Regulatory & Public Law, Inquests & Inquiries, Healthcare Regulatory
Regulatory & Public
Ranked in Tier 1 for Business and regulatory crime (including health and safety) in The Legal 500 2025 ), a C-List Specialist Regulatory Advocate and Joint Head of Chambers Consumer Protection Team
Ben is a specialist Regulatory and Public Law Barrister who is often asked to advise early on in proceedings and has developed excellent relationships with those instructing. He has a nationwide practice.
Environmental
Ben is regularly instructed in prosecutions brought by the Environment Agency; and is often instructed to advise pre-charge. Instructions have included significant illegal waste sites, complex issues regarding prior insolvency and the ownership of the site. He is currently instructed to defend in a prosecution following a major tyre fire that occurred in Bradford in November 2020.
He has experience of advising on civil orders relating to environmental risk, and has been involved in several applications for Restriction Orders in relation to illegal waste sites.
Ben has a niche practice in cases investigated by the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under the Forestry Act 1967, and other similar enactments. He is often asked to advise on jurisdictional issues regarding such cases and in relation to the time limits for commencing proceedings. He was instructed in the first ever prosecution under The Heather and Grass etc Burning (England) Regulations 2021 in relation to un-licenced burning on deep peat. This case was widely reported in the national media.
Ben has been involved in several prosecutions relating to fishing law, both at sea and inshore and has a detailed knowledge of the legislation involved. These cases have been brought by the Marine Management Organisation, Inshore Fisheries Authorities, and the Environment Agency.
Health and Safety
Ben has significant experience of prosecuting and defending case brought by the Health and Safety Executive and Local Authorities under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and associated regulations.
Notable cases have involved prosecution of a construction company following an elderly householder falling through a hole in the floor, a building contractor who was convicted of health and safety breaches concerning a household extension which exposed the occupants to carbon monoxide poisoning, a prosecution of the owners of a hotel for injuries sustained by a guest while using the fitness facilities at the premises and the defence of an engineering company relating to works undertaken involving asbestos.
He recently successfully prosecuted a case where the Defendant was represented by Leading Counsel.
He is currently advising a local authority pre charge in relation to a significant incident resulting in several injuries and potential for significant harm to the public.
Food Hygiene and Abattoirs
Ben is regularly instructed in cases brought by the Food Standards Agency and Local Authorities in relation to breaches of food hygiene regulations. These have included prosecutions of abattoirs, takeaways, and cafes. They included a high-profile prosecution where an individual suffered a life-threatening reaction to a takeaway that contained peanut powder.
He also has experience on advising on Hygiene Improvement Notices and other ancillary orders.
He is regularly instructed in prosecutions for offences under The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015. He is currently conducting a case alone when the other party is represented by both Leading and Junior Counsel.
Local Authority
Ben is also regularly instructed by local authorities and other regulatory bodies to advise and represent in relation to all other areas of their work.
These include trading standards prosecutions, alcohol licencing appeals, taxi licencing appeals, abatement notices, closure orders, defective properties, tree preservation orders, fire enforcement notices and planning enforcement injunctions.
He also is instructed in proceedings brought by tenants against landlords under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, in respect of alleged statutory nuisances.
Inquests & Inquiries
Ben is instructed to represent interested persons at inquests. Recent instructions have included representing prison healthcare, and a local authority. There is a cross over between Ben’s work in food hygiene law, health and safety law and his inquest practice. He is currently instructed in an inquest following a death of a volunteer undertaking work in a park.
Healthcare Regulatory
Ben is also regularly instructed in relation to proceedings before the Care Standards Tribunal brought by the Care Quality Commission and has a detailed knowledge of this area. These have included appeals against refusal of registration and cancellation of registration. He has also been instructed in investigations involving the Healthcare Inspectorate Wales and therefore has knowledge of the different healthcare regulatory regime in Wales.
He was instructed pre charge in relation to a prosecution involving the illegal storage of medical and veterinary products
Call 2010
Appointments: 2016 CPS Level-3 prosecutor
2019 List C of the Panel of Specialist Regulatory Advocates
2022 - Joint Head of the Consumer Protection Team
North Eastern Circuit Criminal Bar Association Proceeds of Crime Lawyers Association Liberty
2008 University of York, BA (Hons) History
2009 College of Law, PgDip Law
2010 College of Law, BVC (Outstanding)