Practice Profile
Adam Pearson practises in consumer and criminal law. His practice is increasingly focused on cases involving criminal breaches of consumer protection legislation. He has particular experience and expertise in Trading Standards Prosecutions and other regulatory offences and is regularly instructed on behalf of local authorities, companies and private individuals in respect of such matters. Adam is a Contributing Editor to Consumer and Trading Standards: Law and Practice, with responsibility for the law relating to Food Safety and Labelling.His general criminal law practice, covers all aspects of criminal practice for both prosecution and defence.
His practice spans the full spectrum of criminal work, including murder, offences of violence up to and including section 18, drugs supply, dishonesty, fraud and proceeds of crime. He is a CPS Grade 3 Prosecutor on the Midland and South Eastern Circuits.
Work Undertaken
- Consumer and Trading Standards
- Crime
- Fraud
Notable Cases
Operation Icarus (Ongoing)
Prosecution for alleged Fraudulent Trading and CPUTR offences in relation to companies providing “Meet and Greet” parking services at Manchester Airport.
R v Ward and Others - Operation Merton (2021-2022)
Junior Prosecution Counsel led by Mary Loram QC in case of murder by stabbing. Following Ms Loram QC's elevation to the circuit bench after conviction but before sentence, Adam conducted the sentencing proceedings and Newton Hearings for two others convicted of assisting an offender alone.
Operation Forktail (2021)
Junior Prosecution Counsel in the prosecution of 9 defendants charged with a City-wide drug trafficking conspiracy, principally targeted with the supply of very significant quantities of class A (cocaine and MDMA) and Class B drugs to university students in Nottingham.
Operation Hibiscus (2021)
Prosecution of 5-handed conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine across Northamptonshire using multiple dedicated dealing lines.
Derbyshire County Council v Lyttel (2020)
Prosecution for Fraudulent Trading in relation to sophisticated large-scale counterfeiting of military medals, and fraudulently selling them to collectors. The fraud included in some cases inscribing a name and thereby attributing the counterfeit medals to a real-life serviceman. Further offences related to the sale of counterfeit remembrance poppy badges. Fraud to the value of over £70,000.
Operation Gibbon - Leicestershire County Council v Canfield and others (2020)
Prosecution of 8 Defendants for Fraudulent Trading in relation to the defrauding of the often elderly and/or infirm customers of so-called emergency plumbing companies, spanning a period which included an investigation by the BBC Watchdog programme. Principal director imprisoned for 40 months and disqualified from acting as a director for 7 years. Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings ongoing.
Operation Stock (2020)
Prosecution of three defendants for 4 month conspiracy to steal livestock, involving sheep being inhumanely slaughtered and butchered in their own fields in the dead of night. Having slaughtered the sheep, they would be butchered and the meat taken with the heads, fleece and entrails left for the farmers to find.
Cheshire East Council v. Rogers (2019)
Prosecution of director of business supplying and fitting home and stair lifts at the homes of elderly and infirm consumers for offences contrary to the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. Consumers left thousands of pounds out of pocket when lifts they had ordered were not delivered, or work abandoned partially completed. Defendant sentenced to suspended sentence, ordered to pay over £50,000 in compensation and disqualified from acting as a director for 10 years
Derbyshire County Council v. Garbett, Commons and Flint (2019)
Prosecution of directors of business for fraudulent trading, fraud and offences contrary to the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, relating to the servicing and repair of "Dyson" vacuum cleaners. After a contested trial, two Defendants received immediate custodial sentences, and the third a suspended sentence. All Defendants disqualified from acting as directors for periods of between 9 and 5 years.
Operation Ananclastics (2018)
Prosecution on behalf of Complex Crime Unit of 5 Defendants for Conspiracy to Supply Drugs and other prohibited items into a prison by a prison employee for onward supply to other inmates.
Operation Starbreeze (2018)
Junior Counsel for Prosecution on behalf of Complex Crime Unit of 11-handed Conspiracy to Supply drugs in Derby.
Leicester City Council v. Buckley and Somewear Ltd (2018)
Prosecution of company and sole director in relation to the production and sale of clothing bearing registered trade marks from city centre shop premises and online. Confiscation order made requiring the Defendant to pay in excess of £500,000.
Suffolk County Council v Hayward (2018)
Prosecution of Farmer for Animal Welfare offences, including causing unnecessary suffering to cattle, and Animal By-products offences. The Defendant’s neglect of the care of his livestock had resulted in the deaths of 56 cattle, whose remains had been left to decompose in slurry.
Publications
Consumer and Trading Standards - Law and Practice - 5th Ed 2017
(4th Ed, Jordans 2015)
Contributing Editor since 2nd edition with responsibility for Food Safety and Labelling.
Food for Thought – Local Government Lawyer - 2013
The Supreme Court has given a definitive ruling upon the issue of the requirements of the offence of selling food after the expiry of a “use by” date. The judgment represents a welcome return to certainty in such prosecutions, writes Adam Pearson.
Food for Thought – Local Government Lawyer
The Court of Appeal recently gave guidance as to the principles to be applied when considering the imposition of a Hygiene Prohibition Order under food hygiene regulations. Adam Pearson analyses the ruling.