Lidia Iancu

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Lidia Iancu

Call 2017

"Lidia Iancu is exceptional at case preparation and has extensive experience across all levels of criminal proceedings. Her strategic insight, meticulous attention to detail, and advocacy skills are outstanding. A pleasure to work with, Lidia brings professionalism, dedication, and a collaborative approach to every case." [2025]

Elena Abraham, Principal, Abraham White Law

Lidia has built a successful practice since becoming a tenant in August 2023.

Lidia prosecutes and defends before the Magistrates’ Court and the Crown Court.  She also prosecutes on behalf of Local Authorities and the Insolvency Service on a range of matters.

Of note, Lidia obtained an acquittal in the Crown Court within 30 minutes. This was her first Crown Court trial. The trial was in front of the Resident Judge who complemented Lidia for her calmness and advocacy.

Lidia also persuaded the Crown Prosecution Service to drop charges against her client in a cultivation of Cannabis case, where the amount of Cannabis was over 100kg. The defendant’s case was that he had been trafficked to the UK and that he played no part in the cultivation of the Cannabis.

Lidia secured an acquittal in the Magistrates’ Court for a defendant who was accused of assaulting a care home resident. The allegation had been reported by another member of staff.

Prior to pupillage, Lidia worked for over 4 years as a Legal Adviser in the Magistrates’ Court.

Lidia completed an internship at the European Court of Human Rights where she drafted reports and decisions on cases where the applicant had been a victim of rape, convicted of bribery or drug trafficking. One of her draft decisions was put before the Third Section of the Court and it is now a published judgment (Toran and Schymik v Romania).

Expertise

Notable Terrorism cases

R v HK [2026] Nottingham Crown Court

Lidia’s client stands to be sentenced for offences of distributing terrorist publication with intent and possession of documents containing information likely to be useful for terrorism purposes. An added complexity of the case is the fact that the client was 15 years old at the time of the offending. Sentence is due to take place later this month (June 2026).

Notable Financial Crime cases

R v DK [2026] Snaresbrook Crown Court

Lidia represented a defendant charged with handling stolen goods. The client was arrested as part of a group at an industrial unit which the Prosecution described as a chop shop. At the location various high value vehicles were found to have been dismantle. One of the vehicles involved had been stolen a few hours before the defendant was arrested at the garage. After a 5-day trial, the defendant was unanimously acquitted.

R v Fear & 4 Others [2025] Inner London Crown Court

Instructed on behalf of the prosecuting local authority, Southwark Council, and led in a complex multi-handed conspiracy to defraud case that involved diverting animal-by-product, meat destined for pet food, back into the human food chain. Convictions for all the defendants followed an 11-week trial at Inner London Crown Court.

R v IP [2025] Liverpool Crown Court

Represented a defendant charged with money laundering. The trial involved the cross-examination of a financial expert on the Hawala banking system. The NCA’s Senior Investigator, under cross-examination, conceded that key travel data was unreliable. Despite this development, the Prosecution made submissions that the total sum laundered was over £1,000,000. Lidia was able to persuade the judge that the sum laundered shouldn’t be more than £320,000. The client received a suspended sentence. At confiscation the Prosecution again proceeded on the wrong basis which they later had to concede and accepted the benefit figure as being £2,400.

Notable Organised Crime cases

R v EK [2026] Chelmsford Crown Court

The defendant was said to be part of an organised crime group, involving six other defendants, alleged to have been involved in a conspiracy to supply Class A and Class B drugs. Initially, the indictment was framed as a 5-year conspiracy. A basis of plea was submitted by the defence accepting involvement for 10 months, and a suspended sentence was imposed by the court.

R v LT [2026] Swindon Crown Court

Lidia’s client stood to be sentenced for 2 counts of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs. The defendant was linked to the Organised Crime Group after the arrest of 2 other members. The Crown placed the offending at the upper end of category 2 which would have resulted in a sentence of around 10 years. The defendant had a previous conviction for the same offence. He was sentenced to 5 years and 3 months’ imprisonment.

R v AD & 17 Others [2024] Maidstone Crown Court

Represented a defendant in a multi-handed trial (17 defendants), charged with conspiracy to commit “creeper style burglaries” of which there were 112 over a year and a half period. The prosecution relied on call data records, cell site and ANPR evidence. After a 5-week trial, Lidia’s client was unanimously acquitted. Lidia was instructed and ably assisted by Daniel Salter of Edwards Duthie Shamash, Solicitors.

R v LH [2023] Lincoln Crown Court

Represented a defendant alleged to be part of an organised group responsible for the cultivation of cannabis. He was discovered at premises containing in excess of 100kg of the drug. The defence case was that the defendant had been trafficked into the UK and that he played no part in the cultivation operation. Following representations to the Crown Prosecution Service, all charges against my client were dropped.

Notable Serious Violence cases

R v SP [2026] Basildon Crown Court

Lidia’s client faced a three-count indictment: section 18 GBH, section 20 in the alternative and possession of a knife. The client initially pleaded guilty to the section 20 offence. Lidia, instructed by the 3rd firm of solicitors to represent the defendant, applied to vacate the guilty plea. The application was successful and in due course the prosecution offered no evidence in respect of all counts.

R v LS [2026] Wood Green Crown Court

Lidia’s client faced a series of allegations against his former partner. Whilst on bail he was charged with further offences of witness intimidation and perverting the course of justice. The client received a suspended sentence.

R v TH [2025] Snaresbrook Crown Court

Lidia’s client was charged with robbery, possession of a bladed article (produced to threaten violence), possession with intent to supply Cannabis and breach of a suspended sentence. The robbery alone had a starting point of 4 years’ imprisonment. The defendant received a sentence of 2 years and 3 months.

R v NT [2024] Snaresbrook Crown Court

Lidia’s client was accused of having stabbed her partner in the leg with a knife. The complainant was said to have gone to his neighbours immediately after the incident, showing them the injury and telling them of the alleged incident. The prosecution offered no evidence after service of the Defence Statement which pointed out several holes in the prosecution case.

R v ST [2024] Wood Green Crown Court

Lidia represented a client charged with robbery. The Crown’s categorisation at sentence had a starting point of 4 years because a weapon had been used. The defendant received a 21-month suspended sentence.

Notable Sexual Offences cases

R v RR [2026] Ipswich Crown Court

Currently instructed as junior in the prosecution of ex Conservative Counsellor. During the indictment period the defendant was also a Detachment Commander in the Army Cadet Force and he also worked for the Combined Cadet Force at 2 local schools. He faces 28 counts ranging from rape to indecent images concerning 11 complainants. The trial is schedule to take place in October and it is expected to last for 4 weeks.

R v CY [2026] Bromley Youth Court

Currently instructed in a trial expected to last 3 days which concerns allegations of vaginal rape, oral rape and assault by penetration. Lidia’s client was 16 years old at the time of the offending.

R v MO [2026] Wood Green Crown Court

Currently instructed to represent a gentleman over the age of 70 accused of attempted rape on a complainant who suffers with dementia. The case is complicated by the fact that the prosecution is proceeding without the complainant.

R v RB [2025] Snaresbrook Crown Court

Lidia’s client pleading guilty on the day of trial to arranging the commission of a child sex offence. The underlying offence was one of rape. The Crown placed the offence within a category which had a starting point of 10 years imprisonment. Lidia’s client received a sentence of 7 years. The Judge was also persuaded not to make a finding of dangerousness.

Associations and Memberships

  • Criminal Bar Association
  • Women in Criminal Law
  • Middle Temple Young Barrister’s Association

  • LLB Law
  • BPTC

  • Lidia is a native Romanian and fluent Spanish speaker

Related News

Prosecution offers no evidence in GBH stabbing case. Lidia Iancu represented the defendant

News
9 January 2026

Ryan Thompson and Lidia Iancu receive Award at House of Lords ceremony as part of a multi-agency team in a major food safety operation

News
2 December 2025

What an amazing day we had yesterday exhibiting at the Pupillage Fair in London and speaking to so many aspiring criminal barristers!

News
19 October 2025

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