Ruba Huleihel
Ruba is a specialist criminal barrister. She acts for both prosecution and defence and has appeared in the Crown Court, the Magistrates’ Court, the Youth Court and Court Martial.
Previously, she was a criminal defence paralegal at a busy South London firm for 18 moths. Simultaneously, Ruba completed an LLM in International Law. Inspired by her casework, she wrote her dissertation on extradition and the right to a fair trial.
Prior to commencing pupillage Ruba was a legal advisor at Harrow Law Centre working with young people and parents on Stop and Search rights, county lines exploitation, education law, and community care law. Alongside this role, she was a support worker to Syrian refugees at Single Homelessness Project.
While on the Bar course Ruba was a volunteer advocate in school exclusion hearings with Communities Empowerment Network and taught debate in HMPs Wandsworth, Isis and Pentonville with Gray’s Inn-Vocalise. Before the Bar course, she worked as a community care paralegal at GT Stewart Solicitors, and as an immigration trainee-caseworker at Westkin Associates.
Before studying law, Ruba co-founded an ethical fashion brand employing women facing barriers to work. She has also worked with Seeds of Peace and Solutions-not-Sides, conflict resolution charities focusing on the Palestinian-Israeli crisis.
Practice Area
Panel
- Contributing Author
Qualified Year
- 2022
Experience
- Harrow Law Centre (2020 - 2021)
- Lam & Meerabux Solicitors (2019 - 2020)
- GT Stewart Solicitors (2017 - 2017)
- Westkin Associates (2016 - 2017)
Membership
- Middle Temple Inn
Qualifications
- LLM International Law (2020)
- BPTC/ LLM Legal Practice (2018)
- GDL (2016)
- MSc Comparative Politics (2012)
- BA International Relations & Business Administration (2011)
Education
- University of Westminster (2019-2020)
- University of Law (2017-2018)
- University of Law (2016)
- London School of Economics and Political Science (2011-2012)
2 Contributions by Ruba Huleihel
PRACTICE NOTES
Drink and drug driving evidential specimens: police powers, approved devices, medical reasons, statutory warnings and specimen selection (England and Wales)
What is an evidential specimen?
After arrest on suspicion of an alcohol- or drug-related driving offence, police officers will ask the detainee to supply a sample of breath, blood or urine for analysis. The sample is termed an ‘evidential specimen’ because the analytical results are relied upon by the prosecution to establish a particular offence, for instance that the motorist was driving with excess alcohol in their system. An evidential specimen should be contrasted with a ‘preliminary test’. A preliminary test, such as a roadside police breath test, is carried out by police who suspect consumption of alcohol or drugs. Such testing is only indicative. To prove an offence like driving with excess alcohol, an ‘evidential specimen’ must be taken. The Deregulation Act 2015 (DA 2015) removed the need for an officer to undertake a preliminary test where a portable evidential breath-testing device is to hand. In those situations, the officer may proceed straight to obtain the evidential breath tests. The power to require a preliminary breath test still exists. It is this specimen that underpins decisions to prosecute. See Practice Note: Road traffic offences—failure to co-operate with a preliminary test...
Corporate Crime
PRACTICE NOTES
Taking a conveyance without authority (TWOC) offence: elements, mental element, driving/allowing to be carried, procedure and sentencing—England and Wales
Taking a conveyance without authority offence
This offence is committed where a person does the following:
takes a conveyance without the owner’s consent or any other lawful authority for their own use, or for another’s use, or
knowing that a conveyance has been taken without such authority, drives it, or allows themselves to be carried in it or on it
It is a summary-only offence. A count alleging this offence may be included within an indictment for another offence if:
it is founded upon the same facts or evidence as a count charging the indictable offence, or
it is part of a series of offences of the same or similar character as an indictable offence which is also charged
However, where the offence is heard with an indictable offence in the Crown Court, the court may only deal with the defendant in the same way that a magistrates’ court could have dealt with them. A jury is also able to convict a defendant of taking a conveyance without authority as an alternative to a count alleging theft of a conveyance. Where there is a certificate which states the date on which sufficient evidence came to the...
Corporate Crime
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