Johannah Cutts

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]

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]

In March 2025 Cutts presided over the trial of Nasen Saadi, who was sentenced to a minimum of 39 years for the murder of Amie Gray and attempted murder of Leanne Miles, on Durley Chine beach, in Bournemouth in May 2025.^[17]