In a year of political turmoil that has seen significant changes to police powers, Margo Munro Kerr takes an essential and informative look at the ramifications of the Police Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and other protest law-related developments, including:

Statute update
Conditions on gatherings and marches
Rough sleeping
Obstruction of vehicular access to Parliament
Police power to remove trespassers causing damage to land
Case law update
Trends

Relevant law

Police Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022
Public Order Act 1986
Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011
Criminal Justice & Public Order Act 1994
DPP v Cuciurean [2022] EWHC 736 Admin
Barking and Dagenham LBC v persons unknown [2022] EWCA Civ 13
DPP v Ziegler [2020] QB 253
Perinçek, v Switzerland [GC], no 27510/08, ECHR 2015
Attorney-General’s reference of “Colston 4”

Margo is a criminal, immigration, and public law barrister. She accepts instructions in prison law and civil claims, particularly in actions against the police and unlawful detention. She has expertise in youth matters, in protest work, and in acting for victims of trafficking.

Margo has defended in criminal courts at all levels up to the Court of Appeal. She has a busy Crown Court practice and also accepts briefs in youth courts and magistrates’ courts, in particular for charges arising from protest.

Margo is regularly instructed in immigration appeals in the First Tier Tribunal and has worked on cases concerning asylum, humanitarian protection, articles 3 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and trafficking.

She is also regularly instructed in immigration related Judicial Reviews and has worked on cases involving asylum accommodation, unlawful detention, and delay. Margo advises on civil claims, including actions against the police, negligence and GDPR breaches.