3PB Direct

How much experience do you have in this area?

I was called to the Bar in 2010. Prior to becoming a barrister, I worked as a full-time paralegal in two firms of London solicitors where I ran my own caseload. With an insight into both sides of the legal profession; I am ideally suited to running your case on a direct access basis.

Legal Expertise

I have represented defendants in the Crown Court in cases of the upmost seriousness including rape; causing grievous bodily harm with intent; threats to kill; robbery; conspiracy to supply drugs; conspiracy to defraud, and; perverting the course of justice.

However, in order to be able to represent you on a direct access basis, I need to be confident that you have the capacity to manage your case with appropriate advice from me. I find that the areas most suited to direct access are driving and regulatory offences.

I have significant experience of representing defendants charged with the following driving offences:

  • Causing serious injury by dangerous driving
  • Dangerous driving
  • Careless driving
  • Drink driving (including failing to provide a specimen)
  • Speeding
  • Driving without insurance
  • Failing to stop (report an accident)
  • Using a mobile phone whilst driving.

I have been successful in arguing exceptional hardship and special reasons to avoid my clients being disqualified. To secure the most favourable result I am willing to think outside the box: for example, I represented a defendant who had been caught speeding. The least number of points he could get for the offence was 4 and he already had 9 points on his licence, so he was facing a 6-month disqualification. I therefore argued that his offending was so serious that only an immediate disqualification (as opposed to points) was appropriate. The magistrates’ agreed with me and disqualified him for 14 days. After the hearing he wrote to me in the following terms:

“Thank you again for your efforts today – I will be honest and say that I never imagined such a favourable result.  The line you took was clearly spot on and whilst I winced to hear you tell them how severe my speeding was, I was thrilled to see your plan work out.  

I am very grateful for your efforts and will hopefully keep my speed down once I start driving again in a fortnight’s time.”

Direct Access Client

I have particular expertise in defending and prosecuting people charged with regulatory crimes. Most notably in the following areas:

  • Planning enforcement (including breaches of Tree Preservation Orders)
  • Trading standards (especially relating to the building trade)
  • Fire regulations
  • Environmental law
  • Health & Safety, and
  • Maritime law.

A number of my cases have received national press attention. A planning enforcement case, which I recently prosecuted, has been credited as a legal first:

Businessman who cut tree blocking sunlight to a home must pay back £21k – The Telegraph

 Homeowner ordered to pay £21k for butchering tree – The Times

 

To contact Thomas

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