Profile

Harry Snook joined Chambers in 2009 from Furnival Chambers. He practises in both criminal and civil law, with a particular emphasis on criminal defence and personal injury cases. He also acts in the areas of employment, landlord and tenant, commercial and contract law, licensing and prison discipline.

Harry’s criminal practice encompasses both prosecution and defence in the Crown Court, Youth Court and Magistrates’ Courts, and has included the representation of defendants charged with serious violent and sexual offences, fraud, money laundering, witness intimidation and drug supply offences. He also accepts private instructions on road traffic matters, and has a detailed knowledge of the often misunderstood law surrounding notification of a driver’s identity.

In personal injury matters Harry regularly acts for both Claimants and Defendants in cases involving road traffic accidents or occupiers’ liability, providing both pre-action advice and advocacy in the County Court. His practice in this area also includes cases concerning the proper assessment basis of costs.

Before coming to the Bar Harry researched and wrote a widely-published study on the law relating to powers of entry over private premises (Crossing the Threshold – 266 Ways the State can Enter Your Home, Centre for Policy Studies, 2007), and has worked with lobbyists and politicians over plans to improve the law in this area. His detailed knowledge of the relevant concepts has allowed him to assist clients in contesting the seizure of goods by local authorities.

Prizes

Best Advocate, Bar Vocational Course Providers’ National Mock Trial Competition, 2006

Qualifications

Bar Vocational Course (Outstanding)

CPE/Postgraduate Diploma in Law (Commendation, with a distinction in Criminal Law)

Notable Cases

Criminal

R v Stevenson (Cambridge Crown Court, August 2010): Plea in mitigation resulting in a suspended 12-month sentence for a knifepoint robbery, where the sentencing guideline indicated a starting point of four years’ imprisonment

R v Amsellem (Central Criminal Court, April 2009): procedure to be adopted on vacation of erroneous guilty plea; plea in mitigation resulting in non-custodial sentence for £9,000 fraud.

R v Grabowski (St Albans Crown Court, September 2009): Successful appeal against conviction for failing to provide evidence as to a driver’s identity

R v Paskauskas (Ealing Magistrates’ Court, December 2008): acquittal following trial on a charge of failure to provide a sample of breath for analysis, resulting from case law on language difficulties

R v DP (Luton Youth Court, October 2009): successful application to exclude prosecution evidence due to breaches of the Police And Criminal Evidence Act 1984 Codes of Conduct by police, resulting in acquittal.

R v Barrington-Ellis (Aylesbury Magistrates’ Court, July 2010): acquittal following trial on charges including assaulting a police officer and driving while disqualified

Civil

G (A Child) v Tesco Stores Ltd (Romford County Court, August 2010): Defendant failed in attempt to limit costs to those recoverable on the small claims track following an infant settlement approval hearing; CPR and caselaw considered.

London Borough of Havering v Wilson (Romford County Court, March 2010): negligent mis-statement in information provided to purchaser of former council house

Listers Geotechnical Services v Gilloran (Bedford County Court, December 2010): concerning the doctrines of apparent authority and ratification in agency law

Publications

Crossing the Threshold – 266 Ways the State Can Enter Your Home (Centre for Policy Studies, 2007)

“Powers of Entry to Private Property” in Deane, Alex (Ed.): Big Brother Watch – The State of Civil Liberties in Modern Britain (Biteback Publishing, 2011)