“Health & Safety and Other Prosecutions – Practical Lessons and Insights” with Valerie Charbit

Valerie Charbit will be speaking at a Webinar “Health & Safety and Other Prosecutions – Practical Lessons and Insights” hosted by Bevan Brittan on Wed 19 April at 12.30pm.

In 2022, Valerie Charbit led by James Ageros KC ( Crown Office Chambers) prosecuted Arcadia Group Ltd, Topshop Topman Ltd and Stoneforce Ltd after 10 year old boy Kaden Reddick was killed at the Reading store of Topshop when a queue barrier fell on him. The barrier had been fitted in March 2014 during a major store refit by company shopfitters, Stoneforce who pleaded guilty to a health and safety breach before the trial.

At the sentencing hearing, Arcadia Group Limited and TopShop/Topman Limited were each fined £650,000 and £350,000 respectively for their breaches (amounting to a combined fine of £1million). Each were also ordered to pay £530,000 in respect of the Council’s costs.

The webinar will include the lead Partner for this case Adam Kendall and Katie Heath (Reading Borough Council), the Principal Environmental Health Officer who led this case from the initial investigation to its conclusion at trial. This webinar will give a real, practical insight in to what it is like to run a legal criminal prosecution and will cover the following:

1. Project Management and resourcing tips for large scale prosecutions
2. Jurisdiction – multi-agency investigations; cross over with the HSE and dealing with the police
3. The public interest test
4. Management of large-scale disclosure and witness evidence
5. Running a paper free/electronic trial
6. Sentencing submissions and costs.

The webinar will be of interest to those practicing health & safety and regulatory law as well as those responsible for criminal regulatory enforcement action within their organisation, including health and safety officers, environmental health officers and fire safety officers.

Valerie has extensive experience in health and safety cases, both prosecuting and defending. She is often instructed to prosecute by the Health and Safety Executive and local authorities in respect of fatalities and other breaches of health and safety legislation: [Valerie Charbit Profile]

Please book here:[Webinar Registration]