Lee Fish > New Park Court Chambers > Leeds, England > Barrister Profile

Lee Fish

Work Department

Crime, Regulatory

Position

Lee Fish is recommended in the leading directories as “an exceptional barrister” who is “very bright and very able”.

Lee’s practice covers the whole spectrum of criminal cases. In recent years he has developed notable expertise in the prosecution and defence of those accused of rape and other serious sexual offences. He is trusted with the most serious of cases which resulted in him being appointed to CPS Serious Crime Panel and Rape and Serious Sexual Offence panel at Grade 4.

Lee has also considerable experience in the prosecution of regulatory offences. He has notable experience in relation to environmental offending. He has been described as a “true environmental law practitioner”. He has also been instructed by the Health and Safety Executive. His level of expertise has resulted in him being placed on List A of the list of specialist regulatory counsel.

In the last few years Lee has developed a considerable practice in the field of professional discipline. Lee is regularly instructed to represent the General Medical Council when it is alleged that a doctor’s fitness to practise is impaired by virtue of misconduct. Lee has dealt with a variety of cases including a psychiatrist who provided flawed expert evidence in a murder trial, dishonesty regarding qualifications and experience, sexual harassment and sexually motivated conduct. The experience that Lee has is transferrable to other professionals who are appearing before their regulator. Lee has also advised the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Crime

• R v IT – Prosecution of man who sexually abused his step-son, step-daughter and his step-son’s friend. This was sexually offending of the utmost gravity. One of the complainant’s disclosed whilst the proceedings were ongoing. This was successfully managed and defendant was convicted. Difficult issues in relation to bad character and s.41.
• R v PA – Prosecution of man for raping two separate partners. Also subjected them to domestic abuse and blackmail. Some of the offending was filmed. This case was challenging as the defendant chose to represent himself. Convicted on all counts and sentenced to life imprisonment.
• R v C – Defence of lead defendant who organised multiple criminal conspiracies from prison. It was also alleged that he had attempted to interfere with witnesses in an ongoing case. Defendant was acquitted of perverting the course of justice.

Environmental Law

• R v HM Property Solutions & Hornsby – Prosecution of company and its director. Open cast mine that caused pollution to Hartley Burn in Haltwhistle.
• R v Coates and others – Prosecution of a number defendants including 3 limited companies for unlawful depositing of waste at two separate sites. At one of the sites the waste was stored in such a way as to be potentially harmful to human health. Issues in relation to the duty of care requirements.
• R v M – Defence of company and its director for serious environmental offences arsing out of water discharge activities and the spreading of hazardous waste on land.

Health & Safety

• R v PN – Instructed by the Health and Safety Executive to prosecute a farmer following the electrocution of one of his workers who died as a result of his injuries.
• R v NM – Instructed by Health and Safety Executive to prosecute plumber who was undertaking gas work without qualifications. This included the issuing of gas safety certificates.
• R v PB – Instructed by the Health and Safety Executive in the prosecution of a construction site supervisor following a fall from height resulting in catastrophic injuries to a worker at the site who was left in a tetraplegic condition.

Other Regulatory

• R v S and others – Instructed by the Marine Management Organisation in a test case, where it was argued that the prosecution was an abuse of process due to the way in which fishing quota is allocated and managed in the UK. Involved significant disclosure issues and matters of EU and domestic law. Judge found for the Crown at first instance. This was upheld by the Court of Appeal.
• R v WSL – Prosecution by the Food Standards Agency of an abattoir for breaches of regulations relating to the removal of specified risk material from carcasses. Advice was provided prior to proceedings commencing.
• R v IS – 2 separate prosecutions by the Food Standards Agency of a dairy owner, for breaching hygiene regulations.

Inquests

• RE MB – Represented the Environment Agency at Inquest in to the death of a man during the floods in Hull in Summer 2007. Deceased drowned after his foot became caught in a drain, which the Environment Agency was charged with maintaining.
• RE RR – Represented the family of the deceased when their daughter, a serving prisoner, committed suicide by setting herself on fire in her cell.
• RE X – Represented the family of the deceased following a death at work. Inquest focused upon issues about the fitting of a safe in the back of a security van, which caused a crushing injury resulting in death.

Professional Discipline

• Dr G – Represented GMC. Oncoplastic Surgeon. Multiple failures alleged in the procedure in relation to the mastectomies and breast reconstruction.
• Dr M – Represented GMC. Psychiatrist who gave flawed evidence in a murder trial in relation to defence of diminished responsibility.
• Dr S – Represented GMC. Multiple findings of dishonesty in relation to qualifications and level of experience.

Memberships

• CPS Serious Crime Panel (Level 4)
• CPS Level 4 Prosecutor
• CPS Specialist Rape Panel
• Specialist Regulatory Advocate in Health & Safety and Environmental Law (List A)
• Advanced award in Environmental Law
• Price Waterhouse Coopers Dissertation Prize
• North Eastern Circuit