Ruth is ranked as a leading individual at the Bar in the Legal 500 and ranked as tier 1 Counsel in Chambers and partners .
Ruth has a wealth of experience defending and prosecuting in all manner of criminal cases of the upmost gravity including offences of murder, terrorism , rape, robbery, kidnap, grave sexual offences, (involving multiple complainants, multiple defendants and young children ) drug conspiracies and dishonesty.
She is a specialist in cases involving vulnerable and disabled persons, both children( as young as three) and adult , and is well known for her skill with dealing with such witnesses .
She prosecutes for the CPS , DWP and local authority and has been on the rape panel and has been a grade 4 prosecutor for over 25 years .

Recent Notable Cases

 

R v Devonte Toutsaut (Operation Arbus) (Defence) - multi handed (12 defendants) OCG case involving kidnap torture , blackmail involving firearms. One of victims caused life changing injuries. Was leading Junior. Evidence involved a combination of cell site data, phone material, CCTV and association in evidence at multiple locations in the UK. Trial 1 lasted 4 months before Court ordered it be discharged and retrial split the defendants into two groups . Ms Smith's client was one of only three who were acquitted by the Jury.

 

R v Api Ratuniyarawa- very high profile case of sexual assault by a Fijian International Rugby player who was due to play for the Barbarian rugby side in Cardiff and who had committed three sexual assaults over three consecutive nights.

 

R v Gareth Rogers (Defence) - historic rapes and other sexual offences committed on pupils by a teacher in the 1970's.

 

R v Gareth Workman (Defence)- historic sexual offending against multiple complainants when they were children.

 

R v Joshua Lovering (Prosecuting) - autistic man attacking vulnerable women after threatening them with a weapon

R v Olasemo a sophisticated Fraud involving the Defendant posing as an America military officer on match dot com to embezzle multiplev Complainants who became his “ girlfriends of many 100,000 of pounds used the buy property in Nigeria( Prosecution counsel )
Rv Bidmead and others Conspiracy to commit armed ( gun ) robberies - on spar shops in Newport defence Counsel
Rv Salimpirik 4 defendant gang rape defence counsel
RV Peter and Avril Griffiths ( dubbed by the papers as the Fred and Rose West of Barry ) junior defence Counsel for Rose West in multi complainant historic rape offences
R v Natalie Parsons a terrorism case ( Old Bailey ) involving the manufacture of explosives and pipe bombs- (defence counsel)
RV Joseph Jeremy & 4 others robbery and knife point murder, cut throat defence ,( defendant both a juvenile and autistic with complex behavioural problems ) junior defence counsel
RV Behar Kaci & others an OCG murder involving cannabis farms (junior defence counsel )
RV ALD child rape and sexual offences father on daughter involving a deaf defendant who required a deaf intermediary and a sign language interpreter to communicate.
RV B G and AP causing or allowing serious injury to a child contrary to s5 of DVCVA 2004 suffocation of a 20 week old child causing devestating brain injury with reduced life expectancy junior Defence Counsel of Mother
Rv Leighton Chambers and 6 others case involving allegations of a paedophile ring ( defence counsel) case that inspired the book Violet Oak )
R V Callum Morgan and another Defendant S18/Robbery/ False imprisonment defendant posed as a Policeman to enter household before handcuffing stabbing and robbing occupants ( defence )
RV Dawn Whittaker multiple Complainant child cruelty (defence )
RV Mbaka rape (defence )
R V Vera Prera - Day illtreatment of person who lacked capacity Prosecution .
R V C & C husband and wife “ in rape and sexual offences committed on natural daughter ( defence )
Felicity Rowlands Peverting the Course of Justice ( defence)
Amara Harris Peverting the Course of Justice ( Harry Baker Murder ) defence
R v Renildo Ferreira stranger street rape by juvenile with psychiatric issues due to brain injury ( defence )
RV AG historic rape and sexual offences by father with others on natural daughter , DNA tests showing he was the father of his grandchild first trial unfit due to a stroke, 4 years later deemed fit and retried .
R V Redman 40 year old multiple complainant sexual offences
R V Bacar & Adao heroin conspiracy
RV Mikuckis stranger posing as taxi driver abducting female and sexually assaulting her .
R v Mervyn Pendragon
R V Azzopardi , Mitchell and Cowhen amphetamine factory (Prosecution )
RV Lazarus conspiracy to supply Cannabis (defence )
RV Ford and others and others county line conspiracy class A (prosecution )
RV Julie Smith and others County line cocaine conspiracy ( defence )
RV B attempt rape of 89 year old after forcing entry to house armed , with rope and tape -Prosecution
Rv Stone rape and strangulation case defendant already on life licence for murder with an “ unhealthy interest in strangulation prosecution
RV Dixon rape of 90 year old victim in own home Defence
Rv A possession of uzi
Rv Phillip Abram Cash for crash fraud
Rv Abdul Kahbir and 4 others million pound counterfeit cigarette fraud defence
R V Dawe attempt murder S 18 frenzied knife attack on girl friend stabbing her 9 times Defence

 

Rankings

 

Chambers 2023 tier one

“Ruth Smith is a specialist in a wide range of cases, including those concerning serious fraud, sexual offences and violent crimes.

She has gained particular praise for her personable nature and her ability to sensitively handle vulnerable witnesses.”

“Ruth is simply awesome. She gives clear advice and is extremely good at the cross examination of children.“

“Ruth is very emotionally intelligent. “

Chambers 2024 tier 1

 

"Ruth Smith is a specialist in a wide range of cases, including those concerning serious fraud, sexual offences and violent crimes. She has gained particular praise for her personable nature and her ability to sensitively handle vulnerable witnesses".

 

Strengths

"Ruth is great with vulnerable witnesses and has a calm authority to her advocacy. She very much reels you in with a still authority".

 

"She has a fantastic work ethic and achieves great results time and time again".

 

"She is an extremely effective trial lawyer".Ruth Smith is a specialist in a wide range of cases, including those concerning serious fraud, sexual offences and violent crimes. She has gained particular praise for her personable nature and her abilisensitively handle vulnerable witnesses.

Strengths
"Ruth is great with vulnerable witnesses and has a calm authority to her advocacy. She very much reels you in with a still authority."

"She has a fantastic work ethic and achieves great results time and time again."

Legal 500 2023

“ Ruth excels in her preparation and advice she regularly achieves fantastic results.”