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| Year of call 2006 (Inner Temple) | |
| Education LLB (Hons) Bachelor of Laws – University of Leeds BVC (Very Competent) – BPP Law School, London Sir Geoffrey Veale Scholarship (2008) | |
| Practice Profile Steven Ashworth joined chambers following the successful completion of his pupillage under the supervision of Jack Nicholls, Piers Wauchope and Ivan Clarke. He has a wide-ranging practice, spanning the criminal, civil and family practice areas. Civil Steven acts for claimants and defendants in a wide variety of hearings and applications in the County Court and High Court. He accepts instructions in cases across the civil spectrum including general civil litigation, personal injury, contractual disputes, housing, landlord and tenant and infant settlements. Steven is happy to draft pleadings and written advices in all of these areas whenever required. Immigration Steven has appeared in front of single Immigration Judges and panels in scores of appeals before the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal, representing individual appellants and the Secretary of State for the Home Department. Prior to commencing pupillage Steven was employed by the Home Office as an Asylum Case Owner and Presenting Officer. He accepts instructions from both appellant and respondent in the following areas: • Asylum and humanitarian protection • Human rights • Students • Deportation • Appeals under the points based system • EEA Regulations and the Ankara Agreement • Entry clearance including visit visas • Marriage, settlement and refugee reunion • Immigration bail • Drafting grounds for reconsideration and judicial review applications Criminal Steven has a wide-ranging criminal practice which is principally defence-oriented. He is regularly instructed in trials in the magistrates’ and youth courts in matters including benefit fraud, dishonesty offences, offences against the person, affray and other public order offences, driving matters, criminal damage, drugs, breach of ASBOs and non-molestation orders and probation service prosecutions. Steven also has experience of opposing ASBO applications. Steven appears regularly in the Crown Court and receives instructions in a range of hearings including appeals. Steven also prosecutes for the Crown Prosecution Service and local authorities. Family Steven is currently developing a family law practice. | |
| Notable Cases • R v. VM (Isleworth Crown Court): Steven represented the Appellant in a successful appeal against sentence imposed by the magistrates’ court. • R v. RP and KP (Sittingbourne Magistrates’ Court): Steven acted for a husband and wife charged under section 1 of the rarely used Knives Act 1997 (marketing knives as suitable for combat). The prosecution eventually offered no evidence. • R v. LK (Sittingbourne Magistrates’ Court): Steven’s client was charged with three matters of handling stolen goods, alleged to be part of a £300,000 theft from employer case where the primary offender received a lengthy custodial sentence. The client was found Not Guilty of all charges. • R v. JR (Enfield Magistrates’ Court): Steven’s client was found Not Guilty of two counts of benefit fraud contrary to the Social Security Administration Act 1992. • R v. MC (Medway Magistrates’ Court): Steven represented the defendant who was found Not Guilty of benefit fraud. | |
| Practice Groups Crime Personal Injury Business & Commercial Family Local Authorities & Public Law Property, Landlord & Tenant | |