origins of illegally obtained money
• False accounting
• Tax evasion
• Market abuse: Insider Trading; Illegal securities trading based on non-public information
• Ponzi schemes
• Bribery and Corruption
• Sanctions
• Anti-competition

Conspiracy and Serious Organised Crime:

• Firearms offences, including supply and possession of illegal firearms
• Internet crime
• Conspiracy to Money launder
• Excise and tax fraud (including oils fraud)
• Intellectual property crime (including counterfeit goods)
• Armed robbery and cash-in-transit attacks
• Conspiracy to Supply and Import Class A drugs
• Counterfeit currency
• Human trafficking
• Organised immigration crime
• Environmental crime

Crimes Against the Person:

• Murder (homicide), manslaughter, infanticide
• Common assault and Battery: Physical harm or threat of harm, harassment, offensive weapon, wounding/ABH/GBH
• Sexual Offences: Rape, sexual assault, assault by penetration, sexual exploitation, child sex abuse and trafficking, extreme pornography, disclosing private sexual images without consent (‘revenge pornography’), indecent images of children
• Human trafficking: Modern slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour
• Kidnap: False imprisonment, child abduction

Crimes Against the State:

• Terrorism: Acts of violence to instil fear for political purposes

Crimes Against Morality and Decency:

• Prostitution: Engaging in sexual activities for money
• Obscenity: Distribution of sexually explicit material
• Public Indecency: Lewd behaviour in public spaces

Crimes Against Property:

• Embezzlement fraud: Deception for personal gain
• Aggravated Burglary
• Arson or arson with intent to endanger life
• Burglary: Unlawful entry with intent to commit a crime
• Theft: Shoplifting, stealing, robbery

Crimes Against Public Order:

• Disorderly Conduct: Disturbance of public peace
• Rioting: Participation in violent public disturbances
• Unlawful Assembly: Gathering with intent to disturb public peace

Crimes Against the Administration of Justice:

• Perjury: Lying under oath
• Obstruction of Justice: Interfering with legal processes
• Contempt of Court: Disrespect or disobedience towards the court

Cyber Crime:

• Computer Misuse Act
• Fraud
• False accounts
• Coercion and Control

Cyber-Enabled Crimes: These are not dependent on computers or networks but are transformed in scale or form using the internet and communications technology.

• Economic related cybercrime, including:
  • Fraud
  • Intellectual property crime – piracy, counterfeiting and forgery
• Online marketplaces for illegal items.
• Malicious and offensive communications, including:
• Communications sent via social media or other electronic means.
• Cyberbullying/trolling.
• Virtual mobbing.
• Offences that specifically target individuals, including cyber-enabled violence against women and girls
  (‘VAWG’):
  • Disclosing private sexual images without consent
  • Cyberstalking and harassment
  • Coercion and control
• Child sexual offences and indecent images of children, including:
  • Child sexual abuse
  • Online grooming
  • Prohibited and indecent images of children
• Extreme pornography, obscene publications and prohibited images

Drug Offences:

• Trafficking
• Supply and distribution of illegal substances
• Importation
• Possession

Economic Related Cybercrime: Criminal activities conducted through digital means.

• Electronic financial fraud
• Fraudulent sales through online auctions or retail sites
• Mass-marketing fraud and consumer scams
• Environmental Crimes: Violations of laws protecting the environment.

Firearms Offences:

• Importation of Firearms
• Possession of Firearms and shotguns without a certificate
• Manufacture, sale, transfer of firearms, conversion
• Possession of articles for conversion of imitation firearms
• Possession of prohibited weapons
• Criminal use of firearms, acquisition and possession of firearms and air weapons by children and young people

Fraud:

• Art and Antique Fraud
• Benefit Fraud
• Credit Card Fraud
• Investment Fraud
• Mail and Wire Fraud
• Money Laundering
• Mortgage Fraud

Hate Crimes: Criminal acts motivated by bias or prejudice against a particular group.

• Racist and Religious hate crime
• Homophobic crime
• Antisemitic crime
• Islamophobic crime

Restraint & Civil Recovery:

• Corporate and Commercial Fraud
• Financial Services Regulation
• Bribery & Corruption
• Money Laundering & Proceeds of Crime, including high-yield investment fraud
• Tax & Insolvency offences, including EU duty fraud
• Public and Charity Sector Fraud
• International Sanctions
• Unexplained Wealth Orders

Traffic Offences: All driving offences. Violations of traffic laws and regulations.