Joan’s cases are regularly reported upon, including in the local and national press. Recently Joan has been involved in matters that have included immigration issues, social media use and the handling of sensitive data.

R (on the application of Richards)-v-Teesside Magistrates’ Court and Chief Constable of Cleveland Police [2013] EWHC 2208 (QB) and on appeal [2015] EWCA Civ 7  involving the variation of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order relating to the wearing of location monitoring device. Joan was involved in the case advising at an early stage pre application and successfully argued the variation of the SOPO in the magistrates’ court. The variation was upheld on judicial review and on appeal, led by J Knowles QC.
 

Gateshead Council-v-Henderson [2012] EWHC 807 (Admin): Joan acted for the local authority in this matter relating to plying for hire and the circumstances surrounding the commission of the offence.

Gateshead Council-v-Ghaffar [2011] EWHC 3944 (Admin): Joan acted for the local authority and advised on appealing the decision. The magistrates’ dismissed a plying for hire case at half time, case remitted back to be re-heard. Helpful case relating to circumstances when it is inappropriate to dismiss a case at half time.

Stockton-On-Tees Borough Council v (1) Alan Fidler (2) Habib Hussain (3) Gholamreza Keshavarz Zamanian [2010] EWHC 2430 (Admin): Joan acted for the local authority. This is a leading case on cross border use of Hackney Carriages as Private Hire Vehicles.

Stockton-On-Tees Borough Council v Dawn Frost [2010] EWHC 1304 (Admin): Trade Mark case involving the Magistrates’ interpretation of the statutory defence under S92 (5) TMA 1994.The Magistrates’ initially refused to state the case; however the case was stated following the grant of permission to judicially review the Magistrates’ refusal.

Stockton-On-Tees Borough Council v Orangzabe Latif [2009] EWHC 228 (Admin): Joan acted for the local authority and advised on appeal. Leading case on licensing time limits. Held the 21 day time limit for appealing was strict.

Longstaff-v-DPP [2008] EWHC 303 (Admin): whether a failure to provide a specimen of breath when a police doctor had been requested to take blood amounted to a reasonable excuse.