Elizabeth
Schofield (2000)
Principal Areas of Practice
Crime
Family
Professional Experience
Elizabeth practises mainly
in criminal
and family law.
She
prosecutes and defends in a wide
variety of criminal cases at all levels. Her crown court work has
encompassed immigration offences, anti-social behaviour orders and
offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act as well as the more usual
drugs, violence and dishonesty.
She has experience of dealing
with
sexual offences, mental disorder and fitness to plead issues, and
young and vulnerable witnesses. Recent cases have involved
cross-examining a 9-year-old complainant of domestic abuse and
defending a teenager with a very low mental age on a 4-handed arson
with intent charge and dealing with the issues of fitness to plead
and joint enterprise which arose. Elizabeth has dealt with serious
youth court matters such as robbery and violent disorder.
Elizabeth also prosecutes for
the
probation service in the magistrates and crown courts.
In family law Elizabeth deals
with all
aspects of private family law including ancillary relief. She
recently represented the father in a complex residence and contact
dispute involving split siblings.
Reported Case
- Sills v DPP (2006) EWHC 3383 Case no.co/4958.2006 - whether half a pool cue unscrewed from the other half should have been found to fall within the second limb of s.1(4) of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953 as an article adapted for use for causing injury to the person.
