Chloë Ashley is a specialist criminal advocate, practising in serious and sensitive cases, including homicide, non-accidental injuries to children, organised crime, and counter-terrorism. She is instructed as both leading and junior counsel in matters involving significant legal and evidential complexity.
Her practice is characterised by a disciplined, forensic approach and particular expertise in the analysis and presentation of complex expert evidence. She is adept at distilling technically demanding material into clear, persuasive advocacy.
Recognised for her concise and incisive advocacy, Chloë is valued by instructing solicitors for her strategic judgment, meticulous preparation, and discretion. She is particularly skilled at securing the confidence of vulnerable clients while maintaining the respect of judges and opponents alike.
She has been described as “a formidable yet understated advocate- exceptionally bright, scrupulously fair, and unflappable under pressure.”
She was awarded Junior Barrister of the Year (up to 10 years’ call) at the 2026 Birmingham Law Society Awards and is ranked as a Leading Junior in Legal 500 2026, having previously been recognised as a Tier 1 “Rising Star” in the 2024 and 2025 editions.
Chloë has developed an established practice in cases involving the death of infants and very young children, including allegations of murder, manslaughter, and infanticide. She is regularly instructed by both the prosecution and defence solicitors in cases raising complex issues of medical causation and involving highly specialised, multidisciplinary expert evidence.
She is experienced in addressing competing expert opinion, injury causation and timing, and the presentation of sensitive background material, including prior family proceedings. She is particularly valued for her ability to synthesise complex medical evidence into a clear and coherent case theory, and to deploy it with precision in her advocacy.
Chloë is regularly instructed in cases of murder and attempted murder, including those involving gang-related violence, firearms, and drugs. She acts for both the prosecution and the defence in multi-handed cases raising complex evidential issues, including bad character, anonymous witnesses, covert surveillance, and significant forensic evidence.
She is experienced in cases involving extensive disclosure, digital and forensic material, and challenging evidential issues. Her methodical and analytical approach enables her to identify the central issues quickly and develop clear, persuasive case strategies, whether prosecuting or defending.
Chloë also has a particular interest in representing women, children, and defendants with mental health conditions or intellectual disabilities. She is frequently instructed in cases where psychiatric or psychological evidence is central to the issues in dispute and is experienced in presenting such evidence with clarity and sensitivity.
Before coming to the Bar, Chloë worked with organisations specialising in death penalty defence litigation in the UK and overseas, as well as NGOs dedicated to advancing women’s rights. These experiences continue to shape her practice, particularly in cases involving vulnerable individuals and sensitive factual backgrounds, and have equipped her with a nuanced appreciation of the legal, social, and personal issues that often arise in serious criminal litigation.
Chloë is appointed to the CPS Specialist Panel and has experience acting for both the prosecution and the defence in counter-terrorism cases.
These cases frequently involve extensive digital evidence, including encrypted communications, online activity, highly specialised expert evidence, and extremist material, together with challenging issues of disclosure, evidential admissibility, and national security. She is experienced in managing large volumes of digital and intelligence-led material, identifying the issues central to the case, and navigating the procedural and legal challenges that characterise this highly specialised area of practice.
Chloë is committed to promoting social mobility at the Bar. She mentors aspiring barristers and has supported numerous candidates in securing pupillage and tenancy.
In 2022, she co-founded the Criminal Bar Association Hardship Fund, raising more than £100,000 to support practitioners facing financial hardship. The fund continues to play an important role in supporting retention within the criminal Bar. Chloë formed part of the team leading its transition to registered charitable status to secure its long-term future and now acts as one of its trustees.
As Secretary of the Criminal Bar Association, Chloë helped shape the Association’s work on professional culture, wellbeing, and criminal justice reform. She represented the criminal Bar in policy development, stakeholder engagement, and consultation with government, the senior judiciary, and criminal justice partners.
She is also committed to advocacy training and education. Alongside delivering training on the Midland and South Eastern Circuits, including assisting with the Advanced International Advocacy Course at Keble College, she is training to become an advocacy tutor for the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple.
On 24th April 2026 John Ashby was sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of a British Indian Sikh woman. He was sentenced to concurrent…
Thank you to everyone who attended tonight’s events to celebrate the book launch of Domestic Abuse and the Family Justice System. We hope you enjoyed…
Operation Ancone (2026) – Defending, led by Jonas Hankin KC, in a case concerning the death of a one-year-old child and alleged abuse and neglect of her and her siblings. The prosecution assert that the child died following a recent traumatic head injury, with expert evidence indicating a combination of impact and shaking, alongside multiple other non-accidental injuries including burns, fractures and internal trauma. The case involves complex medical, forensic and digital evidence, including allegations of prior abuse, failure to seek medical treatment, and exposure of the children to harmful substances. The defendants face charges of murder, causing or allowing the death of a child, and serious sexual offences. The case is ongoing.
R v Podszus (2026) – Prosecuting, the case concerns a defendant who pleaded guilty to offences including stirring up racial hatred through online publications, possession of prohibited images of children, possession of extreme pornography, and improper use of a public electronic communications network. The prosecution arose from an investigation into extremist activity on social media, which revealed extensive racist, antisemitic and misogynistic material, alongside communications promoting sexual violence and extremist ideology. Digital forensic evidence recovered from the defendant’s devices demonstrated possession of prohibited and extreme material, as well as sustained engagement with encrypted platforms and extremist content. The sentence is outstanding.
R v Ashby (2026)- Defending, led by Michelle Heeley KC before Pepperall J. The case concerns a series of serious offences including rape, intentional strangulation, robbery and religiously aggravated assault. The prosecution allege that the defendant followed a lone woman from a bus in Walsall to her home, forced entry, and subjected her to a prolonged and violent attack during which he used racist and anti-Muslim abuse. The prosecution’s case relies on forensic and identification evidence, including DNA, fingerprints recovered from items at the scene, and the complainant’s identification. The defendant denies all charges. The case is ongoing.
Operation Sajik (2026) – Prosecuting, led by Edward Brown KC before The Recorder of Stafford. The case concerned the murder of a woman, following a prolonged period of controlling, coercive and violent behaviour by the defendant, culminating in a fatal assault. The prosecution relied on extensive medical and expert evidence, including osteoarticular and forensic pathology, cardiothoracic histopathology and thoracic surgery, which demonstrated multiple injuries consistent with sustained and repeated abuse rather than an isolated incident. The defendant denied murder, asserting that the death was not the result of any unlawful assault, but the jury rejected his account and returned a unanimous verdict of guilty. He was sentenced to 24 years’ imprisonment.
Operation Podon (2026) – Defending, led by Phil Bradley KC before The Recorder of Birmingham. The case concerned a fatal house fire in Highters Heath, Birmingham, in September 2025, in which a 37-year-old man died in hospital from injuries sustained in the blaze. The prosecution alleged that the fire had been started deliberately. The defendant faced a charge of murder but was unanimously acquitted of that offence and convicted instead of manslaughter following a two-week trial.
Operation Crosstree (2026) – Prosecuting, led by Jonas Hankin KC before Cavanagh J. The case concerned the murder of a two-month-old child who died from catastrophic head injuries following her collapse at home in July 2020. Post-mortem and radiological investigations revealed multiple severe injuries, including complex skull fractures, extensive intracranial and spinal haemorrhage, retinal haemorrhaging, rib fractures and a fractured clavicle, with no evidence of natural disease to account for them. The prosecution relied on expert evidence in paediatric neuropathology, neuroradiology, ophthalmology and bone pathology, which established that the injuries were caused by the application of severe force and were inconsistent with any accidental mechanism. The defendant- the child’s mother- provided differing accounts in interview, each incompatible with the medical findings, and did not give evidence at trial. Following a six-week trial, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of murder. The defendant was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 19 years.
R Gyursick (2025) – Prosecuting, the case concerned the prosecution of a defendant for possessing and distributing extreme right-wing music intended to incite racial hatred. The defendant operated an international distribution network, purchasing and selling recordings containing racially inflammatory and proscribed content via an online platform, with financial transactions extending across multiple countries. The prosecution relied on digital, financial and communications evidence, as well as material recovered during a search of the defendant’s home to demonstrate sustained involvement in extremist activity. The defendant pleaded guilty to offences of distributing and possessing inflammatory recordings and was sentenced to 40 months’ imprisonment.
Operation Tavara (2025) – Prosecuting, led by Michael Burrows KC. The case concerned the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Connor Brookes in Walsall on 8 July 2024. Three defendants were charged with murder, possession of a firearm, and the attempted murder of a second man present at the scene, while a fourth defendant was charged with perverting the course of justice. The prosecution relied on CCTV, telematics, and ballistics evidence, and alleged the shooting was carried out in retaliation for the 2023 killing of Bailey Atkinson. All four defendants denied involvement but were convicted by a jury following a six-week trial.
Operation Navy (2025) – Prosecuting, this case concerned the prosecution of two parents who exposed their infant daughters to Class A drugs, resulting in a series of severe medical episodes. Both defendants were habitual drug users. Their two young children suffered life-threatening respiratory events, and in the case of the younger child, this exposure led to her death. The case was evidentially complex, with expert evidence relied upon across seven areas of paediatric medicine, toxicology, and perinatal and paediatric pathology. The children’s mother was sentenced to 31 months’ imprisonment, while the co-defendant- the children’s father- also received a custodial sentence.
Operation Thunderegg (2024) – Prosecuting, led by Jonas Hankin KC before Choudry J. The case concerned the death of a six-year-old disabled child who drowned in a bath while left unsupervised. Expert evidence from specialists in paediatrics and paediatric neurology was obtained to assess the extent of the child’s disabilities and the level of risk associated with leaving him unattended in a bath. The child’s father, who was responsible for his care at the time, was charged with gross negligence manslaughter. He later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 32 months’ imprisonment.
Operation Alert (2024) – Prosecuting, led by David Mason KC before Dove J at Birmingham Crown Court. The case concerned the manslaughter of a six-month-old child, who died from a catastrophic brain injury. The prosecution’s case was that the fatal injuries were caused by a severe impact to the head and violent shaking, resulting in complex skull fractures identified when he was admitted to hospital in a collapsed state. The case involved complex medical evidence, with experts instructed across five areas of clinical medicine and pathology. The defendant denied responsibility, asserting that the injuries were caused by an accidental fall while he was holding the child. The jury rejected this account and convicted him of manslaughter. He was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment, with the judge describing the offence as a “grotesque” breach of trust.
“Chloë is highly regarded by the senior judiciary. Her meticulous preparation, sound judgment and calm authority in court have earned her the confidence of judges before whom she regularly appears.”
“Few juniors of less than ten years’ call are entrusted by leading silks to take a defendant’s evidence in a murder trial or to lead the examination of an expert witness- but Chloë is, and it always pays off.”
“A first-rate advocate. Chloë is one of a handful of juniors who can appear against silks and hold her own. Her manner is very disarming.”
“You see her at her best in complex medical cases, where her intellect shines through. I have never known a junior to be so well prepared.”
“She is always top of our list when it comes to instructing in complex, serious cases. Chloë is extremely hard-working, diligent, and leaves no piece of plausible evidence unexplored.”
“Ms Ashley endears herself to clients almost immediately. She quickly masters the evidence in a way that appeals to a jury, and judges value her commitment to her cases.”
“A junior of remarkable promise. Undeniably one to watch, and her trajectory is firmly upward.”
“Chloë stands out amongst her peers. She is frighteningly hard-working and demonstrates exceptional attention to detail. She always does an impeccable job, and our clients absolutely love her. In court, she is unfailingly courteous and charming- she is an undoubted star.”
“She has a reputation for being a workaholic, which has seen her go on to become a successful and prominent junior barrister- a position she thoroughly deserves.”
“Her work is worthy of an advocate of 20 years’ call. She is very impressive on her feet.”
On 24th April 2026 John Ashby was sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of a British Indian Sikh woman. He was sentenced to concurrent…
Thank you to everyone who attended tonight’s events to celebrate the book launch of Domestic Abuse and the Family Justice System. We hope you enjoyed…
