5 Essex Chambers

Robert (Bobby) practices in police and public law, data protection and information law, inquests and police discipline.

Robert (Bobby) practices in police and public law (with particular expertise in civil claims for false imprisonment and malfeasance and retention of data), data protection and information law, inquests and police discipline.

Bobby is currently instructed in several high profile cases, including as junior counsel in the Plymouth shootings inquests. He has appeared in multiple multi-track trials, including jury trials and very high value personal injury claims.

Bobby is also an expert in retention of policing data, having appeared in many of the leading cases.

Notable recent cases include:

• YZ v Chief Constable of South Wales [2022] EWCA Civ 683 (retention of acquittal data on the PNC, junior counsel);
• R(QSA) v NPCC [2021] 1 W.L.R 2962 (retention of criminal record data by the police, junior counsel);
• Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis v Information Commissioner [2021] UKUT 5 (AAC) (leading case on s.23(5) FOIA);
• R(R) v SSJ & NPCC [2021] 1 W.L.R. 262 (police retention of data and vetting, junior counsel);
• R(II) v Com. Met. Police [2020] EWHC 2528 (Admin) (retention of a child’s PREVENT data);

Chief Constable of Avon & Somerset v Gray [2019] EWCA Civ 1675 (leading case on CROs and access to justice).

Bobby was called to the Bar in 2010 and has always practised at 5 Essex Chambers. He was appointed to the Attorney General’s B Panel of Counsel in August 2022, having previously been on the C Panel between 2017-2022.

Please visit the 5 Essex Chambers website for his profile, which sets out full details of his practice including relevant work of note.

Professional memberships: South Eastern Circuit, ALBA, ELA, PIBA