Regulatory Crime

Chambers criminal law team are well renowned for their work. Our team have extensive experience in a range of regulatory fields, where their criminal law skills are also used to best advantage.

Health & Safety

The criminal team has a growing reputation both locally and nationally for providing specialist advocacy and advice in this niche area of law.

Members are instructed by both prosecution authorities and the defence in cases involving fatality and serious injury as well as more routine breaches of regulations.

Members of the criminal team have experience of dealing with health and safety cases involving a wide variety of industries, including farming, construction, fast food outlets, retail premises and the hotel and leisure industry.

As well as the most common health and safety offences, cases undertaken have involved breaches of fire regulations, working at height regulations and disabled access, and factual scenarios have ranged from chemical emissions to faults in heavy machinery.

Environmental Health

We have particular experience in dealing with unauthorized waste transport and disposal under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and associated legislation (including R v Bilsby (2010) – large scale commercial burning leading to custodial sentences and substantial costs recovered). We also deal with breaches of Section 80 prohibition notices, breaches of smoke regulations and water pollution offences.

Trading Standards

Cases have included fraud, trading in counterfeit goods and misrepresentations as to membership of trade bodies, as well as prosecutions under the Animal Health Act 1981 and associated regulations.

Food Hygiene

Several members specialize in advising and prosecuting breaches of food hygiene regulations and associated European legislation.

Licensing

The team covers a wide range of licensing law and practice including:

• Alcohol & Entertainment
• Taxi & Private Hire
• HGV & PCV
• Firearms

In addition to public bodies members have acted for individual drivers and license-holders, companies, operators and representative organisations. They have appeared before local authority committees and the Traffic Commissioner as well as the courts.

The team is equipped to deal with cases varying in complexity and significance ranging from the local off licence or chip shop to the medium sized limousine company to the largest lap-dancing club.

“Crown Office Row’s regulatory practitioners are ‘very approachable and knowledgeable team players’. In 2013, health and safety specialist Francesca Lewington defended a large poultry breeding firm accused of polluting a water course.” (Legal 500)