Elizabeth Ridgway

Partner & Supervising Solicitor

Elizabeth joined the Criminal department of Burton Copeland as a newly qualified solicitor in 1996 where she specialised in Magistrates court matters and police station attendances, throughout the North West. She has since obtained her Higher Rights of Audience allowing her to also represent clients in the Crown Court and Court of Appeal.

She has a proven track record and an excellent reputation in Criminal defence work lasting nearly twenty years and she was made a salaried Partner in 2007. She deals with a broad spectrum of cases including general crime, youths, football banning orders, dangerous dogs and neighbour disputes.

She prides herself on providing an excellent professional service and is a robust and thorough advocate.

Notable Cases:

R v V: represented a client charged with an allegation of police assault resulting in an acquittal after trial.

R v K: charges of outraging public decency resulted in a two month curfew order. Link to press coverage

R v C: following representations, achieved a conditional discharge on behalf of client convicted of a serious assault.

R v H: successfully defended an allegation of a serious assault on a neighbour resulted in the acquittal of her client.

R v K: represented a suspect at the police station in relation to an allegation of domestic assault. the suspect was released without charge.

R v C: represented a client charged with the fraudulent evasion of excise duty in excess of £10,000. He was arrested at the airport with a large amount of undeclared cigarettes, he was dealt with by way of a community order.

R v B: represented a client who pleaded guilty to possession of a knife. The client had a similar previous conviction and successfully argued that the minimum starting point sentence of 6 months imprisonment should not apply. The client instead received a suspended sentence .

R v W: The client had an acquired brain injury and the issue was whether he was fit to plead. The prosecution offered no evidence at trial and he was acquitted of assault.

R v H: The client bought a car that turned out to have false number plates and was stolen. The issue at trial was that the client did not know or believe that the car was stolen. He was acquitted after trial.

R v H: The client ran a local corner shop and was charged by Trading Standards with selling cigarettes which did not display the required heath warnings. On the day of trial the prosecution offered no evidence and she was acquitted of all charges.