Joe is a driven, thoughtful and determined advocate. Joe is security cleared to SC level and is one of a handful of junior counsel on the North Eastern Circuit to have been appointed to the CPS Counter-Terrorism Panel, owing to his experience prosecuting and defending in long, complex trials across Circuit. Joe specialises in organised crime, acting variously as junior alone and led junior in notorious cases involving international human trafficking, murder, drugs conspiracies, grooming and serious violence.
Joe’s suitability to act in high-profile cases is underpinned by his ongoing work on two major public inquiries as counsel to the Inquiry: (1) UK Covid-19 Inquiry, and (2) Undercover Policing Inquiry.
Joe has attained the rank of CPS Grade 3 prosecutor very quickly, owing to his incisive analysis, relatable personality and courtroom confidence.
Joe has built his advocacy in complex cases on the foundation of his expertise in the field of disclosure, having acted in the early years of his career as Disclosure Junior to leading silks in high-profile cases.
Joe recently completed a three-month secondment at CPS Yorkshire and Humberside, during which he gained invaluable insight into the processes of the police and CPS. Joe brings to cases a maturity and holistic understanding of the criminal justice system, which he deploys to the advantage of his clients.
Prior to his career at the Bar, Joe worked as a legal researcher for Solomonic, a start-up data company, and as a Gateway Assessor at Chapeltown Citizens Advice Bureau. Joe combines his fine legal acumen with his grounding in the local community, having attended Roundhay High School, to provide a comprehensive service to clients.
Joe has a solid academic background, having studied Law at Cambridge, French Law in Poitiers and receiving numerous prizes and scholarships on his way to finishing top of his year on the BPTC and receiving a Distinction in his LLM.
Notable Cases
Joe is currently instructed as counsel to the Inquiry on two major public inquiries: (1) UK Covid-19 Inquiry, (2) Undercover Policing Inquiry. Joe has a depth of experience in public inquiries and is therefore well-placed to advise Core Participants in relation to other inquiries on procedure and strategy.
Joe has dealt with a diverse range of coronial cases, including the death of a road cyclist, a complicated death at a care home involving safeguarding concerns and the contraction of COVID-19, and multiple self-inflicted deaths in state custody involving consideration of Article 2 ECHR.
Joe understands the importance of getting it right at the Pre-Inquest Review and takes a considered approach to the menu of issues which arise at such hearings, from disclosure and IP status to Article 2 and Jury considerations.
Recent cases:
- Junior counsel to the Undercover Policing Inquiry – classified document management, technical Rule 9 drafting, complex hearing preparation, sensitive witness handling (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOc2ZCPt97I&t=3188s&ab_channel=UndercoverPolicingInquiry starting at 40:19)”
- Appointed as junior counsel to the UK-Covid 19 Inquiry.
- Instructed for the healthcare provider in an inquest involving suicide in a Doncaster prison.
- Instructed to appear in an inquest on behalf of Derbyshire County Council in which safeguarding concerns were being investigated following the death of a vulnerable adult in hospital, preceded by a fall in a care home and the contraction of COVID-19.
- Instructed in an inquest involving a holidaymaker contracting food poisoning and then being admitted to hospital on return to the UK following complications.
- Instructed in an inquest concerning the death of a cyclist following collision with a large vehicle.
Contact Joseph’s clerks
Madeleine Gray on 0113 202 8603
Joe has developed a practice in both criminal law and inquisitorial proceedings. Joe combines his depth of experience in each area to provide advice and advocacy of a high quality to regulatory work, appearing in both the criminal and coronial courts in such matters.
Joe is currently instructed to advise on a number of Post Office Horizon Appeal cases, and has a strong understanding of appeal procedures and costs implications for lay and professional clients alike.
Joe has delivered training to a diverse range of HSE scientists at the Science and Research centre in Buxton, as well as travelling nationally, and internationally to Copenhagen to deliver training to construction companies on the regulatory and criminal implications of failing to adhere to health and safety procedures.
Joe is a member of the ‘junior junior’ panel for Government Legal Department barristers. Joe has experience in all matters which touch upon the work of the police, having spent much time on secondment at the Humberside Police and South Yorkshire Police legal departments. Moreover, Joe spent the early years of his practice representing clients at parole board hearings.
Recent Cases
HSE v D (2022) – Instructed to mitigate at sentence on behalf of a property development company accused of breaching health and safety legislation in relation to the safety of a construction site. The judge found the case to be high culpability and took a starting point of £30,000 in the sentencing guidelines; however, following mitigation relating to the impact of COVID-19 and the spike in interest rates, the fine was reduced to £8,000.
Copenhagen (2022) – Delivered training on health and safety offences on behalf of Osborn Abbas Hunt to a very large construction firm operating sites across Western Europe – the training focused on the importance of complying with regulations on site and a safety-first approach.
Post Office Appeals (2021) – Instructed as junior to Craig Hassall KC to advise and represent a number of former sub-postmasters with a view to overturning their convictions.
Buxton (2021) – Delivered training to HSE scientists and the HSE Science Headquarters in Buxton on how to present evidence at court.