Christopher Hewertson
CALLED TO BAR: 2007
INN OF COURT: Lincoln’s Inn (Hardwicke Scholar, 2006; The Shelford Scholarship, 2008)
EDUCATION: The University of Nottingham LLB (Hons.) Law with International Law (year spent at The University of Queensland, Australia), graduated 2006; BVC at Nottingham Law School, 2007
PRACTICE AREAS: Criminal Law, Prison Law, Military Law, General Common Law

• Member of the Criminal Bar Association

For further information, please contact clerks@2kbw.com or ring 0207 353 1746. Alternatively, use the secure email clerks@2kbw.com.cjsm.net

Christopher defends and prosecutes in all types of criminal cases for solicitors and the CPS in London and across the Western Circuit, and has recently been appointed at Grade 2 in the new CPS Advocates Panel.  He has represented clients at trial for a wide range of offences, which include: robbery, burglary and substantial theft matters, sexual assaults including those involving children as defendants and victims; cases of serious violence and public disorder, in addition to offences against property and arson.  Christopher has further defended those facing police applications to impose SOPOs, ROSHOs and Anti-Social Behaviour Orders against them.  Christopher is very receptive to the requirements of solicitors as well as having a reputation for robust cross-examination and “fighting the corner” of all his lay clients.

Christopher has a growing practice in prison law work: he represents prisoners at parole board, licence recall and adjudication hearings across the country and advises on judicially reviewing such decisions where appropriate.  He has a particular interest in young people who were made subject to indefinite periods of imprisonment and believes in strong scrutiny of their continuing detention in cases where “minimum terms” have, often long ago, expired.  

Christopher practises in Court Martial proceedings and has, thus far, represented soldiers accused of committing serious assaults.

Christopher accepts both publicly funded and private instructions.  He has extensive experience of defending driving prosecutions, whether disputed charges or mitigating for concerned people whose lives would be made vastly more difficult were their ability to drive taken away from them.

As a member of Chambers’ civil team, Christopher regularly appears for both claimants and defendants in matters of contract law, negligence and landlord and tenant law.

Recent criminal defence cases include: -

• R v V, Reading Crown Court
  Defended a security guard at the UK Vodafone Headquarters charged with the theft of Iphone 4 handsets (value £15,000) from locked security drawers. V was acquitted after trial in a case involving complex analysis of electronic door records, phone records and text message evidence. There were contested applications in relation to the admission of co-defendants' guilty pleas, bad character and hearsay evidence and to exclude evidence under s.78.
   
• R v M, Winchester Crown Court
  Defended a staff manager at a restaurant who was acquitted after trial of an allegation of sexually assaulting a young female employee under his supervision. The allegation included falsely imprisoning her in the staff toilet and involved  cross-examination of the young complainant and two corroborating witnesses.
   
• R v W, Reading Crown Court
  Defended a 19 year old charged with a joint enterprise burglary of a central Newbury flat together with his girlfriend, who had pleaded guilty. The identification evidence in relation to W's alleged forced entry into the flats was excluded under s. 78 because of significant breaches of PACE Code D.
   
• R v Q & Q, Isleworth Crown Court
  Defended a 23 year old woman prosecuted together with her mother for possession with intent to supply cocaine across two dates, nine months apart.  Both defendants entered guilty pleas on the third day of trial.  Following mitigation, the client was sentenced to a Community Order.
   
• R v H, Reading Youth Court
  Defended a 12 year old boy accused of sexually assaulting a 15 year old girl with severe learning difficulties.  The assault was said to have taken place in plain view of other child and adult witnesses.  Ultimately, the prosecution offered no evidence at trial in the face of several defence applications.
   
• R v A, Kingston Crown Court

  Defended a vulnerable 18 year old male on an allegation of domestic burglary in south London involving four co-defendants. After four days of trial the Crown conceded the burglary allegation and accepted a limited plea to handling a fraction of the stolen property. 
   
• R v A, Snaresbrook Crown Court

  Defended a client acquitted after trial of possession of a lock knife.  The case involved a successful application to exclude two previous convictions for the same offence.
   
• R v H, Southampton Crown Court

  Negotiated pleas to a series of dwelling burglaries which took a 19 year old in breach of the “three-strike” sentencing rule. Successfully pleaded exceptional circumstances in mitigation so that the three-year minimum term was not imposed.
   
• R v W, Portsmouth Crown Court
  Secured a conditional discharge for a client convicted of threats to commit arson at the marital home of his ex-wife.

Recent criminal prosecution cases include: -
 

• R V B, Winchester Crown Court
  Prosecuted a male who was part of a joint enterprise to steal cars in the course of domestic burglaries.
   
• R v W, Portsmouth Crown Court
  Prosecuted a defendant convicted of racially aggravated assault and joint enterprise racially aggravated public order offences against two Nigerian door supervisors at a large pub.
   
• R v C, Waltham Forest Youth Court

  Prosecuted two young males convicted of a knife-point robbery.
   
• R v B, Newport Crown Court, Isle of Wight
  Prosecuted a man for racially aggravated assault of a Portsmouth taxi driver.
   
• Waltham Forest LBC v Z, Waltham Forest Magistrates’ Court

  Prosecuted a shop-keeper convicted of “fly-tipping” contrary to the Environmental Protection Act for Waltham Forest Council.
   

Recent civil cases include: -

• Drains Ltd, Enfield County Court

  Negotiated a settlement in a contract claim in which the defendant limited company had become insolvent and was therefore an unattractive entity to sue.
   
• Mercedes Benz Finance, Leeds County Court

  Successfully responded to an application to set aside an original judgment debt for breach of contract.  The case involved argument over contractual construction and the proper operation of the contract.