Ruth Zentler-Munro

2004

Ruth is a passionate advocate, who brings real personal commitment and a keen sense of justice to her practice. Her practice is balanced between prosecution and defence work. Ruth adopts an individualistic and humanistic approach to her cases and understands that no matter how ‘trivial' the case may be in legal terms, it is of the utmost concern to those involved in it. Ruth is particularly adept at dealing with vulnerable clients, whether they be young, mentally disordered or suffering from the ill/after- effects of serious addictions. These ‘soft skills' are counterbalanced by a strong interest in the intellectual side of law: Ruth is always keen to test doctrinal limitations when advancing legal arguments.

Ruth has a great deal of experience in all areas of crime, in particular: violence, drugs, dishonesty offences, public order and sexual offences.

Ruth is a member of Lawyers for Liberty, Amnesty International, the Criminal Bar Association and is a mentor to disadvantaged teenagers through the Social Mobility Foundation.

Higher Court

Regina v Harvey
Court of Appeal [2009] EWCA Crim 469

Ruth was commended for her careful and forceful submissions in relation to an appeal against conviction involving the Judge's direction on self-defence. (The later Court of Appeal case of R v Keane and McGrath [2010] EWCA Crim 2514, the Court of Appeal specifically approved the direction that Ruth had encouraged the Judge to give ‘It seems to us that that kind of homely expression, can quite well encapsulate the question which may arise if an original aggressor claims the ability to rely on self-defence. We would commend it as suitable for a great many cases.')

R (on the application of Bromley LBC) v Bromley Magistrates Court [2011] EWHC 432 (Admin)
Ruth was commended for her advocacy by both of their Lordships ‘Miss Zentler-Munro, appearing on behalf of the claimant, the London Borough of Bromley, today and who has put the matter very well indeed, has been able to make her points succinctly and forcefully.'

R v Penny and others
Ruth is in the process of stating a case to the High Court, in relation to whether snatching a cigarette from someone's hand can constitute the use of force, where there is no evidence that contact was made with the person's hand.

LED

R v Davies Multi-handed drug-related murder, where one of the defendants turned QE and implicated the client who became first on the indictment.
R v Reid Multi-handed drugs conspiracy involving months of surveillance.

Defence

R v Hamra Represented defendant who organised and was chief protagonist in a series of gun-point robberies organised through the Gumtree.
R v Mansaray Represented a youth who organised a robbery through the
Gumtree where the complainant was stabbed.
R v Allen Represented young male with mental health difficulties who was first on the indictment in relation to a group sex attack on a young girl. Almost every legal argument was advanced: section 41, bad character, hearsay and section 78.
R v Scanlon Drugs case involving unauthorised surveillance.
R v Wood False imprisonment, burglary and ABH of vulnerable complainant.
R v Zarma Section 18 where the complainant gave evidence for the defence!
R v Maloney Represented a footballer charged with assaulting a woman in a
nightclub.
R v Best International drugs importation involving undercover
surveillance.
R v Grimbley Multi-handed affray.
R v Manley Racially aggravated road rage incident where the defendant was acquitted despite admitting that he had lied throughout his police interview because he didn't feel the need to tell the truth.
R v Harrison represented a mentally vulnerable defendant and persuaded the Crown to accept a conditional caution, notwithstanding the fact that she had attacked someone by beating them over the head with a pan.
R v Chudas Represented mentally vulnerable defendant and persuaded the Crown to offer no evidence against the defendant.
R v Atkinson Represented a young man who was first on the indictment in relation to a violent disorder that left one of the complainants with a fractured skull.
R v Ekonomu Dwelling burglary.
R v Robertson Multi-handed robbery.
R v St Louis Drugs offences dropped after extensive disclosure requests pertaining to the police officers' (im)propriety.
R v Joesph Section 18 and robbery where it was alleged the defendant had stabbed the complainant twice following a drug deal gone wrong.
R v Hunter Sexual assault on a young complainant.
R v Smicle Section 20 against a police officer where the young defendant was acquitted despite giving evidence contrary to 5 police officers.

Prosecution

R v Ah-Sun Conducted a benefit fraud prosecution on behalf of a local authority where the defendant had been fraudulently claiming for over 10 years but some of the original documentation was available.
R v Reid & others Prosecuted multi-handed violent disorder and associated weapons offences.
R v Byrne Prosecuted 2 joined cases of theft in breach of trust. It was the first time the defendant was convicted despite having been charged with similar offences 6 times previously.
R v Ellsmore Threats to kill, witness intimidation and dangerous driving.
R v Whyte Section 20 against a mentally vulnerable complainant who
R v Mahoney Professionally organised theft of vast amounts of copper from the railway.
R v Wright Affray and section 20.
R v Winiarski Multi-handed violence and public disorder.
R v Walker Straightforward ABH and bladed article made more complicated by the fact that the defendant claimed to be unfit to be tried.

News

Ruth Zentler-Munro and Nichola Higgins interviewed by the Times
13 November 2011
Ruth Zentler-Munro judicially reviewed the Bromley Magistrates Court
Ruth successfully judicially reviewed the Bromley Magistrates Court decision to dismiss charges for want of a prosecutor.
30 March 2011