To complement the 2022 Criminal Law Update from Antony Bartholomeusz, fellow Great James Street barrister Adam Smith presents an update regarding the main new criminal offences that have come into force during October 2021 to October 2022, and an overview of changes to sentencing during the same period. The seminar specifically looks at:

Sexual offences arranging or facilitating commission of a child sex offence
Abuse of a position of trust
Voyeurism: Breastfeeding
Public order criminal damage to memorials
Hare coursing offences
Offences relating to protest imposing conditions on public processions
Imposing conditions on public assemblies
Conditions on processions and assemblies
Obstructing vehicular access to Parliament
Intentionally/recklessly causing public nuisance
Conditions on one-person protests
Offence relating to residing on land without consent in or with a vehicle
Driving offences causing injury by careless or inconsiderate driving
Failing to surrender a licence where disqualified
Domestic Violence Act 2021: Non-fatal strangulation
The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2022: Using a handheld mobile telephone whilst driving

Relevant law

Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022
Sexual Offences Act 2003
Domestic Violence Act 2021

Adam has a busy criminal practice appearing in the Crown and Magistrates’ Courts. He both defends and prosecutes and is currently awarded Grade 1 status on the Crown Prosecution Service’s Advocacy Panel. Adam represents clients charged with a variety of offences, including sexual offences, violence, drug offences, robbery, domestic violence, fraud and driving offences. Adam’s confident style of advocacy, combined with his impressive academic abilities, leads to highly commendable feedback from clients.

Adam is regularly instructed by policing bodies in criminal proceedings, including Sexual Harm Prevention Orders, Stalking Prevention Orders, Asset Freezing Orders, Community Protection Notices and ASBO’s. Further, Adam has been instructed to challenge threatened actions against the police in civil proceedings. He is instructed to undertake document reviews, particularly in relation to legally privileged material and is instructed as independent counsel to attend and advise on searches and raids.