Nine Chambers is delighted to congratulate Vanessa Thomson and Phil Barnes, who were today appointed King's Counsel at the ceremony...
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Overview
Vanessa Thomson KC is Head of the Criminal Team at Nine Chambers and has over 25 years’ experience of both prosecuting and defending cases of the utmost gravity and complexity.
In 2026, Vanessa Thomson was appointed one of King’s Counsel. She is the first female criminal practitioner to be appointed KC in Manchester since 2019.
Vanessa began her career at another set of chambers in Manchester, before joining the Crown Prosecution Service in 2008 as one of Manchester’s first ‘Senior Crown Advocates’. She remained at the Crown Prosecution Service for three years where she gained a much deeper understanding of the investigation into complex cases, pre-charge advice, disclosure and case-building.
Vanessa joined Nine Chambers in 2011 and rapidly grew a practice where she both prosecutes and defends, instructed as both leading and junior counsel. She is sought out for her meticulous preparation, where it is often said that ‘no stone is left unturned’. She is also instructed due to her ability to communicate with clients and witnesses who are vulnerable, and has a vast amount of experience with young people, those who have mental health issues and those who are neurodiverse. A tenacious advocate, she retains the ability to communicate with juries and tribunals in a common-sense manner.
As Head of the Criminal team, Vanessa has led the team through the fall-out from COVID, the Crown Court backlog and an unprecedented bar strike. She continues to promote the ‘gold standard’ amongst the criminal practitioners at Nine Chambers through the provision of continuing education, supporting the ambitions of junior members, providing one-to-one support and ensuring the well-being of the team.
She has established the annual ‘Open House’ event at Nine Chambers which aims to make becoming a barrister more accessible. The event is open to all graduates and post-graduates and provides an opportunity for students to meet with members of chambers and see what life is like within chambers. Nine Chambers is committed to promoting social mobility, diversity, equality and inclusion.
She is involved with chambers’ charitable fund ‘Nine Lives’ as a committee member and with fundraising for the Nine Lives charities and ‘Barnabus’ – a homeless charity in the centre of Manchester. Each year, she galvanises a team from within chambers to participate in the Manchester 10k to raise funds for Barnabus.
Outside of her practice and chambers, she is a committee member of Manchester ‘Women in Criminal Law’. She is keen to promote more women achieving their ambitions at a senior level and to see the retention of more female practitioners within the Criminal Justice System.
Awards
Criminal
Vanessa Thomson KC’s practice encompasses serious and complex cases including murder, manslaughter, attempted murder, rape and serious sexual assaults, organised crime, large-scale drug conspiracies, fatal road traffic offences and fraud. She has prosecuted and defended these cases at all levels. Vanessa has appeared in the Court of Appeal dealing with conviction and sentence appeals on behalf of the Crown and the Defence.
Prior to taking silk, Vanessa was a Category 4 Prosecutor, specialising in serious crime and rape and sexual abuse. Her last trials before taking silk included being instructed as prosecution junior in a three-handed murder trial where there were issues around joint enterprise and loss of control. She also conducted a trial where, following a successful legal argument, the case was presented using ‘res gestae’ evidence following the withdrawal of the complainant’s co-operation in a serious stranger sex attack.
When instructed to prosecute, her services are often engaged at an early stage. This is to assist with pre-charge advice, consideration of strategies for trial or discussing how vulnerable witnesses are able to give their best evidence before the jury. Where needed, she engages in early special measures meetings with complainants in order to put them at their ease. Vanessa has extensive knowledge in the area of disclosure and dealing with sensitive disclosure issues.
Vanessa’s experience from her prosecution practice has very much enhanced her defence practice, particularly in the area of disclosure and the pursuit of proper lines of enquiry. Her understanding of the vulnerability of witnesses ensures that Vanessa deals with witnesses respectfully and appropriately when defending, whilst ensuring the defence case is not diminished in any way.
Her diligence, tenacity, care and experience mean that she is sought after as an advocate. In addition, her down-to-earth manner ensures that lay clients, especially young and vulnerable defendants and witnesses are instantly put at ease at every stage in the proceedings. Vanessa is keen to ensure that whatever a person’s background, they feel they are included and heard in the criminal justice system.
Vanessa works closely with instructing solicitors at each stage of a case and is always available to discuss any issues that may arise.
Notable Cases
- R. v. AC (2026) – Preston Crown Court. Sole defence counsel prosecuting a serious sexual attack perpetrated by a stranger upon a vulnerable complainant. The case proceeded using evidence admitted under the doctrine of res gestae following detailed legal arguments.
- R. v. NB (2025) – Manchester Crown Court. Junior prosecuting counsel in a murder trial. The deceased had come to the UK from Pakistan to live with her husband and extended family. She was ostracised by her father-in-law due to a perceived challenge to his authority and then murdered by him.
- R. v. AE (2025) – Minshull Street Crown Court. Sole defence counsel representing a community figure who had been accused of sexually assaulting three children. Bad character evidence was introduced from a previous trial where he had been acquitted of three further sexual assaults.
- R. v. DS (2025) – Bolton Crown Court. Sole defence counsel for a man who was accused of rape. The Crown had footage of the incident and suggested that the footage showed the complainant asleep at the material time. Careful analysis of the footage alongside disclosed material demonstrated this was not the case.
- R. v. DM (2025) – Manchester Crown Court. Sole defence counsel for a defendant charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs. This was a case where duress and the modern slavery defence had to be considered due to the defendant’s vulnerabilities. He had been exploited due to a serious debilitating neurological disorder.
- R. v. DD (2024) Liverpool Crown Court. Sole counsel dealing with the prosecution of a serving officer who had sexually assaulted a 6 year old child whilst on duty investigating an assault perpetrated upon her. Pre-charge advice was provided regarding material that was later discovered upon the defendant’s phone showing a clear sexual interest in children.
- R. v. KH (2024) Manchester Crown Court. Sole counsel dealing with a very vulnerable defendant who was elderly and had a late diagnosis of autism. He was charged with a series of historic sexual offences. Whilst deemed fit to plead, a number of intermediaries felt that he was unable to participate in proceedings. Eventually, working extensively with an intermediary who had expertise in autism, this defendant was able to provide his instructions and give his best evidence.
- R. v. OK (2024) Preston Crown Court. Sole counsel defending a severely autistic 15 year old boy accused of attempted murder. The boy confessed to police officers that he was intending to travel to another county to kill another person, with a knife that he had in his possession. Following the submission of legal argument regarding whether he had truly ‘attempted’ the crime, the Crown offered no evidence. Following a plea to having a knife in his possession, the young person was sentenced to an order that would fully support his neurodiversity needs.
- R. v. OM (2024) – Manchester Crown Court. Junior defence counsel in a murder trial. The defendant pleaded guilty to murdering his ex partner in front of her children. This case required careful questioning of two young children who were clearly traumatised by what they had witnessed. The defendant had significant mental health issues, including PTSD.
- R. v. JV, GK and MV (2024) – Bolton Crown Court. Junior prosecuting counsel. This case involved an extremely vulnerable 11 year old girl who made allegations that her step-father had raped her over some time, which her mother was aware of. Due to her trauma and intervening events, the complainant provided a number of video interviews and she had to be questioned with considerable care, particularly in re-examination.
- R. v. SH (2023) – Liverpool Crown Court. Leading junior counsel prosecuting a serving police officer who had systematically controlled, raped and sexually abused a family member throughout their childhood into adulthood. He used his authority as a police officer to suppress any complaints being made against him. He was convicted and received an extended sentence in excess of 30 years.
- Operation Feverfew (2023) – Liverpool Crown Court. Junior prosecution counsel in the a multi-defendant murder trial. Eight defendants were convicted of the retribution murder and kidnap of a man who they wrongly believed had committed a serious sexual assault upon a young female.
- R. v. JB (2023) – Manchester Crown Court. Sole defence counsel for a man accused of multiple counts of rape and controlling and coercive behaviour. A thorough review of the unused material provided material which could be utilised in cross-examination which fundamentally undermined the complainant’s credibility. The defendant was acquitted after trial.
- Operation Acton (2022) – Preston Crown Court. Junior prosecution counsel in a case involving the gross negligence manslaughter of a young adult with Downs Syndrome. The parent carer had neglected to treat a serious illness and failed to feed them or seek medical attention for them. This led to extreme and avoidable suffering.
- R. v. MR and Others (2022) – Minshull Street Crown Court. Sole defence counsel for a youth with learning difficulties charged with kidnap and serious assaults.
- R. v. SR (2022) – Liverpool Crown Court. Sole prosecuting counsel in a case involving a service police officer charged with misconduct in a public office.
- R. v. PL and AR (2022) – Manchester Crown Court – Sole counsel prosecuting a case involving serious harm caused to a baby who was six weeks old. This involved the presentation of complex medical evidence and careful cross examination of two young parents.
- R. v. CM (2022) – Manchester Crown Court – Sole prosecuting counsel involving the rape and serious sexual assault of a child aged 8.
- R. v. PM (2022) – Manchester Crown Court. Sole defence counsel for a man accused of serious sexual offences. The defendant had previous convictions for serious sexual offences which were very upsetting. Despite the admission of that evidence, the defendant was acquitted of the matters tried upon the indictment.
- Operation Rivington (2021) – Minshull Street Crown Court. Leading junior counsel prosecuting a team of defendants involved in the conspiracy to transfer firearms and ammunition across the country.
- R. v. ST (2021) – Manchester Crown Court. Sole defence counsel for a man involved in the historic sexual abuse of schoolboys in various football teams in the 1980’s.
- R. v. TB (2021) – Preston Crown Court. Sole defence counsel instructed on behalf of a female client who is involved in a large operation to supply Class A drugs in Lancashire.
- R. v. MH (2022) – Minshull Street Crown Court. Sole defence counsel for a client involved in a multi-kilo supply of cannabis conspiracy. The defendant received a suspended sentence of imprisonment once a favourable basis of plea had been accepted.
- Operation Kellett (2020) – Bolton Crown Court. Sole counsel prosecuting a team of men involved in a conspiracy to cause an explosion where a hand grenade was thrown into a car in a residential area.
- R. v. GP (2020) – Minshull Street Crown Court. Sole prosecuting counsel in a case involving a complainant with severe autism who had accused a step-parent of sexual offences. A number of strategies had to be deployed to assist the witness in giving her best evidence and to help her overcome the ordeal of giving evidence.
- R. v. RD (2021) – Minshull Street Crown Court. Sole defence counsel in a case involving death by dangerous driving. The defendant entered a guilty plea to death by careless driving and received a suspended sentence of imprisonment.
- R. v. DW (2019) – Minshull Street Court – Sole defence counsel for a man who was alcohol dependant and had learning difficulties charged with historic rape. This was a man who could barely function on a daily basis. With the assistance of an intermediary, he was able to provide instructions and present his evidence which led to his acquittal.
- R. v. LF (2019) – Manchester Crown Court. Sole defence counsel instructed on behalf of a man in his 80’s accused of the murder of his wife. A plea to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility was accepted by the Crown and the defendant received a suspended sentence of imprisonment.
Associations
Member of the Denning Society
Criminal Bar Association
Education
LLB (Hons), University of Liverpool
Awards
Sir Thomas More Bursary, Lincoln’s Inn
Prescribed Information
Vanessa Thomson is a practising barrister, regulated by the Bar Standards Board. Details of information held by the BSB about Vanessa can be found here.
Vanessa’s clerks will provide no obligation quotations for all legal services that she offers. Vanessa accepts instructions on legal aid rates where those are available, details of which can be found here. For other work, Vanessa usually charges a brief fee plus refresher fees for court hearings, with advisory, conference and other preparation work charged at an hourly rate. Vanessa aims to return paperwork within 14 working days, however her professional commitments, complexity and volume of documentation can affect these approximate timescales.
