Overview
Matilda practises exclusively in crime and is instructed to both prosecute and defend. She practises across the Midlands, Thames Valley and London.
Matilda is a Grade 3 Prosecutor regularly instructed by the CPS from an early stage, to advise and act as trial counsel. Her work as junior counsel has involved complex issues of disclosure and liaison with Serious and Organised Crime Command. Matilda is Grade 2 on the Serious Crime Panel and is frequently instructed as led junior counsel on cases of the utmost gravity and complexity including murder, conspiracy, and high-value fraud.
Matilda’s extensive defence work has covered a wide range of criminal offences including sexual offences, fraud, money laundering and violent offences. She approaches each case with sensitivity to the client’s needs and vulnerabilities and fights tirelessly for the best outcome.
Matilda is currently the Assistant Secretary of the Criminal Bar Association and will hold this position until March 2026.
Prior to joining Chambers in 2018, Matilda interned at the International Criminal Court in The Hague and was responsible for drafting and translating evidence for the Presiding Judge in a mass genocide case. She worked as a paralegal in large scale industrial espionage cases at White and Case, Mishcon de Reya and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Matilda also interned at NATO headquarters in Brussels, working on matters of cyber defence and service level agreements between different nations.
Matilda is fluent in French and has a keen interest in international affairs, having spent much of her life abroad and in military settings.
Crime
Recent Prosecution Cases
R v KV and others [Birmingham CC] – Prosecution junior on a vast multi-handed ‘crash for cash’ conspiracy to defraud. This case involved an extensive investigation by City of London Police’s IFED into a sophisticated system of defrauding credit and insurance companies through the creation of false road traffic collisions, resulting in criminal convictions for all ten Defendants.
Reported here: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/conmen-bogus-insurance-claims-pocketed-30904860
OPERATION VOYAGE/CHACOA [Wolverhampton CC] – Prosecution junior on a multi-handed conspiracy to commit aggravated burglaries. An organised crime group seeking to target cannabis factories carried out attacks on five properties in December 2019; occupiers of these properties were attacked with machetes and hammers. Matilda was instructed by the Complex Crime Unit of West Midlands CPS.
Reported here: https://www.expressandstar.com/news/crime/2024/03/28/driver-in-cannabis-raid-conspiracy-jailed-for-nine-years-after-guilty-verdict/
OPERATION COBIA [Wolverhampton CC] – Prosecution junior on a multi-handed conspiracy to burgle. A group of burglars, who likened themselves to the ‘sticky bandits’, robbed vast amounts of metal from industrial units in the West Midlands. Matilda was instructed by the Complex Crime Unit of West Midlands CPS.
Reported here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd9nk7dv8pno
R v AR [Birmingham CC] – Prosecution of man indicted with Grievous Bodily Harm, who attacked another man at a Monsters Truck concert, causing him to suffer a bleed on the brain.
Reported here: https://metro.co.uk/2024/01/30/man-beat-gig-goer-glare-bald-head-spoiling-view-20193077/
R v AS [Birmingham CC] – Prosecution of a series of knife point robberies throughout Birmingham. This case involved extensive submissions relating to youth sentencing principles.
OPERATION BAROLO [Woolwich CC] – Prosecution of a series of armed robberies of Post Offices in Plumstead.
R v JB, AM, JT [Brighton CC] – Disclosure junior in 3-handed murder where a house fire was started over a row involving a drugs debt, killing a woman and child. This role involved extensive review of complex material and liaison with disclosure officers.
Reported here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-57280966
Recent Defence Cases
R v NS, LS, SS, BS, PT [Leicester CC] – Representation of male involved in multi-handed conspiracy to defraud, securing a suspended sentence of 8 months.
Matilda was instructed by Macauley Smith.
Reported here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crgk577r8nlo
R v M [Portsmouth CC] – Client acquitted of multiple counts of assault, where there was relevant CCTV covering the assault.
R v E [Portsmouth YC] – Successful submission of ‘no case to answer’ for 17-year-old client charges with multiple offences of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
R v A [Portsmouth CC] – Client acquitted of multiple counts of benefit fraud where she was alleged to have hidden inheritance payments.
Education
- BPTC, The University of Law, 2015
- GDL, The University of Law, 2014
- BA in French, King’s College London, 2013
- Lincoln’s Inn European Scholar
Languages
- French (fluent)
Memberships
Lincoln’s Inn
Criminal Bar Association
Women in Criminal Law
Appointments
Assistant Secretary of the Criminal Bar Association 2025 – 2026
News
Unanimous convictions for joint enterprise stabbing in Coventry – Matilda Robinson-Murphy prosecuted for the Crown
Said Raza, Emal Ahmadzi and Hanif Rahman faced charges arising from an incident in October 2024 when members of an opposing group were stabbed...
Matilda Robinson-Murphy elected Assistant Secretary of the Criminal Bar Association
Matilda has been elected as the Assistant Secretary of the Criminal Bar Association; she will hold the position until March 2026. " I am...
2KBW members support undergraduates in Lady Margaret Moot
Russell Pyne, Simon Foster, Steve Molloy and Matilda Robinson-Murphy attended the University of Cambridge on Saturday 1st March 2025 to adjudicate first, second and...
Matilda Robinson-Murphy running for the position of Assistant Secretary of the Criminal Bar Association.
We are proud to announce that Matilda Robinson-Murphy is running for the position of Assistant Secretary of the Criminal Bar Association. The election is...
2KBW CPS Serious Crime Panel Grade 2 appointments
Congratulations to Richard Sedgwick and Matilda Robinson-Murphy who have received their CPS Serious Crime Panel Grade 2 accreditations.
2KBW CPS Panel Grade 3 appointments
Congratulations to Claire Langevad, Matilda Robinson-Murphy, Ellie Sheahan, Shona Probert, Laura Hollingbery and Leigh Hart who have all received their CPS Level 3 accreditations.
Crime Team
crime@2kbw.com
+44 20 7353 1746