Prashant Popat QC and Oliver Campbell QC to speak at HSLA Webinar

Topic: Gross negligence manslaughter in 2021: a study of R v MPM.

Date/Time: Thursday 23 September 2021 – 17:30-18:30

Speakers:

• Prashant Popat QC, Henderson Chambers
• Oliver Campbell QC, Henderson Chambers
• Richard Crockford, Clyde & Co

Summary: Prashant Popat QC, Oliver Campbell QC and Christopher Adams, of Henderson Chambers, instructed by Richard Crockford, Susan Cha and Laura Bradford at Kennedys, acted for three defendants in a prosecution for gross negligence manslaughter arising from the death of an employee who fell from Eastbourne pier in 2014 during work to repair the pier.

The gross negligence charges against the human defendants were dismissed at the close of the prosecution case, following 6 weeks of trial in early 2021. The case gave rise to several points of general interest.

Topics to be covered include:

• Particularisation of the prosecution case
• Expert opinion on the ultimate issue
• Approach to a submission of no case to answer
• Components of gross negligence manslaughter

Speaker bios:

Prashant Popat QC: Prashant is a leading specialist in the areas of product liability and health & safety. He combines his work in these areas with a broad commercial litigation practice and significant inquests and public inquiries. Over the past two decades Prashant has been retained in some of the largest and most significant cases in his fields of expertise and his work sector experience includes healthcare, cosmetic surgery, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, rail, aviation, oil and gas, motor vehicles, construction and demolition, mining, telecommunications, manufacturing, fire and rescue.

Oliver Campbell QC: Oliver specialises in health & safety, product liability, regulatory and environmental claims.  His work in those areas encompasses inquests and inquiries.  He also has a particular expertise in group actions, including multi-party product liability and data breach claims.  For the last decade, he has been engaged in many of the largest and most significant cases in those fields.

Richard Crockford: Richard specialises in the conduct of health and safety, public inquiries and regulator defence matters arising in the rail, health, local authority, public utility, construction, police and other public service industries. He has represented companies and individuals at inquests, public and other inquires and prosecutions relating to the rail accidents at Kings Cross Fire, Clapham, Purley, Cannon Street, Cowden, Southall, Ladbroke Grove, Hatfield and Potters Bar, and other major accidents. He regularly advises directors, SHE and HR managers on health and safety, environment and employment policies and procedures.

The event will be Chaired by Tim Hill, HSLA events lead.

Details of how to join and a recording of the event can be found on the HSLA website