Callum Church

I have prosecuted and defended in hundreds of motoring cases, of all levels of severity, across England and Wales. I am instructed to Defend in both the Magistrates and Crown Court on a private-paying basis at the pre-charge, trial, and sentencing stage for both individuals and companies.

I recognise that a driving license is essential for most people in the modern world, and any offence which puts that at risk is a cause for great concern. As well as securing acquittals for motoring offences, I have on many occasions convinced Courts to not disqualify individuals post-conviction due to Special Reasons surrounding the offences, or the Exceptional Hardship that would be caused to the driver and their family.

I have represented professional drivers in both Court proceedings and before the Traffic Commissioner, and know the particular difficulties facing those drivers when accused of motoring offences in a personal or professional capacity.

Some of my recent cases include:

R v DD (Crown Court) – I represented a bus driver accused of causing serious injury through careless driving after he had collided with a motorbike. I cross-examined the prosecution expert witness, and convinced the Judge that there were special reasons to not disqualify the Defendant from driving. I explained to the Judge that he would lose his bus driver’s license if he received 6 points or more, and persuaded him to only give him 5 points. This allowed my client to keep his employment.

R v MP (Magistrates Court) – I was instructed to defend a prominent musician accused of failing to provide a sample of blood, where the reasonable excuse put forward was the Defendant’s Rastafarian beliefs. Following my cross-examination of the arresting officer which revealed fatal flaws in the arrest and drug-drive procedure, The Court dismissed the charge as there was no case to answer.

R v SC [Crown Court] – I Defended a business owner at the Appeal stage, who had been wrongly named under a s.172 notice and disqualified from driving before I was instructed. My client needed his license to be reinstated so that he could resume his business. I pointed out a number of failures in the police investigation, leading the Court to quash both the conviction and the ban.

R v AK [Magistrates Court] – I Defended a man accused of failing to provide information in response to s.172 notices. He risked up to 30 points on his license, and an inevitable disqualification. I secured “Not Guilty” verdicts on all offences, saving my client’s license.

R v XX [Magistrates Court] – I Defended an individual with 6 points on his license accused of using his phone while driving. I convinced the prosecution to accept a plea to a lesser offence, meaning that my client kept his license.

R v XY [Magistrates Court] – Defending a businessman accused of failing to respond to a s.172 notice. Acquitted after trial.

Traffic Commissioner v AH – I secured the reinstatement of an HGV license for a driver who had been convicted of using a mobile phone in his personal capacity.