Kenniesha Stephens


Call 2015


Kenniesha is an incredibly hardworking advocate, specialising in serious and complex crime. She has a particular interest in financial crime, serious violence and sexual offences. Kenniesha also specialises in regulatory crime. She has experience across the full range of regulatory crime, including trading standards, food safety, environmental, fraud and restraint and confiscation proceedings.

Kenniesha has been described as a “safe pair of hands” with her meticulous approach to case preparation and fierce representations in both her oral and written advocacy. She has the ability to understand facts of cases quickly. She possesses excellent case strategy and is entrusted to undertake serious and complex cases above her year of call. Kenniesha is a personable and approachable advocate, allowing her to effectively engage with vulnerable defendants and witnesses.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Kenniesha worked at HMRC as a Paralegal working in the strategic litigation team on high profile, complex tax avoidance cases. She also worked at the London Borough of Camden on housing litigation (antisocial behaviour cases and possession proceedings). Furthermore, Kenniesha worked at Surrey Police as an Intelligence Analyst.

Expertise

Kenniesha has experience of defending the imposition of sexual harm prevention orders, having successfully opposed applications.

Notable Sexual Harm Prevention Orders cases


Metropolitan Police v JD [2022] – Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court

JD pleaded guilty to the offence of sexual communications with a child, an offence which dated back to August 2020. Almost 6 months after JD was sentenced, the Metropolitan Police sought a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, despite there being no evidence that JD posed a future risk to females under the age of 16. I successfully opposed the application for a Sexual Harm Prevention Order made pursuant to section 103A of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

Associations and Memberships

  • Criminology & Law, BA: London Metropolitan University (2005)
  • Graduate Diploma in Law with Distinction (2013). Awarded the Judges’ Prize for Excellent Performance in the GDL 2013.
  • Bar Professional Training Course, University of Law with a Very Competent. Awarded a prize for achieving the highest grade in the Conference exam 2014/15.

  • Honourable Society of the Middle Temple
  • Women in criminal law
  • Criminal Bar Association
  • Junior Junior Panel
  • CPS Panel Level 2

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