- 5 King's Bench Walk, Temple, London EC4Y 7DN
- T: +44 (0) 20 7353 5638
- clerks@5kbw.co.uk
- Out of Hours: 07738 328059
- DX: LDE 367 London
- X
Summary of Practice
Stephen has a background in criminal law where he prosecuted and defended in the most serious of cases as junior alone and as leading junior. He was appointed to the Attorney General’s Panel of Prosecution Advocates for 6 years. Stephen lectures on such topics as public interest immunity for police officers, immigration officers and social workers and the interface between family law and criminal law to local authorities and police forces.
Family Law:
Stephen is regularly instructed in complex care proceedings on behalf of parents and guardians, dealing with all forms of sexual abuse allegations, non accidental injury, serious neglect, forced marriages and indecent images. He also represents parents in contact and residence disputes, cases of child abduction, medical treatment (children and patients), cases of wardship/within the inherent jurisdiction and ancillary relief. Stephen was ranked in Chambers UK 2012 and 2013 for family law.
Civil actions against the police and public authorities:
Stephen has extensive experience in civil actions against the police where he represents claimants and regularly appears in both jury and non jury actions. He regularly deals with cases of assault, unlawful arrest, false imprisonment, misfeasance in public office, malicious prosecution and breaches of European Convention rights.
Stephen has developed a successful practice in representing children and parents from Children Act care proceedings in Human Rights Acts damages claims against local authorities and health authorities. He has an expertise in dealing with cases involving the witness protection programme.
Human Rights Law
Stephen has developed an expertise representing children, parents and grandparents from Children Act proceedings in Human Rights Act damages claims against local authorities and health authorities.
In addition Stephen represents a wide range of Claimants in civil actions against wider public authorities including families left bereaved by the wrongful release of psychiatric patients , farmers in a large scale fraud claims , actions against Local Authority planning departments and actions against the Home Office.
Judicial Review:
Stephen has made a number of appearances before the Administrative Court involving the refusal to allow early release of prisoners, miscalculation of prison terms, procedural unfairness in a doctor being struck off the medical register, government conspiracy to withhold information from serving prisoners, failures by magistrates to allow adjournments and interpretation of sentencing statute in respect of young offenders.
In the Prison law field, Stephen has dealt with numerous cases involving prisoners sustaining injuries by reason of attack by fellow prisoners, prison officers and by reason of unsafe work and other practices. Stephen has appeared in numerous contract disputes and has particular experience in dealing with civil cases involving allegations of fraud and is currently engaged in representing a large number of farmers in a large scale fraud claim. In Employment law, Stephen has experience in dealing with cases concerning disability discrimination, race and sexual discrimination and whistle-blowing cases.
Published Articles:
Are you sitting comfortably - Operation of Limitation Act 1980, Solicitors Law Journal - [Jan 2010]
Stephen's Privacy Policy can be downloaded here.
Stephen is a proud season ticket holder at Tottenham Hotspur FC.
15 November 2024
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5 King's Bench Walk
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