Martha Odysseos

Associate

Martha joined Olliers in 2021, having studied English Literature at the University of Reading before undertaking an MA in Law and LPC from the University of Law.

Martha is the winner of the Manchester Legal Awards Trainee Solicitor of the Year 2024 as a result of her work as a trainee during the qualifying period in 2023. Martha was also shortlisted for Rising Star of the Year at the Modern Law Awards 2025.

Martha represents clients at every stage of the criminal investigation process, from the pre-charge investigative stage, providing advice at the police station and if necessary through proceedings including trial and appeal. She is experienced in the preparation of a wide range of matters ranging from assault, drug offences and serious sexual offences including rape. Martha is also experienced in dealing with POCA matters and other ancillary proceedings stemming from Crown Court cases.

Martha is also regularly instructed by privately paying clients in relation to Fare Evasion, DBS and TRA (teachers) matters and is integral to the firm’s growing regulatory offering.

Martha has completed the Olliers’ internal Pre-Charge Accreditation programme and is experienced in drafting pre-charge representations. She has successfully secured conditional cautions for a number of clients, saving them the anxiety, stress and costs of going to court.

Martha is a police station accredited representative, and represents clients for offences including but not limited to possession with intent to supply, fraud by false representations, and conspiracy to murder.

Martha has a particular interest in serious crime and regulatory matters and assists a number of Partners on ongoing matters.

Martha understands the effect that any case can have on a client’s personal and professional life, no matter how serious the allegation is. She prides herself on her meticulous and empathetic approach to the cases and clients she deals with.

Martha is a member of Women in Criminal Law.

Read Video Transcript

I’m Martha, I’m one of the solicitors here at Olliers, I started working for Olliers in 2021 after I completed the internship in 2020. I’ve always wanted to be a criminal defence solicitor, I initially did an undergraduate in English literature because I wasn’t sure whether I would be cut out for it but I undertook the conversion course during Covid in 2019 which changed my undergraduate degree into a law degree. After finishing my degree I looked for legal work, hence why I did the internship at Olliers. I got offered the reception job here and also in the Manchester Magistrates courts doing admin as well just to see that side of the legal system. I started working on reception for a few months doing admin work and helping other fee earners. I was fortunate enough to be offered a training contract to start later that year. I did my training contract over 2 and a half years due to studying part-time, I also studied for the LPC part-time and additionally during that period I did the police station accreditation and the internal pre-charge accreditation. As a trainee, I won the Manchester Legal Awards Trainee Solicitor of the Year award and qualified in February 2024, so this year, the range of work I’ve done as a trainee and now as a qualified solicitor ranges from pre-charge police stations to Crown Court and sometimes appeals. I do quite a lot of ancillary work, including discharge of sexual harm prevention orders and I’ve even dabbled in the DBS and PNC Department, so I am able to cover a wide range of work. The support at Olliers is great, everyone is really approachable here, it’s an open-door policy, so you can go to any partner or any senior associate, or even other junior members of staff and everyone helps you, there’s no question that’s too stupid to ask.

Pre-Charge Case Study

R v NS

We represented a client NS who was under investigation for possession of an offensive weapon in a public place. He was searched by security in a government building and found to be in possession of a spring-loaded friction lock baton. He had been fully open and honest with both the security officers and the police. He expressed his shock at the fact that the baton was illegal and agreed to attend an interview under caution.

NS instructed us for the interview and pre-charge engagement. We took a detailed account from him which included background information. We did various work which included obtaining exhibits and character references.

He provided a prepared statement in interview admitting to the offence and offering his wholehearted apologies for the situation. The police stated he would likely be offered a caution for this matter.

We made pre-charge representations to the police decision maker for them to consider whether it was appropriate for them to take no further action on public interest grounds. The police agreed and took no further action against NS.

This was a great relief to NS who was a man of good character and would have suffered reputational damage even if he had been cautioned.

Recent Cases

Operation Caption – representing a defendant in multi-handed conspiracy to import class B drugs
2025 – R v X – assisting in the preparation of a re-trial for an allegation of manslaughter
2025 – D – assisted in the preparation of a matter being investigated by the TRA in which there were allegations of inappropriate handling of a child. The TRA concluded the case by taking no further action following representations made.
2025 – K – represented a client for an allegation of possession of IIOC at the pre-charge stage where no further action was taken
2025– R v C – assisted in the preparation of POCA proceedings
2025 – R v A – assisted in the preparation of a fraud by abuse of position matter
2025 – R v L – represented a juvenile defendant who was charged with s.18
2025 – R v A – represented a young adult charged with threatening to disclose intimate images.
2025 – R v L – represented a defendant charged with rape. Case discontinued.
2024 – Operation Ballet – represented a juvenile defendant who was charged with conspiracy to steal
2024 – N – represented a client at pre-charge stage for an allegation of possession of an offensive weapon. No further action taken following representations made
2024 – R v D – represented a client who faced allegations of criminal damage in the Crown Court. Case discontinued at PTPH following representations made
2024 – R v C – represented a client in relation to an allegation of rape. Acquitted at trial
2024 – Operation Tay – involved in the preparation of case where a juvenile defendant was charged with conspiracy to commit GBH
2024 – Operation Vulcan – represented a defendant charged with being concerned in the supply of class A
2024 – M – represented a client in proceeding brought by the Teaching Regulation Authority where allegations of sexual misconduct were found not proven. Represented the same client in relation to DBS proceedings where he was subsequently removed from the barred list.
2024 – R v L – involved in the preparation of a rape trial where the defendant was acquitted
2024– R v R– assisted in the preparation of a fraud trial and following POCA proceedings

Other Relevant Cases:

R v P – assisted in a case where the defendant received a suspended sentence for possession of a prohibited firearm. The court were of the opinion that there were exceptional circumstances relating to the offender which justified it to not to apply the minimum term
R v T – involved in the preparation of a perverting the course of justice trial
R – represented a client for an allegation of conspiracy to supply class A where the police took no further action
E – represented a client for an allegation of possession of IIOC at the pre-charge stage where no further action was taken
S – represented a client for an allegation of modern slavery where the police took no further action
Operation Alien – involved the preparation of a conspiracy to import class A drugs case and the following POCA proceedings
J – represented a client who received a conditional caution following the police station interview in relation to possession of IIOC
A – represented a client in interview for assault which resulted in the death the victim. Police took no further action
S – conditional caution given to a client in relation to possession of indecent imagery of children. Caution given without interview following representations submitted.
R v I – involved in the preparing of a grooming trial where the defendant was acquitted after a 3-month trial at Manchester Minshull Street
R v K – represented client who received a non-custodial sentence for a s.18 assault (GBH)
R v J – assisted in the preparation of a rape and controlling and coercive behaviour trial where the defendant was acquitted after trial
C – conditional caution given to client following police station interview who was found to be in possession of Category A indecent imagery of children.

Legal 500 2026

Martha is a recommended lawyer in the Legal 500 2026 which comments:

Testimonials

“Following the successful outcome in Birkenhead last week I wanted to write to both yourself and Ruth to say thank you for your advice and support over the last couple of months. I was also very grateful for you joining me on the day as that gentle support was very valuable to me.”
“I wanted to thank you for all your fantastic and hard work help and support for my case.”
“Thank you so much I really appreciate the effort that you put to help me and support me through the process”
“I dealt initially with Rebecca then exclusively with Martha. Martha was very professional, impartial and worked hard to chase the relevant parties and keep me updated at every step of the process.”
“This is an enormous relief to me, and to my wife and son and the rest of the family too. I would like to thank you for the advice you and Zita have given me during this investigation, which has helped me not to despair completely.”