AREAS OF PRACTICE

Family

Criminal

MEMBERSHIPS

Inner Temple

Family Law Bar Association

North Eastern Circuit

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

Called to the Bar 2018

LLM – Northumbria University - 2018

BPTC – Northumbria University – 2018

GDL – Northumbria University – 2017

BA Hons in Combined Honours majoring in History - Newcastle University – 2016

AWARDS

Major Exhibition Award from Inner Temple

Duke of Edinburgh Entrance Award

Woon Human Rights Award

APPOINTMENTS

CPS Grade 2 Prosecutor

ABOUT BEDE

Bede joined Chambers in 2022 following successful completion of pupillage. Prior to joining Chambers, Bede worked as a legal assistant within a large local authority and helped with day-to-day conduct of two caseloads of care proceedings including complex cases involving cross-border issues, complex medical evidence, serious linked criminal proceedings, and digital images that had been tampered with. Alongside these duties, Bede acted as the legal advisor to education appeals panels, conducted cases through the PLO, and dealt with information requests to and from the local authority and various police forces.

Bede has rapidly developed a broad practice across all of Chambers’ main practice areas. Bede has built on his experience at the local authority and developed a strong care practice including complex cases incorporating non-accidental injury, sexual abuse, drug abuse, mental health problems, and serious neglect. Bede also deals with complex private law children matters, including cases involving allegations of sexual abuse, other domestic abuse, and drug use.

Within the Criminal jurisdiction, Bede both prosecutes and defends in a wide variety of offences, and has been appointed as a grade two prosecutor. He has dealt with offences of serious violence, stalking and harassment, public order offences, driving offences involving expert evidence, and various drug offences.

Bede has a calm manner, an approachable demeanour, and is adept at explaining complicated issues in the simplest of terms. Bede is also skilled at dealing with vulnerable clients, prides himself on his empathy, and his clients appreciate his ability to make them feel comfortable in the most demanding of situations.

Family

Bede’s family practice has rapidly expanded and he has represented local authorities, parents, and children’s guardians at all stages of care proceedings, from initial hearings, through case management, and at IRH and final hearings. Bede has also represented parents in all phases of private law proceedings, including through taking cases from initial application, through case management to findings of fact and final hearings.

Crime

Bede has prosecuted and defended in a wide variety of criminal matters, and is experienced at dealing with vulnerable people navigating the criminal justice system. Bede has used his experience across jurisdictions to make complainants and defendants feel comfortable and therefore able to give their best evidence.

Civil

Bede has a master’s in contract law and is particularly interested in this area of law. In practice, Bede has represented claimants and respondents in a variety of civil claims, possession claims, and by representing children in infant settlement approval hearings.

Other Interests

Bede is a passionate football fan and a season ticket holder at his hometown club Newcastle United. Bede also spends his spare time writing a series of novels he hopes to publish and playing chess to tournament standard.

TESTIMONIALS

‘Bede was excellent.  He explained the process, and the possible outcomes and options.  He supported [the client] really well through [the] ordeal and his debriefing afterwards and suggestions for the future issues were most helpful.  We would have no hesitation in requesting his services again should they be needed.’

NOTABLE CASES

LA v G 2023 – Bede represents a mother in ongoing care proceedings relating to life-threatening injuries caused to a baby and is led by one of the King’s Counsel door tenants in chambers.

LA v M 2023 – Bede is led by one of Chamber’s King’s Counsel door tenants and represents a father in ongoing care proceedings where the client is accused of serious sexual abuse.

C v P 2022 – Bede represented a respondent to a non-molestation order application and at the return hearing persuaded the judge to dismiss the application and award costs against the applicant on the basis the application was completely without merit.

S v G 2023 – Bede represented an applicant father in a final hearing at which he was able to overcome recommendations made by Cafcass regarding contact.