Rebecca Filletti is ranked in both The Legal 500 & Chambers & Partners as a leading junior in general crime:

“She is very professional in court and has excellent knowledge of the law.” – Chambers and Partners, 2025 Edition

“Rebecca has excellent communication with solicitors, clients and other professionals.” – Chambers and Partners, 2025 Edition

“She always strives to go the extra mile.” – Chambers and Partners, 2025 Edition

“She has excellent client care skills, advocacy and legal knowledge.” – Chambers and Partners, 2025 Edition

“She is a fantastic counsel specialising in criminal defence work.” – Chambers and Partners, 2025 Edition

“She is very hard-working and an exceptional advocate, with strong client care skills.” – Chambers and Partners, 2025 Edition

“The attention to detail she gives her cases is second to none.” – Chambers and Partners, 2025 Edition

“Her client care skills are exceptional and her legal and analytical skills are second to none.” – Chambers and Partners, 2025 Edition

“Rebecca is a joy to work with.” – Chambers and Partners, 2025 Edition

“Rebecca is a highly intelligent, skilled, and persuasive advocate. She is already considered a leading senior junior in Manchester and she is instructed in serious and sensitive cases of a kind rarely briefed to someone of her call, but which she is more than capable to conduct with ease”– Legal 500, 2025

“Rebecca Filletti is a sought-after junior with notable expertise in criminal defence. Her caseload includes murders, firearms conspiracies and drugs offences. She is particularly adept at representing vulnerable clients.” – Chambers and Partners, 2024 Edition

“Rebecca is outstanding. Her knowledge, written work, advice, applications, client care and advocacy are awe-inspiring.” – Chambers and Partners, 2024 Edition

“Rebecca’s knowledge of the law and case law really lends itself to a very imaginative way of using cases in the best interests of her clients.” – Chambers and Partners, 2024 Edition

“Regardless of the seriousness of the allegations, Rebecca always gives 100% commitment to a case in order to achieve the best result. She is a fearless and engaging advocate in court, but also has a very empathetic nature with those she represents, and she prepares all her cases extremely thoroughly and very quickly identifies the issues in a case.” – The Legal 500, 2024 Edition.

“Rebecca is incredibly thorough and leaves no stone unturned. Her dedication to her clients is exceptional and she has the perfect balance of making them feel special whilst maintaining the required level of professionalism. Her written advice is meticulous and her advocacy tenacious. She is an asset to the criminal Bar.” – The Legal 500, 2023 Edition

“She has endless energy and commitment to her cases.” – Chambers and Partners, 2023 Edition

“Rebecca identifies the salient issues. Her drafting is meticulous and her advocacy is strong.” – Chambers and Partners, 2023 Edition

“Rebecca devotes herself unreservedly to every case from start to finish. A joy to work with and always enthusiastic. If you are looking for a barrister who applies in-depth analysis, preparation and support backed up with detailed, meticulous advice you won’t be disappointed” – The Legal 500, 2022 Edition

“a superb oral advocate, always personable and persuasive in negotiation and in court. She is a forceful and courageous advocate who will not relinquish a good argument without a fight.” – The Legal 500, 2021 Edition

Rebecca is a highly regarded and experienced criminal practitioner. She specialises in criminal defence and has acted as counsel to defendants accused of the most serious criminal offences including terrorism, murder, manslaughter, rape, historic sexual allegations (including multi-complainant and grooming allegations), child cruelty, drug offences, fraud and offences relating to serious violence and firearms.

Due to her personable and empathetic approach Rebecca is regularly instructed to represent mentally vulnerable defendants. She has particular expertise dealing with fitness to plead issues, mental health defences and partial defences and disposals under the Mental Health Act 1983 and is vastly experienced in advising on the instruction of relevant experts to address issues such as possible fitness to plead, ability to form the necessary intent, diminished responsibility and psychological and/or neurological factors (such as autism or ADHD) that might impact upon the ability of the client to engage in and understand proceedings. She is adept in obtaining and using intermediaries for the entirety of proceedings. She also has particular expertise representing defendants who are victims of modern slavery and exploitation.

Rebecca has a wealth of experience in representing children and young people across a range of serious criminal offences and ensuring their effective participation in the Criminal Justice System. She has represented children across the full spectrum of criminal allegations and is an experienced advocate in cases involving young and vulnerable witnesses. She has particular expertise in representing children with special educational needs, learning disabilities and neurodiversities (including ASD and Autism).

Rebecca has noteworthy experience of representing parents and carers accused of serious offences of violence against children, including “baby shaking” and abusive head trauma cases. She is experienced in the handling of highly specialised complex medical evidence.

In addition to the above, Rebecca has experience of representing military personnel in Court Martial proceedings and she accepts instructions to review and advise on the safety of historic convictions. Rebecca’s practice also covers Prison Law and Inquest and Inquiries where she has been instructed on high profile cases. She has also successfully represented individuals facing prosecution by the Securities Industry Authority (‘SIA’), the RSPCA and other private prosecution authorities.

Media

Rebecca is regularly invited to speak about legal ‘hot topics’ in the media. She has most recently spoken on LBC radio about the sentences handed down to Hashem Abedi, the brother of the Manchester Arena bomber, and Adam Russell, an individual who walked through Gatwick Airport brandishing knives.

NOTABLE CASES

Murder & Manslaughter & Serious Crime 

B [2025] – Junior counsel led by Brenda Campbell KC of Lincoln House Chambers representing a male charged with unlawful act manslaughter.

F [2025] – Sole counsel representing defendant facing allegation of having a dog dangerously out of control causing death in relation to an ‘XL Bully’ who bit a family member.

H [2024]– Sole counsel representing defendant in 3-handed trial facing allegation of attempted murder involving a firearm.

M [2024] – ‘One punch’ GBH resulting in serious brain injury.

O [2024] – Sole counsel representing 15-year-old defendant facing allegation of attempted murder. Allegation of a group attack with machetes.

H [2024] – Sole counsel representing defendant facing allegation of attempted murder in domestic setting.

B [2024] – Junior counsel led by Rossano Scarmadella KC. Representing defendant in 5-handed trial facing an allegation of conspiracy to murder involving a firearm.

K [2023]– Leading counsel, leading Rebecca Penfold, representing defendant facing allegation of attempted murder involving a firearm.

A [2021] – Led by Brenda Campbell QC. Junior counsel in 8-handed murder trial in the new ‘super court’ in Manchester. Allegations of gang violence between the two sides. Issues were joint enterprise and participation. Many forensic issues arising (DNA and blood spatter). Drill music and lyrics played a pivotal part in the trial.

N [2021] – Led by Nina Grahame QC. Instructed as junior counsel in 2-handed murder trial involving two extremely young defendants (aged 14).

F [2020] Junior counsel led by Brenda Campbell QC in a case involving an allegation of murder in respect of a young male. Defendant was a young teenager whom had previously been found to be a victim of exploitation. Multi-handed County Lines case. Substantial amounts of CCTV evidence. Notice of application to dismiss resulted in matters being discontinued against the defendant.

Mental Health Defences

S [2025] – Junior Counsel led by Nina Grahame KC representing a woman charged with murder of her newborn baby who had been discovered outside Gulliver’s World in Warrington, 25 years prior. The highly specialised case involved significantly complex medical evidence covering specialities including paediatric neurology, paediatric neuroradiology, paediatric ophthalmology, forensic pathology and forensic paediatrics. Expert clinicians were instructed, to deal with the mental health of the defendant 25 years ago. Unusually, a plea to manslaughter was accepted on the basis of diminished responsibility grounded in the defendant’s post-natal depression. Suspended sentence imposed.

Y [2023] – Junior counsel led by Nina Grahame KC. Representing a woman charged with murder of her abusive partner. Exceptionally, a plea to manslaughter on the basis of loss of control was accepted by the prosecution following assessment of the defendant by numerous psychological and psychiatric experts and she was sentenced to 5 years and 3 months imprisonment. ‘Loss of control’ is a rare and difficult partial defence to murder, which required focused legal analysis of the factual scenario in which the defendant had stabbed the deceased with a knife.

T [2023] – Sole counsel representing a defendant facing an allegation of attempted murder in a domestic setting. The defendant had stabbed his partner to the neck and back seemingly in an unprovoked attack. Expert psychiatrists were instructed to provide assessment of the defendant’s capacity at the time of the assault, concentrating on his mental state alongside self-induced intoxication, with a specific focus on the length of any hypnopompic state (state of consciousness leading out of sleep). Following three days of legal argument regarding admissibility of hearsay evidence and bad character evidence and the nature of the medical evidence in the case, a plea to a section 18 GBH offence was accepted by the Crown. The defendant was sentenced to a determinate sentence of 5 years 2 months imprisonment.

G [2020] Junior counsel led by Nina Grahame QC representing a young woman facing an allegation of murder of a young father with a knife. A plea to manslaughter on the basis of loss of control was accepted following assessment of the defendant by a total of 6 experts analysing features relating to the apprehension of violence in light of PTSD and a learning disability. Determinate sentence imposed. Intermediary granted for entire proceedings.

Baby Shaking/ Infant Death/ Infant Abusive Head Trauma/ Infant Serious Injury

D [2025]– Junior counsel led by Clare Ashcroft of Lincoln House Chambers representing a male charged with infant abusive head trauma. Acted for a defendant accused of inflicting life changing injuries upon his infant step-daughter who was found collapsed with a serious brain injury. The highly specialised case involved significantly complex medical evidence: 10 Prosecution experts covering specialities including paediatric neurology, paediatric neuroradiology, paediatric ophthalmology, paediatric cardiology, forensic pathology and forensic paediatrics.

S [2025] – Junior Counsel led by Nina Grahame KC representing a woman charged with murder of her newborn baby who had been discovered outside Gulliver’s World in Warrington, 25 years prior. The highly specialised case involved significantly complex medical evidence covering specialities including paediatric neurology, paediatric neuroradiology, paediatric ophthalmology, forensic pathology and forensic paediatrics. Expert clinicians were instructed, to deal with the mental health of the defendant 25 years ago. Unusually, a plea to manslaughter was accepted on the basis of diminished responsibility grounded in the defendant’s post-natal depression. Suspended sentence imposed.

A [2025] – Sole counsel representing a father facing allegations of neglect and violence towards his four young children; trial involves cross examination of extremely young children.

Drug Offences 

S [2025] – Multi million pound import of Cocaine from the Netherlands by sea.

L [2025] – Large scale conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

S [2024] – Multi million pound important of cocaine from South America through Manchester Airport.

B [2024] – Large scale conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

A [2024] – Large scale conspiracy to supply Class A drugs; defendant unfit to plead.

H [2024] – Large scale conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

P [2024] – Large scale conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

M [2022] – ‘EncroChat’ case. D faced numerous counts of conspiracy to supply large amounts of Class A drugs.

D [2022] – D (who is autistic and was a child during the indicted period) faced numerous allegations of possession with intent to supply large quantities of Class A drugs. He had pleaded guilty in the lower courts. Following concerns of counsel, the defendant was referred to the NRM procedure and he was found to be a victim of child exploitation. Successfully vacated pleas and served letter before action in respect of the CPS decision to continue with the prosecution of the defendant; soon thereafter no evidence offered in respect of all counts.

A [2019] Complicated Proceeds of Crime Act (‘POCA’) proceedings (that were extended to a period in excess of 3 years in total) following a conviction for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs for which the defendant was sentenced to a period of 9 years custody.

Other Conspiracy Offences 

H [2021] Junior counsel led by Clare Ashcroft in a case involving allegations of conspiracy to rob by multiple defendants. Significant disclosure and CCTV footage, raising issues to do with calibration. Crown ultimately accepted a plea to possession of Cannabis with intent to supply.

M [2021] Conspiracy to possess firearms and conspiracy to convert firearms. Cross examination of cell site and telephone (data sessions) experts, included cross examination in respect of ‘Encro phones’.

P [2021] Defendant unfit to plead. Trial of issue. Legal applications pursued regarding the interplay between mens rea and actus reus in cases of conspiracy and to sever the trial from other co-defendants.

S [2019] Multi-handed conspiracy to steal and export high end sports cars. Significant cell site evidence. Defendant initially standing trial on 12 count indictment alleging conspiracy. Defence cell site report led to a plea to 1 count of simple theft being accepted by the Crown. Defendant sentenced to suspended sentence order.

S [2018] Represented high-profile individual who was facing allegations of conspiracy to defraud. Successful legal argument advanced objecting to the proposed live link venue in Russia, which led to a terminating ruling.

Sexual Offences 

L [2025] – Female care worker facing sexual allegations in respect of a 14-year-old in her care.

X [2025] – 12-year-old facing allegations of rape; unfit to plead.

T [2025] – Teenage defendant, facing allegations of rape in the context of a ‘grooming gang’.

K [2025] – Sexual allegations against a group of males, issues being intoxication and consent.

B [2024] – Allegation of rape after a party, issues were intoxication and consent. Involved significant review of telephone material leading to a section 41 application regarding the material contained therein. Defendant acquitted of all counts.

S [2023] – Teenage defendant, with significant cognitive, psychological and psychiatric issues facing multiple counts of sexual abuse and rape in relation to a number of complainants, including family members. Intermediary granted for the entire trial. Cross-examined young complainants under the section 28 provisions.

H [2023] – Defendant facing multiple allegations of sexual assault in respect of his daughter. Significant psychiatric and psychology assistance required for the defendant. Intermediary instructed for the full trial. Defendant acquitted of all counts.

S [2022] – D faced allegations of sexually assaulting three children. Cross-examined young complainants under the section 28 provisions. Acquitted of all counts.

S [2022] – D faced allegations of rapes. Issue was one of consent and reasonable belief in the same. Acquitted of all counts

Other Cases

H [2025] – Allegations of theft of hospital medication.

A [2024] – Junior counsel, led by Brenda Cambell QC. Representing teenager facing allegations of encouraging terrorism and disseminating terrorist publications.

Saunders v Romdhan (previously known as Ismale Abedi) [2021] EWHC 3274 (Admin) – Represented the respondent in the chairman of the Manchester Arena Inquiry’s application for a bench warrant directing the arrest of the respondent, who was the older brother of Salman and Hashem Abdei (Manchester Arena Bombing).

H [2019] The ‘Ross Geller’ from ‘Friends’ lookalike case that garnered international media attention. Police officer identification excluded following successful legal argument.

DPP v Giles [2019] EWHC 2015 [Admin] Case stated from the Magistrates Court regarding the requirement for a Newton Hearing when a court is considering accepting a guilty plea in a matter that is being presented by the prosecution as being aggravated by sexual orientation discrimination under section 146 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003.