Overview
Crime
Joe regularly prosecutes and defends in the Crown Courts, and has particular experience in cases involving drugs, fraud and serious violence. Joe is often instructed in large or complex cases involving a high volume of material. Joe also has particular expertise in representing young people in youth court proceedings, having represented individuals charged with robbery, drugs, supply offences, violent crimes, and crimes of a sexual nature. In addition to general crime Joe also has significant experience in driving matters, both at summary trial and on appeal.
Professional Discipline & Regulatory
Joe’s active practice in professional disciplinary and regulatory work often sees him appearing for regulators at final and interim FTP hearings, having successfully appeared at substantive hearings throughout the spectrum of severity including allegations of a sexual nature and child destruction.
Proceeds of Crime
Joe also has an active practice in POCA proceedings with experience in cash and account forfeiture.
Instructing solicitors have said:
Extradition & International
In addition, Joe has a frequent extradition practice, often appearing at Westminster Magistrates Court and on appeal to the High Court. Joe welcomes instructions in extradition proceedings.
Local Authority
Joe also has particular experience in local authority work having dealt with matters of planning enforcement (pre-charge and post-charge) and education (including SEN, exclusion, and attendance).
Additional Information
Professional Panel Appointments
- CPS Grade 2.
- Government Legal Department – Junior Junior Scheme.
Education
- BPTC, University of Law.
- LLB (hons) Law, University of Liverpool.
Awards and Scholarships
- Exhibition Scholar, Inner Temple.
Criminal Defence
Joe has a busy crime practice and regularly defends in the Crown Courts. Joe has dealt with offences that include weapons, sexual crimes, drugs and robbery.
With experience in appearing in lengthy and complex fraud cases Joe is able to analyse and assimilate large quantities of information quickly and effectively.
In addition, Joe has a broad range of experience in dealing with both young defendants and witnesses in the Youth Court, often dealing with incredibly vulnerable clients with success in cases featuring modern slavery.
Joe also has significant experience in road traffic matters and often deals with a range of road traffic offending. Joe has particular success in exceptional hardship cases.
Criminal Prosecutions - Private & Public
Joe’s has a wide practice in public prosecutions having dealt with a range of offences including drugs, robbery and violent crimes. Joe has experience in dealing with domestic violence cases and presenting ‘victimless’ prosecutions.
Joe was recently instructed as sole counsel in a large British Transport Police operation covering a series of armed robberies by a gang in the London, Cambridge and Essex areas.
Joe often prosecutes on behalf of local authorities and has specific experience in prosecuting education matters, planning enforcement and unlawful evictions.
Asset Forfeiture, Confiscation & Civil Fraud
Joe also has an active practice in Proceeds of Crime (POCA) proceedings with experience in cash and account forfeiture.
Professional Discipline & Regulatory
Joe has developed an active practice in professional disciplinary and regulatory work has successfully appeared in fitness to practise hearings at the HCPC, GDC, NMC, TDB and SWE.
Joe operates at each stage of the professional disciplinary process, having represented registrants and regulators at interim order hearings, reviews, and final hearings with success. He has experience in cases that involve serious allegations including those of a sexual nature and child destruction.
Education Law
In addition to fitness to practise, Joe also welcome instructions in education matters. Prior to his career at the Bar Joe successfully represented children and parents before school exclusion panels, both at governor and local authority level.
Joe also has an active interest in SEN provisions and the wider application of education law, and welcomes instructions in the area of education law.
Extradition & International
Joe has experience at all stages of extradition proceedings, having appeared at initial, interim and final extradition hearings with success, as well as on appeal to the High Court.
Inquests & Inquiries
Joe accepts instructions in relation to Public Inquiries & Inquests.
Professional Memberships
- Defence Extradition Lawyers Forum.
- Criminal Bar Association.
- Young Fraud Lawyers Association.
- Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers.
- The Inner Temple.
Cases of Note
Criminal Defence
R v FS [2024]
Joe successfully prosecuted a BTP operation against a number of individuals accused of armed robbery across London, Essex and Cambridge. This was a case that involved young and vulnerable complainants and required particular care as to the extensive factual position across 14 separate incidents of robbery.
R v MB [2023]
Joe appeared as a led junior defending in a high-value, complex trading standards prosecution. This case involved multiple arguments of abuse of process in relation to disclosure and the impropriety of officers. The prosecution ultimately offered no evidence.
R v SS [2021]
After service of Joe’s skeleton arguments on abuse of process, where the the police had raised a legitimate expectation that the matter would not be prosecuted, the Crown discontinued their case
R v WO [2021]
Joe successfully represented a business owner accused of breaching COVID regulations where Joe made complex submissions on the legislation in place at the time
R v ZB [2021]
After legal argument by Joe on behalf of the defence, the Crown subsequently discontinued charges of Robbery
Professional Discipline & Regulatory
NMC v EB [2023]
Joe successfully presented the NMC in a case where there were allegations of child destruction
HCPC v DS [2021]
Joe made a successful half-time submission when defending a registrant accused of poor record keeping and inappropriate use of social media
