Oliver Williamson

Call 2008

Oliver Williamson | Call 2008

Back to Our People

Overview

Oliver advises police forces throughout the UK on operational and public interest matters and in relation to high-profile inquests. Oliver is a specialist in warrants and acts for the police in applications for and execution of high profile or complex warrants. He represents the police in various aspects of civil litigation including false imprisonment and malicious prosecution and in cases involving public and constitutional law issues.

Oliver has acted in a large number of high profile misconduct prosecutions, including prosecuting the first chief constable in more than 35 years to be dismissed (the Chief Constable of Cleveland Police and the Deputy Chief of the same force). Oliver has acted on behalf of the Appropriate Authority in a number of cases against officers alleged to have abused their powers and authority for sexual advantage.

police

“He has a calming influence on clients, making them feel listened to, valued and confident that he will act in their best interests at all times.”

Chambers & Partners

“When does a police officer prosecute or commit misfeasance?”
Read Oliver’s post on our UK Police Law blog here.

expertise & experience

Oliver’s work covers a wide variety of police law including:

  • Misconduct proceedings;
  • Warrants;
  • Inquests and inquiries;
  • Civil claims;
  • Judicial review;
  • Employment; and
  • Operational advice.

Oliver also appears for the IOPC, including in police misconduct proceedings concerning the use of force against, detention and strip search of a woman by male officers. Please click here for news coverage.

Oliver has developed a specialist expertise in warrants. He represents police forces in relation to entry, search and seizure warrants in high profile and complex matters. Oliver advises investigation and search teams prior to applications, represents officers at application hearings, attends and advises during execution of warrants and advises and acts in Judicial Review and related civil proceedings following legal challenge of executed warrants. Oliver has represented the police, and been led by specialist financial crime silk, in high value money laundering investigations. He has advised in respect of high-profile murder investigations.

He has been instructed in a large number of noteworthy police cases, including the Southport Inquiry and the Hillsborough Inquests and has been involved in the investigations and/or misconduct prosecutions of a number of police chief officers including Chief Constable Sean Price of Cleveland Police , Deputy Chief Constable of Cleveland Police, Derek Bonnard and Chief Constable of Cheshire Police Simon Byrne.

Oliver represents the police in various aspects of civil litigation including high profile false imprisonment and malicious prosecution claims and jury trials, disclosure applications and defending actions brought under the Human Rights Act. He has experience of advising on constitutional law issues. Oliver has acted in a number of high-profile cases and in cases as sole counsel for the defendant against silks.

Oliver has been instructed in respect of a number of Judicial Reviews including concerning issues of bias and the alleged prejudicial effect of misconduct proceedings on related extant criminal proceedings.

Oliver advises on operational matters covering the wide spectrum of police work. Oliver has represented police forces in POCA seizures and forfeitures, closure orders as well as Police Property Act matters, Forced Marriage Protection Orders and before licensing panels. Oliver acts for the police in disclosure applications in the Crown and Family Courts where documents have been obtained as a result of on-going police investigations. Oliver represents police forces before licensing panels in matters concerning the Licensing Act 2003.

cases & work of note

Recent misconduct cases include:

  • Chief Constable of Durham Police v PC Weir [2025]: presented successful case against officer found to have sent female colleagues inappropriate images, some in his boxer shorts. Click here for press coverage.
  • Chief Constable of Merseyside Police v PC Taafe, PC Smith and PS Ditchfield [2025]: presented successful case against 3 officers found to have bullied colleagues and sprayed laughing gas taken from a member of the public inside a police vehicle. Click here for press coverage.
  • Chief Constable of Durham Police v PC X [2025]: Presented successful case against officer concerning allegations of sexually inappropriate behaviour on a night out with colleagues. Click here for press coverage.
  • Chief Constable of the Metropolitan Police v PC Harris [2024]: Successfully defended the officer from being dismissed without notice after he was alleged to have sexually harassed two other officers on a night out. The Panel concluded that the most appropriate outcome was a final written warning for five years. Please click here for news coverage.
  •  IOPC v PC Ryan and PS Hussey [2024]: Represented the IOPC in a case concerning use of force, detention and the strip search of a woman by male officers. The IOPC decided to present the case as it disagreed with the force and considered that the officers had a case to answer for gross misconduct. The Sergeant was found guilty of gross misconduct. Please click here for news coverage.
  • Chief Constable of Merseyside Police v PC Marshall [2024]: Successfully represented the Appropriate Authority in a case concerning the use of excessive force on a woman, who was believed to be the victim of a domestic assault, in a hotel. PC Marshall was dismissed without notice. Please click here for news coverage.
  • Chief Constable of Merseyside Police v PC Potter [2024]: Represented the Appropriate Authority at both the misconduct proceedings and appeal concerning PC Potter’s failure to report the fact that he had crashed his personal car into the vehicle of another member of the force on police premises. On appeal the decision to dismiss PC Potter without notice was substituted for a final written warning, to remain in force for two years. Please click here for news coverage.
  • Chief Constable of Durham Police v DC Spellman [2022]: Represented the Appropriate Authority at the misconduct proceedings against DC Spellman for sexually harassing a female colleague while on a work trip. DC Spellman was found guilty of gross misconduct and dismissed without notice. Please click here for news coverage.
  • Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police v PC Harper [2022]: Represented the Appropriate Authority at the misconduct proceedings concerning a domestic dispute in which PC Matthew Harper was alleged to have domestically abused his wife. The Panel found that PC Harper had engaged in misconduct and issued him with a Final Written Warning, in force for two years. Please click here for news coverage.
  • Chief Constable of British Transport Police v Ch Insp Crouch [2022]: Represented the Appropriate Authority in this extremely serious case concerning the sexual, harassing, and discriminatory behaviour of Chief Inspector Crouch, both towards colleagues and about the cases he was involved in. The Panel found Chief Inspector Crouch guilty of gross misconduct and dismissed him without notice. Please click here for news coverage.
  • Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police v PC Ahmed [2021]: Represented the Appropriate Authority in this case concerning a police officer who was dismissed for using excessive force against a disabled man during an arrest. Please click here for news coverage.
  • Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police v PC Perkins [2021]: Represented the Appropriate Authority in the misconduct proceedings against PC Perkins, a relatively junior officer who was alleged to have inappropriately and sexually touched male and female colleagues during a night out. The Panel found PC Perkins guilty of gross misconduct and dismissed him without notice. Please click here for news coverage.
  • Chief Constable of Staffordshire Police v DC Pointon [2020]: Represented the Appropriate Authority in the misconduct proceedings against DC Pointon for predatory conduct and pursuing an inappropriate relationship with a member of the public. The Panel found that DC Pointon had engaged in gross misconduct and dismissed him without notice. Please click here for news coverage.
  • Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police v PC Ali [2020]: Represented the Appropriate Authority in the misconduct proceedings against PC Ali, a student police officer who shared parts of his ‘City and Guilds Learning Assessment Portfolio Coursework’, causing identical sections within the Portfolio being produced and submitted as personal evidence. The Panel found that PC Ali’s behaviour constituted gross misconduct and dismissed him without notice. Please click here for news coverage.

Administrative and Public Law:

  • R (Ali) v Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police [2022] EWHC 646 (Admin): Led by John Beggs KC, successfully resisted Former PC Ali’s judicial review challenge concerning the need for, and timing of, a Regulation 15 Notice under the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2012 (equivalent to a Regulation 17 Notice under the 2020 Regulations). Please click here for press coverage, and here for the judgment.
  • R (AR, by his litigation friend MP) v Waltham Forest LBC [2020] EWHC 622 (Admin): Represented the London Councils in this judicial review challenge concerning an alleged London-wide failure to provide secure accommodation for juvenile offenders. Please click here for the judgment, and here for the outcome of the subsequent appeal.

Inquests and Inquiries:

  • Inquest Touching the Death of Robert Evans [2024]: Represented Merseyside Police in the Inquest into the death of Robert Evans, a 59-year-old man forcefully detained by police for the purposes of conducting a search. Mr Evans was released and later found dead at home. Please click here for news coverage.
  • Inquest Touching the Death of Kelvin Bainbridge [2024]: Led by John Beggs KC, represented Durham Police in the high-profile Inquest into the death of Kelvin Bainbridge, a 19-year-old man involved in a police car chase who crashed and suffered fatal injuries. After a two-week Inquest the Jury identified no fault on the part of any individual officer or Durham Police more generally. Please click here for news coverage.
  • Inquest Touching the Death of Michael Downworth [2022]: Represented Durham Constabulary in the Inquest into the death of Michael Downworth, an individual who was found to have died by suicide in the woods after he told police that if charged with certain serious offences he would harm himself. The coroner returned a short form conclusion of suicide and made no Prevention of Future Deaths report in relation to the police. Please click here for news coverage.
  • Inquest Touching the Death of Devoy Burton-Stapleton [2020]: Represented the Metropolitan Police in this high-profile case concerning the death of Devoy Burton-Stapleton, a 20-year-old man who suffered a fatal knife injury in the early hours of 1 April 2018. It was known that the deceased and one other male had an altercation which resulted in Mr Burton-Stapleton’s death, but despite a full and thorough police investigation the coroner was unable to conclude whether it was an accident or deliberate. Please click here for news coverage.
  • Inquest Touching the Death of Olivia Burt [2020]: Represented Durham Police in relation to the Inquest into the death of Olivia Burt, a 20-year-old woman and university student who died outside a nightclub. Please click here for news coverage.

recommendations

“Oliver has an excellent approach to client care. He has a calming influence on clients, making them feel listened to, valued and confident that he will act in their best interests at all times.”
Chambers and Partners

“Oliver offers very good client care and communication skills. He has strong advocacy and technical knowledge and is a pleasure to work with.”
Chambers & Partners

“Oliver is super responsive, personable, very likeable and provides confidence to the client.”
Chambers & Partners

“When it comes to advocacy, Oliver has a lovely touch.”
Chambers & Partners

“Good persuasive drafting skills. Written advice delivered in a straightforward and efficient style which is very helpful with both professional and lay clients. Oliver is collaborative, approachable and responsive in his approach.”
The Legal 500

“He has a lovely advocacy style: it’s very low-key and measured, and the judges really like it. He is a thoughtful barrister who is smart and switched on.”
Chambers & Partners

‘Excellent written and oral advisory skills. Very clear and accurate advice. Excellent knowledge of Police Regulatory law and public law. ’
The Legal 500

“He’s got good judgement, and a nice easy manner when it comes to questioning witnesses.”
Chambers & Partners

‘Very diligent, and provides clear advice.’
The Legal 500

“Very approachable and bright, and produces good written work.”
Chambers & Partners

‘He is hardworking with a meticulous eye and builds great rapport with clients.’
The Legal 500

“He’s hard-working and gets on with the job with great enthusiasm.”
Chambers & Partners

“His attention to detail is first-class.”
Chambers & Partners

“He is very good.”
Chambers & Partners

“He has a good brain and is a good drafter who is popular with clients.”
Chambers & Partners

“I’ve been impressed by him. He works very hard. His advocacy is very good.”
Chambers & Partners 

“Impressive on the advocacy side, he has intellectual weight and understanding of the police operational context. An excellent junior with a very good eye for detail. He deals with a lot of peripheral issues in a very flexible way and has a quick turnaround time. You can have a full and frank debate with him about how to approach something and he has great technical know-how.” 
Chambers & Partners

publications

Oliver has written a number of articles which have featured in Police Professional, including a number on his specialist topic of warrants.

Together with other members of Chambers, Oliver presents seminars on police topics including a popular talk: “Search Warrants: Avoiding the Pitfalls”.