Member of the Criminal Bar Association and the Personal Injury Bar Association.
Accepts conditional fee work.
James Lofthouse has been practising at the Bar since April 1997, and practises both civil and criminal law. His civil practice encompasses personal injury, landlord and tenant, trusts, consumer law (particularly holiday claims and credit hire) and general common law work. James is often instructed in civil matters involving allegations of dishonesty or criminal conduct. Where practicable, urgent written work will be returned by e-mail on the day of instruction, or very soon thereafter.
James both prosecutes and defends in the Crown and Appellate Courts. He is on the C. P. S. list for the South Eastern Circuit and has also prosecuted on behalf of H. M. Customs and Excise. The majority of James's work is in central London and he therefore has extensive experience of, inter alia, burglary, street robbery, Class A drug supply, firearms, kidnapping and serious violence.
In addition to his primary areas of practice, James also accepts instructions in the fields of family (particularly financial) and immigration and asylum law, and has represented clients at Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Appeal hearings and Employment Tribunals.
Notable cases include:
- R v. Stone (Terence) (2001) (mandatory life sentence for second armed robbery);
- Ghanchi v. Haringey Healthcare NHS Trust (2002) (four day personal injury trial in the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court, regarding an assault of psychiatric nurse by a patient on his ward);
- Patel (2002) (C. I. C. A., £75,000 awarded for psychiatric injuries following contested hearing on causation of psychosomatic symptoms);
- R v. Taylor (Paul) [2002] Cr. App. R. 37, Court of Appeal (E. C. H. R. and Rastafarian cannabis use); and
- R v. Danquah [2004] EWCA Crim. 1248, Court of Appeal (appeal against conviction on a joint enterprise).
Interests:
food and wine, travel, theatre, cinema, U. S. Civil War history and sport
(now in the 10th year of service in one of London’s more decidedly
amateur Sunday football leagues).
