9 Gough Square

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Section: Practice Areas

Police Law
A well established and experienced number of practitioners make up the Police Law Team who cover all aspects of civil litigation involving the police.

A core of specialist practitioners make up the 9 Gough Square Police Law Team and have represented The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, various Constabularies, National Police Organisations, and numerous Claimants for over 25 years.

Ever since the introduction of “Police Law” as an area of practice in the UK Legal Directories in 1998, practitioners at 9 Gough Square have been regularly ranked and highly recommended.

Whilst mainly known as a set of chambers that represents the police, members of the Police Law Team regularly represent individuals who bring claims against the police in provincial areas.

Practice in this area requires specialist knowledge particularly as the subject matter is so broad and the requirements of a police force or individual represented are often complex and demanding.

The service offered by Chambers covers the following areas:

Civil disputes concerning the police at High Court and County Court level (false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, assault, misfeasance in public office trespass claims)
Anti-terrorist cases
Judicial review proceedings
Inquests
Public Inquiries
Human Rights Claims
Disciplinary proceedings and Police Authority appeals concerning serving officers
Police led applications such as Sex Offender Orders, Proceeds of Crime Act Orders, Closure Orders and Anti-Social Behaviour Orders
Fatal shootings and use of firearms cases
Firearms applications and appeals
Disputes arising out of the seizure, retention and delivery up of privileged or copyright materials, goods and property
Public Interest Immunity applications in the civil, criminal and family courts

In the last few years, the Police Law Team has been involved in cases in the Court of Appeal and House of Lords and has participated in Public Inquiries that include:

Smith v Snaresbrook Crown Court and Commissioner of Police [2009] 1 AER 547 (Admin Court) - Basis for granting extension to a Closure Order under Section 5 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003
Newman v Commissioner of Police [2009] EWHC 162 (Admin Court) - Admissibility of evidence in relation to a football banning order under the Football Spectators Act 1989
Beck v Chief Constable of Hertfordshire [2008] AER D94 (Admin Court) - Meaning of residence for the purposes of firearms licensing under section 28 of the Firearms Act 1968
Lambeth LBC v S and Commissioner of Police [2007] 1 FLR 152 (High Court) - Power of a family court to make an order in relation to a blood sample lawfully retained by police or the DNA profile derived from it to establish parentage
Lawrence v Commissioner of Police [2006] EWCA Civ 425 (Court of Appeal) - Pre-action disclosure, public interest immunity and police informants
Skipsey v O’Rourke and the Commissioner of Police [2005] EWCA Civ 912 (Court of Appeal) - Medical unfitness to attend trial and the right to adjourn
Al-Fayed v Commissioner of Police [2004] EWCA Civ 1579 (Court of Appeal) – Power of arrest under Section 24(6) of PACE and power to detain under Section 37 of PACE concerning the Harrods deposit box claim
Martin v Chief Constable of Nottingham Constabulary [2003] EWCA Civ 425 (Court of Appeal) – Conversion claim concerning a vehicle, form of indemnity and claim for wrongful retention
Wilson v Commissioner of Police [2002] EWCA Civ 434 – (Court of Appeal) Serious head injury following the alleged use of a truncheon in a riot situation – difficult evidential/liability issues
Climbie Inquiry (2002) Statutory enquiry into the abuse and death of an 8 year old girl involving a number of agencies including the Metropolitan Police, Social Services from the London Boroughs of Haringey, Brent and Ealing and the Central and North Middlesex Hospitals
Waters v Commissioner of Police [2001] 1 W.L.R. 1607 – (House of Lords) Negligence, stress and harassment claim by former police constable concerning the police failure to deal with a complaint of rape and bullying and application to strike out

Click here to view our barristers working in the area of Police Law and to see details of notable Clinical Negligence cases undertaken by each barrister.