Crime: Mark’s practice sees him appearing at first instance and appellate level involving cases including murder, serious violence, drugs & county lines conspiracies, proceeds of crime, fraud, political campaigns & serious public disorder. Mark has also appeared before the Parole Board representing prisoners across disciplinary matters.  Mark only ever defends with the exception of private prosecutorial work.

Employment: Emphasis on whistle blowing and anti-discrimination work. Unfair dismissal, redundancy, TUPE, breach of contract involving working time, NMW, as well as confidentiality & compromise agreements.

Regulatory & professional disciplinary tribunals (Doctors, Dentists, Health care professionals).

Mark has been instructed by trade unions and in particular dealing with health care professionals.

Civil – Actions against the Police

Mark is always happy to discuss potential issues, tactics and strategies, prior to any formal Instructions, and is equally amenable to being contacted, even if matters are at a very early stage, with a view to being instructed at a later stage. He is commended as being very approachable and hands-on with his approach to dealing with professional and lay clients alike.

Mark frequently undertakes Public Access (Direct Client) work.

Education

1989-1992: Leeds University, Law, LLB Hons
1994-1995: Nottingham University, International Human Rights law, LLM

Memberships

CBA
Amnesty International

Languages

French (basic)
Oriya (basic)

Interests

Five-a-side Football
Cycling (Charity Bike rides)
Squash
Mad Cricket (India & Lancashire) supporter
Even madder Tennis (Roger Federer) and Football (Liverpool FC & Burnley FC) fan

Civil

• Employment

Crime

• Prison law and prison crime

Public

• Health & Safety and Environmental
• Police law

R v A (ongoing)- Leading Junior in alleged gangs firearm conspiracy.

R v E [2024] – Conspiracy to Murder/GBH. Successful half-time submission.

R v I [2024] – Historical sexual assault case involving students & several recent complaint witnesses. Successful outcome.

Dr M [2023-2024] – Lengthy Breach of Contract claims. (Ongoing).

R v G [2023-2024] – Conspiracy to commit Aggravated Burglary. Columbian national entered UK and became involved in a conspiracy using a dating/sex app to set up sexual encounters and then use an incapacitant drug on the victims before stealing their belongings. Currently on Appeal.

R v S [2023-2024] – Led Junior in Multi-handed Human Trafficking case, orchestrated from inside prison.

R v C [2023] – Multi-handed attempted murder arrests. Charged with GBH and found guilty of lesser. Was the only defendant to receive  a non-custodial sentence.

R v M [2023] – Led Junior in a youth murder concerning county lines drugs. After complex NRM and Modern Slavery legal arguments, Crown accepted a plea to manslaughter.

R v B [2023] – Historical Rape of Child by  Swimming Teacher. Intricate legal arguments concerning allowing hearsay evidence from both Crown witnesses who were deceased. Currently on Appeal.

R v M [2022-2023] – Historical 8-year campaign of rape & sexual assault by father against his two eldest daughters, at home and in their shared bedroom.

R v F [2022] – Date-rape acquittal.

R v M [2022] – Gratuitous “predator” rape of taxi driver defendant in the early hours of the morning.

R v V [2022] – Historical rape involving defendant uncle & autistic niece.

R v A [2022] – Road Rage incident charged as causing serious harm by dangerous driving. Acquitted of all counts with help of a collision expert and an orthopaedic medical expert.

LBB v K [2022] – Council prosecution of two brothers after enforcement proceedings had failed. Negotiations led to client not being prosecuted in the end.

R v A [2021-2022] – Operation undercover surveillance involving over 30 defendants in East London drug-dealing case. Split into 6 trials and lasting over 18months.

R v D [2021] – Led Junior in Multi-handed Attempted murder with client being the driver involved in a helicopter and high-speed police chase driving on the wrong-side of a dual carriageway at speeds near to 100mph. Only defendant to be acquitted.

R v M [2021] – multi-handed ‘crash for cash’ conspiracy.

R v S [2021] – Successful drugs supply case involving undercover surveillance with over 1kg’s drugs delivered to defendant’s address which he accepted on receipt.

R v P [2021] – Confiscation proceedings. Technical abuse argument resulted in Defendant avoiding a potential high-level sum being awarded against him.

G v C, S & D [2020-2022] – Sensitive assault sex discrimination, sexual harassment case involving cross allegations with anonymity orders & interpreters. (Ongoing)

Drs S & H [2020] – TUPE-transfer and Unfair Dismissal. Involved tri-partite parties looking at issues connected with the actual transfer provisions and technical nature of service providers. Settled with both transferor and transferee Respondents.

Dr T [2020-2021] – Whistleblowing and Race complex race discrimination claims. Involved GMC referral issues too. Settled as against the NHS Trust and with GMC.

Dr P [2019-ongoing] – Complex & historical Whistleblowing complaints stretching back over 5years. Currently trial set for Sept-Oct 2022

R v A & Ors [2020-ongoing]: 30-handed drugs conspiracy. Involves issues surrounding Modern Day Slavery. Currently four trials listed for later this year and next

EA v H, B & M [2017, 2018 & 2019]. Environmental Agency prosecution involving over £1m damage. Complex abuse of process arguments.

R v A & Ors [2019] Cuckoo-ing county lines drugs conspiracy.

R v JW & Ors [2018 & 2019]. Attempted murder & violent disorder involving 17 defendants.

R v SM & Ors [2018 & 2019]. Led Junior. Fatal stabbing involving five youth defendants. Currently with Leave to Appeal against Conviction.

R v S [2017]. A 15 yr old accused of a vicious stabbing and use of a cs spray cannister. Involved complex background evidence, analysis of post-incident phone downloads and multiple bad character applications.

R v C [2017]. Junior. Grooming and sexual exploitation case. Involved detailed CCTV phone and social media evidence and complicated joinder & severance arguments.

R v P [2016]. Firearms, drugs supply and money laundering. Successful half-time submissions in respect of four out of five counts. Currently leave to appeal granted before the Court of Appeal.

R v A [2015]. Rape. At the third trial, involving expert medical witnesses and a complainant who gave evidence via video-link from a different court centre, this involved careful cross-examination of approaching a dozen different types of documents in which the complainant had provided at various times, widly differing and conflicting information as to the alleged incident. The defendant, was a once-child refugee.

R v T & Ors [2013 & 2014]. Led Junior. Multi-handed human-trafficking conspiracy. Involved multi-juridictional legal submissions on abuse or process, involving the Spanish police and a known Spanish-operating OCG.

Drs K, C, B & Ors v West Suffolk NHS Trust [2011]. New Deal Pay disputes. Complex breach of contract case which successfully settled after several days of a full merits hearing with the Trusts’ representative QC eventually conceding heavily.

T v Alstom [2010] EWCA 1308. Led Junior. Before the Court of Appeal, this appeal raised the question whether an agency worker had a contract of service with the end user, within a quad-partite employment relationship.

GSCC v H [2010] UKFTT 128 (HESC). First-Tier Care Standards Tribunal case against the decision of a regulatory body in the wake of the Victoria Climbie Review.

H v London Borough of Brent [2009] EWCA. Judicial Review which questioned the role of a local authority’s adoption panel and the IRM’s independent review process.

R v H (Spring 2006). Successful challenge to lawfulness of the police’s Banning Order of demonstrations campaigning against the fur trade outside Harrods.

R v G & Ors [2005]. Trial of five hindu priests accused of allegations of ritual beating, blinding and false imprisonment of a worshipper at their temple during prayer time. Involved complex and sensitive issues surrounding new ‘bad character’ provisions as well as involving vast disclosure investigations.

R v E & Ors [2004]. Multi-handed drug-smuggling operation into HMP Albany prison.

R v P(H)(Reported in the Daily Express, 6.4.05). Benefit Fraud over several years amounting to over 50k involving overseas assets and culminating in prolonged confiscation proceedings.

SB’B v Family Housing Association (Autumn 2002-Winter 2004). Complex Race Discrimination, Victimisation & Whistle-blowing case.

L (deceased) v Royal Mail (Reported in The Guardian, The Independent, 9.1.02.) Case which extended the ambit of the class of persons who can bring a claim for unlawful discrimination – to include the family of a deceased victim.