Due to Alex’s previous role being in-house, he has experience of dealing with Defence work all the way from the first appearance in the Magistrates Court, to trial or sentencing in the Crown Court.

 

Alex has started to build his work across all practice areas of Chambers now regularly being instructed by the CPS; he also regularly appears for the Nursing and Midwifery Counsel as well as other Regulatory work.

 

Prior to the Bar, Alex spent time working as a court clerk at Cardiff Crown Court on a large variety of cases. Alex has also spent time working with those who have Special Educational Needs and has carried this experience over to his practice.

 

 

Notable Cases:

 

Appeal Work

 

CUSH and ors v Rex [2024] EWCA Crim 1382 – The Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Acting for the lead Appellant in a four handed appeal against sentence from the UK Summer Riots 2024. Infront of The Lady Chief Justice and the Vice President of the Court of Appeal Criminal Division, with the Crown represented by the Senior Treasury Counsel, the hearing was broadcast live nationally across the BBC and Sky News due to significant interest and media coverage. The hearing revolved around the balancing act of using deterrent sentences and significant uplifts in the Sentencing Guidelines for public disorder, as well as the use of Pre-Sentence Reports by the sentencing Judge.

 

See the judgement here: https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/2024/1382.html

 

 

Criminal Law:

 

R v SR [2024] – Reading Crown Court

Successful defence after a 4-day trial where the Defendant was charged with two counts of Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm having allegedly attacked two shop workers after stealing from their shop; the complainants had serious bite marks on their bodies, and wounds to the head. The Defendant ran self-defence in that the complainants had been chocking the defendant and their actions went beyond reasonable. The jury unanimously acquitted after only two and a half hours. Successful legal arguments, significant use of unused material, and effective cross examination of Prosecution witnesses.

 

R v MH [2024] - Reading Crown Court

Defendant facing trial for five breaches of SHPO and SOR Notification Requirements, including alleged communication with a child. He had already breached the requirements twice in the past and is an individual with significant mental health and educational needs. With many PTR hearings, by the day of trial the Crown offered no evidence on two charges including the most serious, allowing for a basis to be accepted on the others. After sentence, the defendant was only left with 5 weeks to serve before release.

 

R v JH [2023] – Reading Magistrates’ Court

Defendant found not guilty after trial of two counts of theft where he had been accused of keeping property that was incorrectly handed to him during release from police custody. The items included jewellery totalling £7,500. Use of unused material, police custody records, and challenging inconsistent police statements.

 

 

Sentencing:

 

R v OC [2024] - Inner London Crown Court

The defendant was committed for sentence for assault an emergency worker during the ‘10 Downing Street Protests’, and as the first individual to be sentenced in London for actions during the 2024 national riots. The defendant was sentenced to 46 weeks imprisonment, one of the lowest periods of imprisonment passed down so far. The case gained significant national media coverage.

 

R v MA [2024] – Cambridge Crown Court

The defendant pleaded guilty to being in possession of nearly 500 indecent images / pseudo-images of children of varying ages from months old to teenagers, with over 100 images classed as category A. After a lengthy sentencing hearing where the Judge raised issues and challenged the workability of the Pre-Sentence Report, the court was convinced to pass a suspended sentence.

 

R v CB and ors [2024] - Oxford Crown Court

The defendant, along with another, stole nearly £15,000 worth of alcohol from a variety of supermarkets across the Thames Valley over a period 6 months. The thefts were done in bulk and started to become thefts to order. The defendant received a suspended sentence.

 

R v IM [2024] – Reading Crown Court

Defendant changed their plea at a late stage to serious and persistent breaches of their sexual harm prevention order, including repeated isolated contact with a child and offering of gifts. The defendant had previously breached this order imposed from a previous offence. With the use of several reports and updates from varying services, as well as extensive mitigation, a suspended sentence order was passed.

 

R v DM [2023] Attempted Sexual Communication with a Child x2 - High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court

Secured a Community Order and Mental Health Treatment Work for an individual in their 30’s who had been diagnosed with special educational needs including Autism. The individual had previously pleaded guilty after being caught by a ‘Paedophile Hunters’ operation. Detailed use of extensive psychiatric reports and medical records.

 

 

Regulatory:

 

Bracknell Forest Council v A Company Ltd & SH (as Director) [2023] – Reading Magistrates’ Court 

The company and director were both found not guilty after trial having been charged by the local authority with fly tipping, breach of waste carrier licenses, and lack of due care by a director. Steps were taken in written and oral submissions to show that the individual had discharged their duty as director, and separately that the company had not dumped any waste. Due to the alleged asbestos that had been dumped – fines, costs, and prosecution legal fees would have reached tens of thousands of pounds if convicted.

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