Harriet Summerhayes

Practice areas

Crime
Financial remedy

What others say

‘…what an absolute pleasure she was to work with, diligent, forthcoming, and superb client care…‘

DW (Instructing solicitor)

Profile

Hetty graduated from Plymouth University with a first class law degree. After a brief period in London undertaking the BPC, she returned to Devon and commenced pupillage with Chambers under the supervision of Piers Norsworthy.

Hetty is a diligent barrister, known for her aptitude and thorough preparation, which translates in to assured advocacy. She is empathetic with clients, particularly those with vulnerabilities, but firm when required, willing to fight the corner of whomever she is representing.

Hetty enjoys a deliberately mixed practice, encompassing work in both crime and family finance.

Hetty’s criminal practice has grown rapidly, such that she is based in the Crown Court but will on occasion undertake work in the Youth Court. She is a CPS Level 1 Prosecutor, but is increasingly instructed to defend in increasingly serious cases.

Her work covers virtually the full spectrum of criminality: violent offences, weapons offences, arson, fraud, sexual offences, public order, harassment/stalking, motoring offences, drug offences, theft and offences against public justice.

Hetty’s criminal practice also extends to regulatory matters. She has experience in dealing with breaches of anti-social behaviour injunctions and applications by the Police, including appeals against the revocation of firearms/shotgun licences.

In family finance, Hetty has experience of dealing with hearing at all stages – FDA, FDR, final hearing and contempt hearings linked to financial remedy. She undertakes both legal aid and privately paid work in this area.

Hetty is regulated by the Bar Standards Board.

Recent Cases

R v T (2025). Defended at trial a man charged with perverting the course of justice, ABH and criminal damage in a domestic context.
R V J (2025). Defended a man charged with perverting the course of justice and assault. The case involved instruction of a phone expert to produce a full download of the complainant’s phone, which put a very different context on the messages relied upon by the Crown.
R v V (2025). Defended a man charged with controlling and coercive behaviour, intentional strangulation and stalking.
R v P (2025). Court appointed to cross-examine on behalf of a man charged with fraud offences arising from a former business relationship.