Mon - Fri 09:00 - 18.00
Central Court 25 Southampton Buildings London WC2A 1AL
clerks@churchcourtchambers.co.uk
Tel: +44 020 7936 3637
DX 458 London Chancery Lane
Chambers provides an out of hours service. If you call Chambers main number you will be diverted to the clerk on call who will be able to deal with your enquiry.
Senior Clerk
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Practice Director
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First Junior
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Second Junior
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Administration
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Year of Call - 1987
Year of Silk - 2009
Ben is a highly sought-after, stand-out Silk whose career reflects his strengths as an advocate, his analytical ability and meticulous attention to detail. Ben works with each client to achieve the best result obtainable, however challenging the circumstances.
Ben was appointed Queen’s Counsel in March 2009, and to the Serious Fraud Office QC list in 2009 and 2013. Prior to taking Silk, Ben developed a varied practice initially obtaining an LLM in company law, intellectual property law, company law and administrative law. Ben served as standing counsel to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, an area where he continues to accept instructions in suitable cases.
Ben prosecutes and defends in equal measure and with equal commitment. Before taking silk he was a Grade 4 Prosecutor on the South Eastern and Midland Circuits and a long-standing advocate on the Specialist Prosecution Rape Panel.
Ben continues to accept a wide range of work, including murder, commercial fraud, personal injury, actions against the police, contract and commercial disputes and Judicial Review. He is an experienced hand in the Court of Appeal and has assisted in the development in his list of decided cases.
Ben has served by invitation as special counsel to the Governor of the Cayman Islands to advise on constitutional matters relating to the judiciary and law officers. Ben’s broad knowledge of the law and his in-depth experience as an advocate informs each case he undertakes.
Ben is known for his commitment to the criminal justice system. He is a senior advocacy and ethics tutor for Lincoln’s Inn. He assesses advocates for the CPS Higher Advocates panel a role that includes assessing Queen’s Counsel employed by the CPS. He has been involved in providing training for those who will be involved in the development of the vulnerable witness programme.
Man kills wife due to lesbian affair. Loss of control defence. Defendant convicted.
Man pushes former Eurotunnel boss onto train tracks. Attempted murder. Defendant convicted.
Gangs steal free evening standard newspapers for profit. Instructed to give detailed advice on the law of theft. Both defendants convicted following trial.
Seven-handed murder. Obtaining successful acquittal on charge of murder. Manslaughter alternative verdict.
Four handed gang related murder at the Old Bailey. Successful acquittal.
Two-handed murder. Obtaining successful acquittal on charge of murder of a 15-year-old. Manslaughter alternative verdict.
Acquittal of husband and wife (separately represented) on allegation of shooting and using a knife against family members inside and outside their home on Easter Sunday. Both accused successfully raising pleas of self defence.
Defending in four-handed murder. Victim attacked with various weapons and having been killed attempts had been made to dismember his body with an angle grinder. Accused acquitted of murder convicted of manslaughter but all other defendants convicted of murder.
Four-handed murder charge in context of drug-related offences. Allegations of torture. 16-year-old vulnerable defendant.
27 day three-handed murder and attempted murder, defending vulnerable 16-year-old defendant; victims also 16. Case involved the aftermath of an acid attack. Defences considered were diminished responsibility, legal loss of control, lack of intent and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), alternatively an adjustment disorder. D acquitted of murder but manslaughter by diminished responsibility.
Death caused by driving when under influence of alcohol/drugs. Obtained successful conviction following 7-day trial for manslaughter.
Five-handed murder, attempted murder possession of firearms and section 18 assaults. All parties both accused and victims were members of gangs in the Birmingham area.
Five-handed attempted murder/conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm involving serious allegations that police evidence had been planted and raising issues of when a judge should recuse himself in an ongoing case.
AG Ref. on sentence in Murder/manslaughter case. Sentence was not increased.
The applicable mens rea in indecent images, abuse of process principles; the Tryell principle, preferring indictments on electronic system; jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal in Terminating appeals.
Issues arising relating to abuse of process; missing documents; terminating rules in the context of historic allegations of sexual abuse.
The correct approach to circumstantial evidence in murder cases.
The correct approach to bad character hearsay evidence where cut-throat defences are being run in murder cases.
Ambit and scope of cab rank principle in complex fraud cases.
Application of bad character provisions in circumstantial evidence cases.
Admissibility of new evidence after justices have retired.
Criteria to be applied before lawful intercepts can take place in prison.
Ambit of customs co-operation interviews.
Abuse of process in section 51 transfer cases.
Admissibility of foreign evidence in English Courts.
Applicability of code C.10-12 in customs cases.