Practice Profile
Andrew was called to the Bar of Lincoln’s Inn in 1970 followed by pupillages with Sir Andrew Morritt (now The Chancellor of the High Court) and Peter Crawford QC (latterly Recorder of Birmingham). In 1972 he became a tenant at 2 King’s Bench Walk, The Temple, which was in the process of opening an annexe in Plymouth. From being a founder member of the annexe until 2002 he remained in Plymouth building up a general practice which at first included matrimonial law and personal injury claims as well as criminal law. By 1984 it was necessary to specialise and he became a virtually full-time criminal practitioner. The next 20 or so years saw his practice grow with cases of increasing weight and length.
He was made a Recorder in 1996. With the new millennium, and an annexe which had grown considerably, it became increasingly appropriate for the tenants of 2 KBW, who worked from Plymouth, to put the seal on their purchase of 115 North Hill by becoming independent which they did with great amicability in 2002. Andrew was unanimously requested to be their first Head of Chambers. Having guided this new, but experienced, set of chambers through its transition and early years he stepped down with effect from January 2008.
He stays on in full-time practice providing the benefit of his experience to those who seek it.
Experience
With many years as a criminal practitioner in all criminal courts Andrew is well equipped to meet the challenge of every new case. He has prosecuted and defended not only in the more usual areas of criminal law but also in such rarer fields as those regulatory matters which arrive in our criminal courts e.g. breach of fishing regulations, licensing matters, Health and Safety and planning infringements. Accordingly he has represented not only the CPS and Defendants through their solicitors but also HM Customs & Excise (newly merged with Inland Revenue), many local authorities and other Government departments which retain their own powers to act.
Cases of note include:
R v Clarke (Frederick) (Court of Appeal) [1986] 1WLR 209
Crime – Firearms – Prohibited weapons – de-activated Section 5 firearms.
Wilson v Combe (Divisional Court) [1989] 1 WLR 78
Crime – Firearms – Possession of firearm – scope of licence.
R v Myers (Steven Anthony, Court of Appeal) (1995)
Lawtel – Case Law - AC0002648
Court must have regard to defendant’s account of the offence when his plea of guilty is accepted by the Court.
R v Dean (Jeanette) & R v Bolden (Robert Allen) [1998]
2 Cr. App. R 171
Crime – procedure – Customs – international law – sentencing - shipping/arrest.
R v Benjafield (Karl) & R v Millford (David John) [2001]
2 Cr. App. R 87
Criminal – procedure – human rights
R v McIntosh (2000) Truro Crown Court
Truro Crown Court’s longest ever trial – a fraud by a dishonest building society manager – lasting over 4 months where the Defendant represented himself and over 150 prosecution witnesses were called.
R v Mark (Alan) & R v Nationwide Heating Services Ltd (Court of Appeal) (2004) Lawtel – Case Law – AC9100453
Crime – gross negligence manslaughter – health & safety – criminal procedure.
R v Edmunds (2005) Bristol Crown Court
Crime – conspiracy to supply drugs – evidence admissible of the conspiracy.
Qualifications and appointments
- LL.B (St Andrews) 1967
- Called to the Bar 1970
- Tenant 2 King’s Bench Walk, The Temple 1972 - 2002
- Head of King’s Bench Chambers, Plymouth 2002 – 2008
- Appointed as Assistant Recorder 1994; Recorder 1996
- Member Western Circuit Wine (Business) Committee 1990-1994
- Western Circuit representative on the Devon and Cornwall Criminal Justice Liaison Committee 1994 to 2005 during which he drafted the Protocol on Social Services Disclosure much of which was adopted nationally.
Contact
Please telephone 01752 221551 or email our clerking team
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