Christopher Grout

2007

Christopher’s practice is predominately criminal defence, with experience of defending in the Crown, Magistrates and Youth Courts. Christopher particularly enjoys defending in the Youth Court and has successfully represented young people charged with a variety of offences including Sexual Assault, ABH, Affray, Robbery, Burglary, Theft, and Possession of Class A Drugs. In the Crown Court, Christopher has secured acquittals in cases of Witness Intimidation, Exposure, Possession with Intent to Supply Class B Drugs, Racially Aggravated Criminal Damage and Common Assault. Christopher has also appeared before the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) and the Divisional Court when representing in Judicial Review proceedings.
In addition to crime, Christopher also accepts instructions to appear in the civil courts having in the past represented both Claimants and Defendants in a variety of cases involving breach of contract, debt recovery, property repossession and personal injury.

Recent Cases

R v SG Represented a Defendant who faced two charges of Common Assault and one charge under s.4A of the Public Order Act 1986 after it was alleged that she had assaulted two girls at the Turnaround Centre in Croydon. Two of the charges were dismissed following a successful submission of no case to answer at the end of the Crown's case. The Defendant was then acquitted of the third charge at the conclusion of the trial.
Croydon Youth Court, September 2011
R v SS Represented a Defendant who was charged with Common Assault, the Crown alleging that he had punched a girl in the face at the care home where they both lived. The Defendant was acquitted following a three day trial during which the court heard evidence from the complainant, two care workers and the attending police officers.
Stratford Youth Court, September 2011
R v Paul Cook Represented an Ambulance Technician who had pleaded guilty to Careless Driving after he crashed his ambulance into a car, having gone through a red light. At his Special Reasons hearing, the Magistrates accepted that he was responding to a genuine emergency and thus declined to endorse his license and gave him an Absolute Discharge.
Worthing Magistrates' Court, September 2011
R v J Represented a young Defendant who was acquitted of the attempted robbery of a Domino’s pizza delivery driver. The Crown’s case had been that J and his 3 Co-Defendants had planned a robbery by ordering pizzas and then had lay in wait for the driver.
Balham Youth Court, August 2011
R v Martin Jones Represented a Defendant charged with an offence of failing to report an accident, and driving with no insurance. The Defendant was acquitted after the identification evidence of the Special Constable, who purported to identify the driver of the vehicle as the Defendant, was discredited during cross examination.
Brent Magistrates’ Court, July 2011
R v Peter Adams The Crown attempted to secure a conviction in an allegation of domestic violence by relying purely on the hearsay statement of the complainant. The Magistrates, relying upon the European Court of Human Right’s decision in Al-Khawaja refused the Crown’s application and the charge was dismissed.
Redbridge Magistrates’ Court, July 2011
R v Peter Coleman Represented a Defendant who was found by police to have £1000 worth of property belonging to National Rail in his car boot. He was charged with Handling Stolen Goods. The Defendant was acquitted after the Magistrates concluded that they could not be sure that he either knew or believed the goods to be stolen.
Worthing Magistrates’ Court, July 2011

Reported Cases

R (on the Application of Kandice Firth) v Epping Magistrates' Court [2011] 1 WLR 1818; [2011] 1 Cr App R 32; [2011] EWHC 388 (Admin) Represented the Claimant who brought Judicial Review proceedings against the Defendant Magistrates' Court. The Claimant had been committed for trial on the basis of information contained within a Case Progression Form that had been filled in by her legal representative at an earlier hearing. The case received substantial publicity in the legal press. Articles have been published in the Criminal Law Review, the Law Society Gazette and the Solicitor’s Journal.
Administrative Court, 3rd February 2011

Pro Bono Work

Christopher is committed to Pro Bono work and provides regular advice and assistance to ‘Pro Bono in the LMC', a free legal advice clinic based in Whitechapel. He helped to organise the well-reported lecture, given by the then Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, on ‘Equality in Justice' and, more recently, the lecture given by Sir Mark Potter, President of the Family Division, on the topic of ‘Forced Marriages'.

Other Relevant Experience

Prior to joining Chambers, Christopher worked for the Ministry of Justice. Specifically, he worked in the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) dealing with applications seeking leave to appeal, as well as the substantive appeals themselves. Christopher also has experience working with young offenders and in dealing with youth crime generally, having worked as part of the Youth Offending Team whilst living in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

News

Christopher Grout appears before the High Court to challenge the evidential admissibility of Case Management Forms
10 February 2011
Chambers Welcomes New Tenant - Christopher Grout
12 October 2010
15 New Bridge Street pupil invited to contribute to The Guardian Careers Forum
21 September 2010
Seminars
12 October 2009