Biography

Chris is based in the London office and leads the national crime and regulatory team. He has extensive experience of managing health and safety investigations from day one and dealing with the HSE/CPS/CQC/EHO. He is regularly instructed on high profile claims including gross negligence manslaughter/corporate manslaughter.

Chris represents and advises clients at regulatory interviews and undertakes the advocacy at Magistrates’ Court hearings and inquests. He is instructed to handle both criminal and civil proceedings and regularly presents to his clients on all aspects of health and safety law.

Significant reported cases include R v Malden Plumbing (2012), where the defendant was acquitted after a four month Old Bailey trial, R v John and James Binning (2014) where the CPS discontinued the gross negligence manslaughter indictments and paid James’ costs for an “improper prosecution” and the corporate manslaughter case of R v Linley Developments (2015). More recent cases include the six week Zane Gbangbola inquest (2016), multiple M1 fatalities (August 2017) , Woking Fireworks incident (2018), Grenfell and the major crane collapse in East London in 2019.

Chris in Chambers and Partners:

“Christopher Newton comes highly recommended for his work advising individuals and organisations caught up in health and safety-related investigations and prosecutions. One interviewee remarks: "he is fantastic with clients and very much has his finger on the button." Another said “the decision to go with him was brilliant. He always answers questions in a very common-sense, understandable way. He gave simple answers, applying his skills and knowledge to our specific situation in a clear way. That was very valuable to me." 

Chris in the wider media: 

http://www.constructionmanagermagazine.com/insight/have-increased-fines-made-construction-safer/

https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/fines-escalate-for-health-safety-violations

https://moderninsurancemagazine.co.uk/