James Wilson

James Wilson
Year of call:

2005

Education:

2002 - University of Leeds, BSc (Hons)

2003 - College of Law, York, PgDL

2005 - Northumbria University, BVC (‘very competent’)

Career:

2005 - Pupil at Wilberforce Chambers

2012 - Tenant at Sovereign Chambers

2015 - Sovereign Chambers becomes Park Square Barristers

Memberships:

North Eastern Circuit PIBA Yorkshire RFU Disciplinary Panel

James accepts instructions in cases arising out of serious or fatal injuries in the workplace. He is able to provide advice at an early stage and deal with all areas of court proceedings thereafter.

James routinely acts for insurance companies in personal injury and HSE prosecutions and is well placed to advise defendant companies and insurers at the first sign of HSE involvement or civil claims.

James also regularly attends coroner’s inquests and is available to act in other regulatory cases, with special interests in Health and Safety and Environmental / Waste Management prosecutions an area in which James is assisted by his Bsc (Hons) in Geo-chemistry.

Professional Discipline

James has a successful professional discipline practice. He regularly drafts, advises and presents for professional bodies such as the NMC and SWE.

James’ practise in final hearings is mostly 10 day hearings or more; he has dealt with allegations of misconduct that include:

  • Serious sexual misconduct;
  • Violence;
  • Health cases; mostly drug and alcohol addiction but including mental health diagnoses;
  • Fraud and dishonesty; and
  • Serious clinical failings

This practise crosses over with his increasing inquest work, where he often represents professionals such as GP’s and Paramedics, where he is able to assist with any potential disciplinary proceedings arising from the inquest.

James sits on the Yorkshire RFU discipline Committee and the National RFU discipline committee. Whilst he is, at present, unable to assist rugby union players, he is well placed to represent other sports people who are subject to discipline proceedings.

James can act in all other professional disciplinary tribunals including but not limited to:

  • Doctors
  • Accountants
  • Solicitors
  • Teachers
  • Fire Fighters
  • Radiologists

James is also available to assist clients in the following areas:

  • Care Quality Commission
  • Firearms; appeals and prosecutions
  • Food Safety / Hygiene
  • Licensing Hackney Carriage
  • Licensing Premise
  • Local Authority / District Council Prosecutions
  • Sporting disciplinary (especially rugby union)
  • Trading Standards

Coronial Law

James is an experienced inquest advocate. He represents professional bodies, companies, healthcare professionals and families, alike. His experience in personal injury and healthcare professional discipline is of great advantage to clients in the coronial arena.

  • Inquest touching the death of TB. James acted for a paramedic who was the rear seat passenger along with the deceased at the time that the ambulance crashed. There was a suggestion that the driver of the ambulance and a third-party lorry driver were the cause of the crash. In addition, one of the contributing factors in the injuries sustained by the deceased was the fact that he was unlikely to have been fully strapped onto the stretcher bed; a job that was the responsibility of James’ client.

See links for News Coverage:

Ambulance driver involved in fatal crash of patient told her overtake was ‘not dangerous’ – Hull Live (hulldailymail.co.uk)

Ambulance driver involved in fatal crash told overtake was ‘not dangerous’ – YorkshireLive (examinerlive.co.uk)

  • Inquest touching the death of NP. The deceased died from multi organ failure as a result of contracting salmonella from duck eggs bought at a country. James represented the paramedic who was called the the deceased’s house. Notwithstanding some significant markers and reasons to take NP to hospital the client made the decision not to immediately transfer NP to A&E. She subsequently did a number of days later. One of the issues was the effect that the delay in transportation had on NP’s prognosis. It was evident that his prognosis was much poorer as a result of the delay. Notwithstanding this, James made written and oral submissions to the Senior Coroner to withdraw from the jury the issue of causation in relation to the delay. The Coroner agreed.

See link for News Coverage:

Niptoon Tavakoli: Salmonella victim had eaten duck eggs before death – BBC News

Salmonella victim taken to hospital three days after first ambulance call – BBC News

Doctors unable to save Yorkshire man who caught severe salmonella from duck eggs | Yorkshire Post

  • Inquest touching the death of CNC. The cause of death was hanging, as a result of suicide. James acted for the GP (instructed by the Medical Protection Society) who had had telephone contact with the deceased on the day of her death. She had expressed suicidal thoughts. The Coroner was considering a Regulation 28 Prevention of Future Deaths Report in relation to the systems at the GP Practice. James invited some time to provide further evidence. He then assisted the GP Practice in drafting new policies to alleviate the Coroner’s concerns.
  • Inquest touching the death of EC

James represented the family in a case following of an unlawful hold under the Mental Health Act.

  • Inquest touching the death of MC

James was instructed by the Medical Protection Society to protect the interests of a General Practitioner in a case where a patient had committed suicide following contact with their GP.

James drafted a new risk assessment policy for the practise and thus avoided a Prevention of Future Deaths Report.

  • Inquest touching the death of TB

James was instructed by Telemedicine Ltd on behalf of a radiologist. The deceased died following ruptured coeliac aneurysms.

  • Inquest touching the death of SW

James was instructed by the family of the deceased who was a paraplegic; she ultimately died as a result of complications to her bed sores. She had been held under the Mental Health Act and died following a decline in her food and fluid intake.

  • Inquest touching the death of CW

The deceased was under medication for Bipolar depression.  Emergency services were called to deceased home where she was in a distressed state and causing damage to the premises in the presence of her young family. She died shortly after arrival at hospital.

  • Inquest touching the death of KT

Representing the bereaved family of a 30-year-old woman who had a number of complex medical issues. She was steroid dependant, but none was administered until moments before her death.

  • Inquest Touching the Death of Mr CH

James represented the family of the deceased who died having been admitted to hospital for severe alcoholism. The deceased was subject to a hospital restriction order at the time of his death.

  • Inquest Touching the Death of IH

James is representing the family of an 18 month old boy who was in remission from Leukaemia following a bone marrow transplant. He subsequently died of a heart attack, whilst in hospital.

 

HEALTH AND SAFETY

  • HSE v Pauls Malt Ltd T/A Boormalt

Representing a European company with a U.K turnover of £129m (and so outside of the top bracket of the sentencing guidelines).

A guilty plea was entered to an offence contrary to section 33 Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 act by breaching its duties under s 3(1) of the Act.

The starting point for sentence for a company with a turnover of £50m was £300,000 with a range of £130,000- £750,000. The potential fine was therefore in excess of £750,000.

James advised at an early stage in terms of the relevant evidence to put before the court, including the extent of financial disclosure and the specific risk assessments and training given to employees across the country.

Following a guilty plea and mitigation, the Defendant was fined just £100,000.

  • HSE v ICH Ltd

Representing a company that provided air conditioning services to supermarkets and department stores with a turnover of £6m.

The Defendant pleaded guilty to one offence contrary s33(1)(c) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by breaching its duties under s 3(1) of the Act. The sentencing range was £25,000- £230,000. Mr Wilson drafted the basis of plea and, following mitigation, the Defendant was fined £20,000.

  • HSE -V- Longcross Construction Ltd (In Administration ) (1) Fewell Engineering Ltd (2)SJT Site Management Ltd (3) Stuart John Tombs (As a director) (4) Stuart John Tombs (As an individual)

James represented the Second, Third and Fourth Defendant who were prosecuted as a result of a crushing injury that occurred at Armley Prison, Leeds. The complainant was run over by machinery driven by a third party contractor. Both the machinery and the contractor were under the control of the Second Defendant company and the Fourth Defendant as an employee of the company.

The Defendant company pleaded guilty to offence contrary to s33(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by breaching its duties under s 3(1) of the Act. The charge against the company director was discontinued. The Fourth Defendant pleaded guilty to tampering with the evidence post accident and therefore obstructing the investigation.

The HSE suggested that the relevant fine bracket for the company was £30,000- £110,000.

James drafted the Basis of Plea and successfully argued that the culpability was less than the HSE submitted. Following mitigation, the company was fined £600. The Fourth Defendant was fined £100 for evidence tampering.

 

Contact James’ clerks

Madeleine Gray on 0113 202 8603

Patrick Urbina on 0113 213 5250

Imogen Brown on 0113 2135225

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