Caroline Haughey is a Criminal Barrister in independent practice in England and Wales. She both prosecutes and defends the most serious criminal offending and has earned a reputation for dealing with cases concerning novel areas of law and large criminal networks. Having prosecuted the first cases of modern slavery in Britain, she was invited to assist the All Party Parliamentary Group on Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery in proposing a Modern Slavery Act. She was subsequently involved in drafting the criminal justice provisions of the proposed Act and gave evidence before the All Party Parliamentary Group. The Modern Slavery Act came into force in 2015, and Haughey was responsible for successfully prosecuting the first cases under the Act in labor exploitation, sex exploitation and child sex trafficking.
In May 2016, she was tasked by then Home Secretary Rt. Hon. Theresa May to independently review the criminal justice provisions of the Modern Slavery Act and consider whether it was fit for purpose. The “Modern Slavery Act 2015 Review: One Year On” was published on July 31, 2016. The review was the subject of the first article by May as Prime Minister and has resulted in £33 million being redirected from the UK foreign aid budget to targeting trafficking at source. It has also resulted in a successful granting of £8.5 million to the UK police force to enable implementation of the policing recommendations contained within the Haughey Review.
Haughey sits on the Modern Slavery Task Force, founded and chaired by Prime Minister May, along with senior members of the UK government, heads of intelligence agencies and police. The review has resulted in a training of all Crown Court judges in the area of human trafficking, as well as nationwide training for prosecutors in this field. Haughey lectures both nationally and internationally to governments, law enforcement agencies and other participants in the criminal justice process on human trafficking and modern slavery, providing the benefit of her practical experience in successfully prosecuting organized criminal networks and advising on drafting, practical implementation and policing of trafficking and modern slavery.
Haughey has duel British and Irish nationality and attended Trinity College, Dublin where she graduated with an LLB. She was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1999 and is a member of Middle Temple, having been an external examiner in criminal law for the Bar Standards Board; she is also a professional member of the Bar Disciplinary Panel. She lectured in crime, criminology and legal systems and methods at the University of East London. Haughey sits on the Provost Council of Trinity College, Dublin, is a trustee of the Kalisher Trust and board member of the Concord Prison Trust. She lives in England with her husband, four young daughters and four demanding dogs.
