Regulatory
For over a decade Ben has been consistently recognised by the industry directories as a leader in his field. He enjoys a thriving practice, both prosecuting and defending, predominantly in regulatory crime (health and safety, trading standards, fraud, environmental crime and inquests) along with associated complex confiscation proceedings. He has been appointed to the highest tier (Panel A) on the Attorney General’s Unified List of Prosecuting Advocates. At the core of his practice is an acute attention to his client’s best interests and a tireless commitment to his cases.
He was Junior Counsel in X [2013] 2Cr.App.R.15, the leading authority on the CPUT Regulations and the application of recklessness to corporate entities and WCC v Quami [2020] EWCA Crim 819: determination of ‘Harm’ in Fraud Sentencing Guidelines when targeting vulnerable consumers.
He appeared in the leading health and safety cases Tata Steel [2017] EWCA Crim 70, Diamond Box [2017] EWCA Crim 1904, Lear [2018] 2Cr.App.R.11; Faltec [2019] [2019] EWCA (Crim) 520, and the environmental law case of EA v McIntosh [2019] EWCA Crim 231 which addressed the sentencing of directors and the relevance of available assets to costs applications.
Twice nominated for Birmingham Law Society’s Barrister of the Year. He has been a Recorder of the Crown Court since 2016.
He is the Deputy Head of the St Philips Regulatory Group and head of St Philips Chambers recruitment committee.
Called 2000, Inner Temple; Law Commission Research Assistant 2000-2001; joined St Philips Chambers 2001; appointed to the Attorney General's Unified List of Prosecuting Advocates (Panel A); January 2016 appointed as a Recorder of the Crown Court; Deputy Head of the St Philips Regulatory Group. Publications of note: contributing editor: ‘Consumer and Trading Standards: Law and Practice’, Jordans/LexisNexis 2013 to 2019.
Fluent French.
Midland Circuit.
Birmingham University (BA Hons, English and Philosophy, 2(:1)); BPP Law School, Lincoln’s Inn (diploma in law).
Outside work, Ben enjoys life as a semi-professional musician and is a keen sportsman.