Alexander has experience beyond his level of call representing clients in Article 2 and non-Article 2 inquests, with and without a jury, dealing with issues such as disclosure, appropriate conclusions and PFD reports. Having worked in a variety of client-facing roles in the past, Alexander is able to put clients at ease in what is often a very unfamiliar environment, enabling them to give their best evidence.
Typically representing public authorities, Alexander has a detailed understanding of issues surrounding Regulation 28 evidence, non-causative culpable conduct and the engagement of Article 2. He is able to provide advice on case strategy in addition or as an alternative to advocacy services.
Alexander also lectures across the country on Inquest Law – Procedure, Preparation and Presentation. Feedback includes:
“Excellent speaker – clearly knows his subject thoroughly” – Solicitor, London
“Very personable and a good communicator who knows his field extremely well” – Barrister, London
“Impressive in-depth knowledge of subject area” – Barrister, Manchester
“Obviously at the top of his game” – Solicitor, Manchester
“Knowledgeable and engaging” – Solicitor, Leeds
“Excellent. Thorough knowledge of subject and extremely polite, courteous and amenable” – Barrister, Leeds
Recent cases:
Re CN (2020) – Represented a privately-run prison in an Article 2 jury inquest which looked at the adequacy of cell checks in the hours leading up to the deceased’s death, criticisms made by the PPO and the steps taken by the prison to avoid a PFD report.
Re TD (2020) – Instructed by an NHS Trust in an inquest looking at the community care provided to the deceased in the weeks prior to their death, together with the sufficiency of the emergency response and whether it had any impact on the death.
Re MT (2019) – Instructed to represent a locum GP who had seen the deceased two days prior to her hospital admission, following which she died from sepsis which the hospital failed to diagnose and treat appropriately. Questions for the GP centred on whether they missed the early warning signs of sepsis, and whether their assessment was sufficiently thorough.
Re PB (2019) – Represented the mental health team within an NHS Trust in a case concerning the death of a detained inpatient who had used his unescorted s.17 to consume a quantity of alcohol that ultimately proved lethal. Issues surrounded the relevant risk assessments, the suitability of the leave and the response of the team once the deceased had returned to the ward intoxicated.
Re JB (2019) – Instructed by a regulator in relation to a death linked to the use of excessive restraint by security operatives. Key issues concerned the engagement of Article 2 and whether the operatives were an emanation of the state, together with detailed medical evidence concerning causation.
Re MC (2019) – Instructed by the local authority to represent a residential care home where the deceased had suffered an unwitnessed fall prior to being admitted to hospital, where they acquired pneumonia and died. A key issue at the inquest was the distinction between residential and nursing care homes, and the different standards to be expected of each.
Re MC (2019) – Instructed by an NHS Trust in an inquest concerning the death of a detained patient who had been placed in a residential home as part of discharge planning. Key issues were whether the treating team had adequately managed the deceased’s risk in the period prior to his death.
Re CM (2019) – Represented a privately-run residential care home where the elderly deceased had fallen prior to being admitted to hospital, where she died. While risk assessments and mitigation measures were considered, the significant issue at inquest was the delay from the emergency services in responding to the incident.
Articles:
How to deal with the Coroner's expert: analysis of R (Smith) v HM Assistant Coroner for North West Wales [2020] EWHC 781 (Admin)
Witness anonymity in inquests
Lawful killing... Duggan revisited
Clerk:
Nick Jeanes
E: nick.jeanes@albionchambers.co.uk
T: 0117 311 0307
