Clerking team

Mark Robinson

Senior Clerk Chester

Greg Brooker

Lead Criminal Clerk

Avril Vaughan

Criminal Clerk

Rhian Jennings

Junior Criminal Clerk

Philip practises in all areas of criminal law, regulatory law and sports disciplinary work.

He has experience dealing with both Welsh and English regulatory matters, including HSE, Environment Agency and Local Authority prosecutions.

He graduated from Durham University in 2005 with a 2:1 in Law. He was called to the bar by the Inner Temple in 2007.

Philip has successfully completed a course in coronial law.

Philip is accredited to receive instructions directly from members of the public through the Public Access Scheme and is qualified to conduct litigation.

Click here to view our Public Access pages and details of the process for instructing public access accredited barristers.

Crown Court & appeals

Philip enjoys a busy Crown Court practice both prosecuting and defending in a wide variety of criminal matters including murder, large fraud conspiracies and serious drugs cases.

Philip has experience in representing vulnerable clients in a compassionate but professional manner. He is trained and experienced in cross examining vulnerable witnesses.

Philip is accredited by the Bar Council to undertake direct public access work and has accepted instructions on this basis.

Cases

R v LS (2024)

Represented a man who had caused a substantial wound with a knife during an altercation in the street. The defendant was acquitted of all charges (s.18, s.20 and possession of a bladed article in a public place).

Operation Cartwheel (ongoing)

Instructed to prosecute a gangland double attempted murder in Birmingham involving the use of automatic weapons.

R v Lloyd-Jones (2023)

Appeared as junior counsel for the defendant mother in her prosecution for gross negligence manslaughter of her disabled daughter who died at the age of 16 with a BMI of 70 in conditions of squalor. Sentenced to 6 years on a guilty plea before the date of trial. Led by Lewis Power KC.

R v Bellis (2023)

Instructed as junior counsel to defend a man accused of murder. Led by Michael Mather-Lees KC.

Operation Filler (2023)

Instructed as junior counsel to prosecute a conspiracy to commit arson. Led by Nicholas Johnson KC.

Operation Ferrets (2022)

Prosecution of an OCG involved in the importation of cannabis from the USA, its onward supply and the laundering of the proceeds of the operation.

Operation Flintlocks (2022)

Prosecution of a conspiracy to import and supply cannabis.

Operation Feared (2022)

Prosecution of a conspiracy to supply class A drugs from Liverpool into Chester.

R v Dalton Jefferies (2022)

Successfully resisted an AG reference in relation to a sentence received by a client for controlling and coercive behaviour and child cruelty. The judgment is available here.

R v SM (2022)Represented a defendant accused of entering into a money laundering arrangement related to a complex property fraud carried out by her partner. D was acquitted.R v AB (2022)Represented the defendant in the Court of Appeal for her appeal against her sentence of four and a half years for an offence under s.44 SCA 2007 relating to encouraging sexual activity with her children. The appeal was allowed and the sentence was reduced by one year.

R v Holden (2021)

Represented a defendant who was charged with attempted murder of his mother following the ingestion of cannabis. Resolved the case by way of a plea to s.20 following extensive work on the case and the instruction of numerous experts.

R v Jones (2021)

Secured a conviction after trial when prosecuting the former Assistant Chief Constable of Hampshire Police for numerous counts related to indecent images of children.

Operation Encircle (2020)

Prosecution of a conspiracy to supply class A controlled drugs from Liverpool into Chester.

R v Jarvis (2020)

Court of Appeal – Secured a reduction in sentence for a defendant convicted of multiple attempted sexual offences. Case related to online activity with NCA officers posing as children.

R v Weall (2019)

Court of Appeal – Succeeded on appealing an immediate sentence of imprisonment for indecent images of children. Suspended sentence with minimal requirements substituted.

R v Rahman (2019)

Defendant was stopped in a car with a friend who accepted being a drug dealer and who was in possession of drugs. There were drugs loose in the car and the defendant was in possession of a large amount of cash. There was cash loose in the car some of which was counterfeit. There was substantial text message evidence which was excluded following legal argument. The defendant was acquitted on all counts.

R v Young (2018)

Prosecuted a trader for a fraud relating to his exploitation of a disabled man. The defendant was convicted.

R v Baines (2018)

Junior counsel for a defendant in a two-handed murder trial. Led by Patrick Harrington QC.

R v Maish [Operation Smitten] (2017)

Represented a defendant at his trial in which he was accused of substantial involvement in a multi-million pound VAT fraud.

R v Gallear (2017)

Junior counsel for a defendant who was accused of murdering his wife and who had confessed to having killed her. Led by Simon Csoka QC.

R v Berry [Operation Lenten] (2017)

Represented a defendant accused of rape as part of a large investigation into the alleged sexual exploitation of teenage girls by members of the travelling community in the North Wales and Cheshire area. Defendant was acquitted.

R v Mahon (2017)

Represented a defendant who was accused of being involved in conspiracies to both burgle houses and steal cars. There was extensive and detailed cell siting evidence. Numerous and repeated disclosure applications were made. Defendant was acquitted.

R v Johnson (2017)

Represented a rugby league player accused of s.20 assault after he was seen on CCTV walking up to a man outside a night club and knocking him unconscious. Defendant was acquitted.

R v Cassidy (2016)

Represented a defendant who was not fit to plead in a trial of whether he committed the act in a burglary (in which the elderly occupant of the home was in and restrained during the burglary) and an aggravated vehicle taking. Client was acquitted of the burglary but found to have driven the car. Ensured that the client received an absolute discharge.

R v Berry [Operation Analogue] (2016)

Represented a defendant who was substantially involved in a large, professional conspiracy to burgle which was valued in the region of £150,000 and involved many hours of covert surveillance evidence. Upon guilty plea ensured that the client, who had been on a qualifying curfew, received a sentence of only two years imprisonment.

R v Stanway (2016)

Rape case where the complainant had died post charge. Examined thousands of pages of unused material and drafted a skeleton argument and formal admissions, based both on that information and the facts of the case in general, which led to the Crown’s hearsay application being refused and no evidence offered on the counts of rape.

R v Coupland (2016)

Ensured the acquittal of a defendant charged with four counts of rape and one count of attempted rape against two different complainants.

R v Smith and Ors (2015)

Secured an acquittal for a client who had learning difficulties and required an intermediary in a case involving imitation firearms and several alleged assaults.

R v Farrell (2015)

Secured an acquittal on four counts of rape.

R v Dorr (2015)

Court of Appeal – reduction in sentence for a defendant who had incited a girl to engage in sexual activity on the internet.

R v Parry [Operation Measure] (2015)

Defended client charged with one class A and two class B drug conspiracies. Plea accepted to one being concerned in supply of class B on limited basis securing a non-custodial sentence.

Operation Sift (2014)

Represented several defendants charged with conspiracies to supply class A drugs.

R v Edge (2014)

Firearms case – ensured fundamental amendment of the indictment which led to defendant getting a suspended sentence.

R v Omar and Ors (2014)

Prosecuted a conspiracy to supply class A drugs – all defendants convicted.

R v Pritchard (2014)

Acquittal on attempted s.18 with CCTV and numerous prosecution witnesses.

R v Friel (2012)

Elderly and vulnerable client acquitted of s.18 assault on her husband.

Health & safety

Philip has prosecuted for a number of local authorities, government departments and regulatory bodies in cases covering a wide range of law.

Philip has also defended in prosecutions brought by local authorities for a wide range of matters including those relating to unlawful evictions, breaches of HMO regulations and breaches of health and safety legislation. He is experienced in dealing with the legality of bylaws.

He has delivered training on health and safety prosecutions and compliance with PACE to local authorities.

Cases

Wrexham County Borough Council v JS and CW (2019)

Prosecuted a landlady and letting agent for breaches of HMO regulations.

Denbighshire County Council v Plastecowood Ltd (2018)

Represented the prosecuting local authority in a case involving statutory nuisance. A negotiated settlement was successfully reached.

Flintshire County Council v Hopson and Hopson (2017)

Prosecuted two defendants in an Education Act case. Both were convicted.

R (Department for Business Innovation and Skills) v Butterworth (2015)

Prosecuted offences under the Insolvency Act relating to the sale of a home.

Sport discipline

Philip is experienced at representing athletes before UKAD and with the WADA Code and has a detailed knowledge of a variety of sports rules, regulations and governing bodies. His experience includes representing sportspeople and regulatory bodies.

UKAD v Ohuaregbe (2019)

Represented the athlete (a professional basketball player) at both his first instance and appeal hearings in a doping case.

UKAD v Costello (2017)

Represented the athlete in an anti-doping case where the defence was that his wife had spiked his breakfast drinks. The decision is available on the Sports Resolutions website.

UKAD v Graham (2015)

Represented the athlete in one of the first anti-doping cases to be decided under the WADA 2015 code. The decision is available on the Sports Resolutions website.

Rugby Football Union v Cipriani (2018)

Instructed by the RFU for the disciplinary hearing into the conduct of Danny Cipriani, following Mr Cipriani’s conviction for common assault and resisting arrest. The press release is on the RFU website.

Rugby Football Union v Shuttleworth and Shuttleworth (2018)

Acted for the RFU in a case where two members of a club were accused of abusing match officials. One of the respondents had the charge proven against him and received a ban from all rugby related activity. The judgment is available on the RFU website.

West Riding Football Association v Tingley Athletic (2016)

Represented a club whose U13 team had been accused of several incidents of racism during a match against a largely ethnic minority side. The case had received a great amount of social media and press attention due to an accusatory video that had been published online. Ensured that a verdict of not proven was returned on all matters.

 

Professional discipline

Education Workforce Council v JCP (2019)

Represented a head teacher who was accused of inappropriate behaviour towards members of staff. The case concerned issues of witness anonymity and hearsay evidence.

Transport

Public Inquiry into Steve Anning t/a Wye Valley Farm Services (2019)

Represented the owner of a road haulage firm who had been brought before the Traffic Commissioner for numerous admitted breaches of statutory requirements relating to the running of the business. Ensured that he kept his licence and that the business was able to continue to operate.

Trading standards & consumer

Wrexham County Borough Council v ASRC and PM (2021)

Secured a conviction in a prosecution brought against a roofing company and its director for a contravention of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

Flintshire County Council v KH (2020)

Secured the conviction of a fraudulent trader in a case involving multiple complainants across multiple counties in both England and Wales. The defendant received a sentence of immediate imprisonment.

Denbighshire County Council v Delaney (2017)

Brought a prosecution in a trading standards case where the complainant was a vulnerable man with mental health problems who died before the proceedings commenced. Ensured that his ABE interview was admitted as evidence. Defendant was convicted and received an immediate custodial sentence.

Denbighshire County Council v Lee (2016)

Prosecuted and secured convictions in historic trading standards case.

R (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) v J and J (2013)

Prosecuted offences under the Insolvency Act relating to allegedly dishonest claims on IVA forms.

Cheshire West and Cheshire Council v Shingfield (2013)

Defendant accused of an offence under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 and multiple breaches of HMO regulations.

Flintshire County Council v K (2013)

Prosecuted the defendant for a number of breaches of Welsh regulations regarding the management of a tanning salon.

 

Environmental

R (North West Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority) v Faulkner (2015)

Trial relating to numerous alleged offences under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 and associated bylaws.

Memberships

  • Criminal Bar Association
  • Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers

Appointments

  • NPS Wales Legal Services Framework Panel for barristers
  • CPS Advocate Panel Category 3 prosecutor
  • CPS Specialist Panel for Serious Crime
  • CPS – RASSO Panel
  • Specialist Regulatory Advocate in Health and Safety and Environmental Law – List C
  • Accredited for Direct Public Access instructions
  • Qualified to conduct litigation