Clerking team

Mark Heald
Mark Heald

Senior Clerk - Criminal and Regulatory

Andy Booth

Lead Criminal Clerk

Joe Murphy

Criminal and Regulatory Clerk

Shell Edmonds

Criminal Clerk

“‘Peter’s oral advocacy is calm, direct, and to the point, based on thorough preparation and an intimate knowledge of the case. His attention to detail and breadth of knowledge are a powerful combination, and he also has a calm demeanour with lay and professional clients, which inspires trust.”

Legal 500, 2024 (Crime)

Peter’s practice incorporates crime, regulatory and tax law. Peter is able to accept instructions via direct public access.

Peter studied Law at Liverpool University and was called to the Bar by the Inner Temple in 2007. He received the Pegasus Scholarship from the Inn in 2008 and worked at the Louisiana Capital Assistance Center in New Orleans. He then worked at the Financial Ombudsman Service handling investment complaints before joining St Johns Buildings in 2011.

Crown Court & appeals

Peter has a busy Crown Court practice, encompassing homicide, fraud, drug conspiracies, violence, firearms and sexual offences. A popular junior, Peter is completely confident in the use of technology, and is able to quickly master significant volumes of evidence. He has a calm, straightforward manner which puts his clients at ease. He is a sharp and effective cross-examiner and a persuasive jury advocate.

Cases

R v O and O (2024): Led junior in substantial VAT fraud. As the evidence developed at trial, Peter was able to identify relevant VAT exemptions which ultimately forced the prosecution to offer no evidence against both defendants.

Operation Littlerock (2023): Drugs conspiracy, ongoing.

R v A and others (May 2023): Successful defence of 4-handed ABH.

R v D (May 2023): Successful defence of alleged rape.

R v B (April 2023): Successful defence of alleged rape.

Operation Tendersea (January 2023): Defended in ‘grooming gang’ case concerning over 30 defendants. Peter’s client was acquitted.

Operation Samnite (May 2022): Sole defence counsel in conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration, concerning undercover officers and allegation of entrapment.

Operation Haemus (May 2022): Three-handed drive-by shooting in Manchester. Peter’s leader became unwell and Peter conducted the trial for the first defendant in his absence.

Operation Thunder (February 2022): Led junior for first defendant in 24-handed drug conspiracy.

Operation Embossed (2021-2022): Led junior in multi-million pound drug conspiracy. Early ‘encrochat’ case involving extensive technical argument on encryption, interception, interference and warrantry, and subsequent appeal.

R v V (March 2020): Successful prosecution of re-trial for s.18 assault (biting of nose).

R v P (January 2020): Successful defence of s.18 assault (stabbing).

R v M (December 2019): Successful defence of assault emergency worker (police officer) on basis of self-defence.

R v H (August 2019): Successful defence of police officer charged with drink driving.

R v L & G (February 2018): Led junior for the prosecution in ‘single punch’ manslaughter concerning complex issues of joint enterprise and medical causation.

R v K (November 2016): Secured the acquittal of an 18-year-old charged with rape and sexual assault.

R v L (May 2016): Successful defence of motorist, using the evidence of an accident reconstruction expert.

Operation Infrared (June 2015): Secured the acquittal of his client in a Rochdale ‘grooming gang’ case.

R v W & G (October 2014): Led junior in £70m fraud by cheating at online poker.

R v F (August 2014): Successful defence under s.172(4) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (famously relied upon by Christine Hamilton) for client charged with failing to identify the driver of his vehicle.

R v B & H (April 2014): Secured the acquittal of a client facing public order offences where all prosecution witnesses were either police officers and police community support officers.

R v H, D & D (October 2012): Secured an acquittal for a client charged with robbery at Open University campus, captured on CCTV. Co-defendants convicted and sentenced to 20 months’ and 15 months’ imprisonment.

Contempt of Court

Peter’s experience in the criminal courts make him well-suited to these quasi-criminal proceedings. He is often instructed by civil, commercial or family specialists to defend such applications in their cases.

Coveris v Brears (June 2022): Peter was instructed at short notice in relation to breach of search order, for a defendant who had previously represented himself.

Pharmagona Limited v Taheri (September 2021): Alleged breach of freezing injunction, complicated by sanctions on Iran, hawala money transfers and counter-allegations of whistleblowing. Peter secured the dismissal of the contempt application at the permission stage.

Minstrell Recruitment Limited v Lockett (January 2021): Breach of court order not to disparage former employers on social media. Sentence reduced on appeal to Court of Appeal.

Calderdale & Huddersfield NHS Trust v Metcalf (February 2021): Vastly inflated multi-million pound claim against NHS hospital.

Esure v Hiwa Nouri & Others (June 2018): Peter established that the solicitors who had acted in the original claim had forged his client’s signature and acted without his instructions. Permission to bring contempt proceedings was refused.

Re: MK (A child) (December 2017): Committal proceedings were initiated by the Family Court against the child’s grandparents in attempt to secure the child’s return to the jurisdiction. The case was transferred to the High Court, where Peter secured the dismissal of the committal proceedings.

Accident Exchange v George-Broom & Others (June 2017): Effectively an industrial-scale conspiracy to commit perjury, impacting around 30,000 civil claims all over the country. This was a highly complex case, involving approximately two million pages of evidence, which culminated in an 8-week trial at the High Court. Reported in The Guardian.

Network Rail & QBE Insurance v Dermody & Dermody (May 2017): Exaggerated claim in respect of an injury sustained in the course of his employment. After a trial, the case against Peter’s client was found to be “totally without merit and lacking any real basis” and was accordingly dismissed.

Professional discipline

Peter has represented clients in appeal against decisions by the CQC, NMC and OFSTED. He has also defended clients in cases concerning Health and Safety Regulations, COSHH Regulations, and the Licensing Act 2003.

Cases

PC R & PC W (June 2023): Successful defence of the private prosecution of two police officers.PC R (July 2023): Represented police officer at accelerated misconduct hearing.R v D (July 2023): Defence of former police officer in criminal prosecution.OFSTED v CO (April 2023) Represented childminder in appeal against cancellation of registration.

Nursing & Midwifery Council v RC and RT (March 2022): Represented midwife facing allegations of professional misconduct.

OFSTED v SC (2022): Cancellation of registration for childminding at home overturned on appeal to Tribunal.

OFSTED v SO (2022): Cancellation of registration for childminding at home.

Care Quality Commission v PI Limited and X (May 2022): Advised company provider and registered manager in relation to the cancellation of registration at their care home.

Care Quality Commission v AM Ltd (April 2022): Advised online pharmacy in relation to CQC registration.

OFSTED v DB (February 2020): Suspension of childminder’s registration overturned on appeal to Tribunal.

Tax

Before coming to the Bar, Peter worked as an adjudicator at the Financial Ombudsman Service. He specialised in handling complaints about mis-sold investments, with a particular focus on products intended to reduce or avoid tax liabilities. As a barrister, Peter is instructed by HMRC to prosecute cases of tax evasion and to pursue cash forfeiture. He also regularly advises businesses and individuals as to potential tax liabilities and appeals HMRC decisions in the Tax Tribunal.

Cases

HMRC v NC Ltd (April 2020-2022): Successful appeal against VAT rating of residential construction project. Established contractor’s standing to appeal VAT decision relating to a subcontractor.

Re: PA (January 2020): Retrospective VAT invoicing following an unexpected increase in profits.

HMRC v RM Ltd (October 2019): CIS deductions in respect of accommodation provided to subcontractors.

Preston CC v Acorn Leisure (February 2019): Application of Business Rates to pub and music venue.

Preston CC v Yusuf & Yusuf, Preston (June 2017): Successfully defended an application by the local authority for a Business Rates Liability Order.

Licensing

Re: Horwich St Mary’s Football Club (November 2019): Successful application for alcohol license on behalf of football club.

FACT v Pudding Pie Catering Ltd (October 2019): Successfully defended hospitality and events company from allegations that its premises were unlawfully screening Premier League football matches.

RV v Chorley Licensing Authority (August 2018): Represented shop keeper in appeal against decision to revoke alcohol license.

 

Health & safety

Blackpool Council v Blackpool Pier Company Limited (May 2020): Represented the company in relation to breaches of asbestos regulations.

Wirral Council v ABC Property Shop Ltd (January 2019): Successfully defended letting agent in relation to alleged breaches of regulations concerning fire safety in houses of multiple occupancy.

Trading Standards v PJ (July 2016): Motor trader charged with supplying a vehicle in unroadworthy condition. Successfully argued for prosecution to be stayed as an abuse of process.

Health and Safety Executive v Ali (September 2014): Alleged breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and failures to comply with Improvement Notices. Land law and insolvency issues relating to control of the properties concerned at the relevant times.

Rossendale Borough Council v Bork (September 2012): Sentence reduced on appeal for numerous regulatory breaches committed by the owner of a petting farm and riding establishment.

Memberships

  • Criminal Bar Association
  • Association of Regulatory & Disciplinary Lawyers
  • Proceeds of Crime Lawyers’ Association