Claims Against The Police & Public Authorities

Garden Court Chambers is one of the most highly-experienced of any Chambers in this complex area with an excellent reputation across the UK.

We conduct civil actions against the police and other institutional bodies for false imprisonment, assault, malicious prosecution, misfeasance in public office and other abuses of power. Several of our practitioners form the core of their practice on claims against the police, and many are acknowledged and highly-rated in the ‘Chambers and Partners’ legal guide.

Garden Court barristers have extensive experience of conducting jury trials in claims against the police. There are several members of Garden Court whose main practice area is claims against the police. Our specialisation and expertise in police claims is almost unique at the Bar.

Members of Chambers are actively involved in the Police Actions Lawyers' Group and regularly contribute to police law issues to legal periodicals. The multi-disciplinary specialist expertise within Chambers has also given us a lead in claims for damages from unlawful immigration detention and false imprisonment by psychiatric hospitals and other state institutions.

Some of our leading appellate cases are:

Earl Hill v Commissioner of Police, Goswell v Commissioner of Police (4/11/98, CCRTF97/1558/2). This case is an important authority on damages.

R (Saadi) v Secretary of State for Home Department [2002] 1 WLR 356. This case concerned the legality of detention at the Oakington asylum centre.

R v Governor of Brockhill Prison ex parte Evans (no. 2) [2001] 2 AC 19. Establishes that any unlawful detention gives rise to a damages claim.

Farah v Home Office (Times LR 28/1/2000). Established the potential liability of the Home Office for negligence in interfering with the travel arrangements of refugees.

Jason Paul v Chief Constable of Humberside [2004] EWCA Civ 308, [2004] 1 Pol LR 179. Establishes that claims for damages against the police will often involve drawing inferences against the police evidence.

R (application of Wilkinson) v Chief Constable of Merseyside Police [2004] 1 Pol LR 189 Quashes a police force’s refusal to conduct an investigation into a complaint.

R (application Clare) v Independent Police Complaints Commission [2005] 1 Pol LR 185. Establishes that IPCC is permitted to withdraw a dispensation from a requirement to investigate a complaint.

Morrison v Chief Constable of West Midlands [2003] EWCA Civ 271. Relates to the directions to be given to divided juries.

Chief Constable of Merseyside v Ali Daar [2005] EWCA 1774, [2005] 1 Pol LR 376. Prevents the police striking out a claim against the police on the basis that the claimant had received an ASBO,

Keegan v Chief Constable of Merseyside [2003] 1 WLR 2187. An appeal raising the ambit of tort of malicious procurement of a search warrant.

Keegan v United Kingdom (App 28867/03). Obtaining compensation in the European Court of Human Rights for breach of Article 8 and Article 13 following a police search.

The team

Members of the Claims Against The Police & Public Authorities team are listed below - click on their names to go to their profiles.

Barrister	Year of Call	Email Address
Terry Munyard	1972	Send Email
Marguerite Russell	1972	Send Email
Henry Blaxland QC	1978	Send Email
Courtenay Griffiths QC	1980	Send Email
Michael Hall	1983	Send Email
James Scobie QC	1984	Send Email
Nerida Harford-Bell	1984	Send Email
Marc Willers	1987	Send Email
Leslie Thomas	1988	Send Email
Colin Hutchinson	1990	Send Email
Stephen Simblet	1991	Send Email
Catrin Lewis	1991	Send Email
Stephanie Harrison	1991	Send Email
Nadine Finch	1991	Send Email
Rajeev Thacker	1993	Send Email
Stephen Knafler QC	1993	Send Email
Rajiv Menon	1993	Send Email
Maya Sikand	1997	Send Email
Emma Favata	1999	Send Email
Kate Aubrey-Johnson	2001	Send Email
Tim Baldwin	2001	Send Email
Brenda Campbell	2002	Send Email
Irena Sabic	2002	Send Email
Andrew Eaton	2004	Send Email
Sarah Hemingway	2006	Send Email
Anna Morris	2006	Send Email
Shu Shin Luh	2006	Send Email
Kirsten Heaven	2007	Send Email
Helen Foot	2008	Send Email