Sunyana Sharma

Sunyana Sharma

Call 2006
Email sunyana.sharma@3pb.co.uk
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Public Law & Regulatory

Sunyana Sharma is a regulatory and criminal law specialist with an emphasis on work animal welfare, trading standards, benefit fraud and health and safety.  Sunyana is currently developing her practice in the Marine sector after recently representing the owners of a Spanish Vessel, for breaches under Merchant Shipping Act 1985 and in disciplinary work after recently undertaking a secondment, which related to the Nursing and Midwifery Council. 

Summary of work covered:

Animal welfare

Sunyana Sharma has vast experience in both the Magistrates’ Court and Crown Court on animal welfare issues.  She frequently represents local authorities and Defendants in work that includes the following areas:

  • Advising Local Authorities on charging and the merits of pursuing Animal Welfare Act 2006 Prosecutions under s.4 and s.9 for a variety of animals which include farmed animals, pets and horses.
  • Applied for and defended s.33 and s.34 deprivation and disqualification orders under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
  • s.20 applications Under Animal Welfare Act 2006.
  • Providing lectures to local authorities on various animal welfare legislation, which included Animal Welfare Act 2006, The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007, Codes of Practice for Cats, Dogs and Horses, Ponies, Donkeys and their Hybrids and various other legislative provisions and regulations.

Health and Safety

Sunyana has recently prosecuted and defended a number of health and safety trials.  These have included the following areas:

  • Advised on the merits and charging decisions for breaches of the Housing Act 2004, The Managements of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006, Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and Environmental Protection Act 1980.  
  • Instructed to represent a Defendant Company for breaches under s.32 of the Housing Act 2004.
  • Opposed an appeal to the Residential Property Tribunal on behalf of a Local Authority relating to Emergency Prohibition Orders under the Housing Act 2004.
  • Working with local authorities to advise on the merits of various cases under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Trading Standards

Sunyana is building a practice in trading standard’s work on behalf of local authorities and Defendants.  This includes the Fraud Act 2006 and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

Notable Cases:

Slough Borough Council v. BD  & Others [2012]:  Currently prosecuting 3 Defendants in an appeal to the Crown Court for a local authority for breaches of s.234 and s.72 of the Housing Act following successful 6 day prosecution in the Magistrates’ Court.

Dorset County Council v. FL & Others [2012]: Currently instructed on a ‘dodgy trader’ prosecution under the Fraud Act 2006 and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

Dorset County Council v. BP [2012]: Following a successful application under s.20 of the Animal Welfare Act in respect of this Defendant, I have been instructed to prosecute him in a 6 day trial for offences under s.4 and 9 of the said Act.

South Oxfordshire District Council  v. Doris Davey [2011]: Successfully prosecuted a 78 year old Defendant for 11 out of 18 offences for breach of the a noise abatement notice.

RSPCA v. Siobhan Barney and another [2011]: successfully persuaded the RSPCA to offer no evidence for offences under s.4 and s.9 of the Animal Welfare Act against the Defendant, for cruelty to Polo Horses, before the matter reached trial.

Secondments

In 2011 Sunyana undertook a secondment with Field Fisher Waterhouse to assist their public and regulatory team on advising the Nursing and Midwifery Council (‘NMC’) on ‘fitness to practice’ cases under the NMC ‘Code: Standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives’, ‘Standards for Medicines Management’ and Guidance on ‘Recordkeeping’ for nurses and midwives.

Furthermore, Sunyana worked on secondment at Buckinghamshire County Council in the legal department advising on the merits of prosecuting cases under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Legal Clerking - Education

Sunyana has also acted as a legal clerk for various local authorities including Oxfordshire County Council and Buckinghamshire  County Council on Selection Appeals and Grammar School Appeals.

Pro Bono

Sunyana acts for Victim Support in Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals on a pro bono basis.’