Johannah Cutts

Dame Johannah Cutts DBE, styled Ms Justice Cutts, is a British High Court Judge.[1]

The Honourable
Ms Justice Cutts
High Court Judge
King's Bench Division
Incumbent
Assumed office
2018–present
MonarchsElizabeth II
Charles III
Personal details
Born (1964-01-13) 13 January 1964 (age 60)
Taplow, Buckinghamshire, England
Alma materThe Chelmer Institute

Early life and education

Johannah Cutts was born in Taplow, Buckinghamshire on 13 January 1964.[2] She was educated at St Helen and St Katharine's School in Abingdon-on-Thames and read Law at Anglia Ruskin University (formerly known as The Chelmer Institute).[3][2][1][4]

Cutts was called to the Bar by Inner Temple in 1986 and practised at the London-based Foundry Chambers,[5] formerly known as 9-12 Bell Yard.[6][7] She specialised in criminal law, with a particular interest in cases involving vulnerable persons. While practising, Cutts developed best practices and procedures in the handling of serious sexual assault cases involving young or vulnerable victims.[1] In 2005, she contributed to the 5th edition of Rook and Ward on Sexual Offences.[2]

Cutts was appointed Queen's Counsel in 2008.[8][9] She was appointed a Recorder in 2002,[10] and later a Circuit Judge in 2011, sitting at Aylesbury and Reading Crown Courts.[1][11]

In 2014, Cutts was appointed a Deputy High Court Judge and in October 2018 she became a Justice of the High Court and assigned to the King's Bench Division.[12][13] Upon appointment to the High Court in 2018 she received the customary damehood (DBE) from Queen Elizabeth II.[14][2]

Notable cases

In April and May 2023, Cutts presided over the trial of Timothy Schofield, brother of TV presenter Phillip Schofield, on charges of sexual offences involving a minor, imposing a sentence of 12 years imprisonment.[15] She also presided over the 2023 trial of Darren Osment, for the murder of his former partner Claire Holland in June 2012.[16]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "High Court Judges 2018 | Judicial Appointments Commission". 21 September 2020. Archived from the original on 21 September 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d "Cutts, Hon. Dame Johannah, (born 13 January 1964), a Judge of the High Court, Queen's Bench Division, since 2018; Presiding Judge, Western Circuit, since 2021". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U246763. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  3. ^ "Our history - ARU". aru.ac.uk. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  4. ^ July 2018, Joshua Rozenberg16. "Filling the judicial void". Law Gazette. Retrieved 14 September 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "ABOUT US". foundrychambers.com. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  6. ^ "Profile". thelawpages.com. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  7. ^ FCsewAmi9bell (11 July 2018). "Congratulations HHJ Cutts QC". foundrychambers.com. Retrieved 23 September 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ "Five lawyers including two solicitors appointed High Court judges". Local Government Lawyer. 9 July 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  9. ^ "Notice of appointments". Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  10. ^ "Crown Office". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  11. ^ "Warrants Under the Royal Sign Manual". thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  12. ^ "Crown Office | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  13. ^ "Judicial appointments: 31 August 2018". The Times. 31 August 2018. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  14. ^ "Third woman for Supreme Court". Counsel Magazine. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  15. ^ BBC News, Phillip Schofield's brother jailed for child abuse, 19 May 2023
  16. ^ "Claire Holland: Darren Osment jailed for life for murder of missing ex-partner". BBC News. 20 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.