Matthew Snarr

APPOINTMENTS

Junior Counsel to the Crown (Provincial) – “Treasury Counsel”

HEALTH & SAFETY PROFILE

Matthew Snarr is experienced in the field of health and safety law with a particular emphasis on relevant health and safety legislation in the workplace. His knowledge of this area stems from his well developed personal injury practice which regularly concerns breaches of statutory legislation in an industrial context.

Matthew’s practice in the fi eld of health and safety laws extends to acting both for the Health and Safety Executive as well as Defendant companies or individuals. Matthew has experience of prosecuting and defending complicated sentences in the Crown Court and the Magistrates’ Court.

NOTABLE CASES

HSE v JHS Group [2009] Ormskirk Magistrates’ Court, instructed on behalf of two partners prosecuted under s.2 of HSWA in respect of an accident in which the injured party fell from scaff olding at height resulting in a fractured neck.

HSE v Th e Elliot Group [2009] Welshpool Magistrates. Court, acted as junior counsel on behalf the Defendant facing charges under s.2 and s.3 of HSWA arising out of a fatal accident. Prosecution case discontinued aft er 3 days, successfully resulting in not guilty verdicts and defendant costs orders.

R (on the application of Bodycote HIP Ltd) v HM Coroner for Herefordshire [2008] EWHC 164 (Admin) – Matthew was instructed as junior counsel with Tim Horlock QC in a successful judicial review action concerning a jury’s finding of unlawful killing by gross negligence against a company. The judicial review concerned argument on the legal framework of corporate manslaughter.

HSE v Airbags International Limited [2008] Chester Crown Court, instructed on behalf of HSE to present prosecution sentence against a Defendant company responsible for failings under s.2 of HSWA resulting in amputation of employee’s arm.

HSE v Edbro Machine Tools Limited [2008] Stafford Magistrates’ Court, instructed on behalf of manufacturing company to mitigate sentence for admitted breaches under Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 1992.

Matthew has considerable experience acting for parties at Inquests involving deaths in custody, fatal accidents at work and road traffic accidents resulting in multiple fatalities. His Coroners Court trial experience covers the full spectrum of hearings from judicial review cases to multi-day jury trials.

PUBLICATIONS

‘Proving it in reverse’ New Law Journal 13th March 2009 p390-392 , co-author of legal article on the ramifications of R v Chargot [2008] UKHL 73.