Edmund’s practice has four main strands:
He specialises in cases which combine factual complexity with technical difficulty, usually where the core issues involve substantial disputed witness evidence. He has extensive experience in handling the most highly charged cases (such as those concerning deaths, allegations of abuse and of professional malfeasance) with calm determination and careful forensic thinking. His oral and written advocacy is effective across the range of courts, tribunals, panels, committees and inquiries.
Edmund’s advisory work spans pre-charge advice on behalf of regulators (advising as to investigation and drafting charges) to assisting corporates and individuals subject to investigation.
Edmund represents the full range of Interested Persons: public bodies, individual officials, private individuals and families. He has strong experience in complex jury inquests. He also appears in coroner-only inquests. He has expertise in police-contact cases where he is frequently instructed on behalf of the relevant police force and also on behalf of individual police officers who are at risk of criticism. Edmund has a determined approach to shield his clients from unfair criticism. On behalf of families, Edmund readily grasps and pursues those concerns which require public examination. He advises clients at all stages in the investigation and inquest process.
Edmund sits as an Assistant Coroner for South London.
Coroner-only inquest; represented the parents of high-achieving sixth-form student who committed suicide; sensitive background of suicidal ideation among group of students on social media and examination of school safeguarding.
Jury inquest; represented three police officers who searched for the deceased following reports he might take his own life.
Jury inquest; represented police force in respect of a complex and dynamic fatal police shooting; conclusion of lawful killing.
Coroner-only; represented driver who collided with man walking in the carriageway of an A road at night.
Jury inquest; represented a custody sergeant in a death in custody case.
Judge-led jury inquest at Central Criminal Court; represented police force in sensitive case of man under arrest swallowing cocaine.
Two linked but separate jury inquests; represented public body IP in inquests concerning deaths of two prisoners (by suicide) in a London prison against a sensitive background of suspected extortion and criminality within the prison.
Jury inquest; represented local authority IP in inquest concerning the death by suicide of the youngest ever serving prisoner at HMP Belmarsh.
In his criminal defence practice, Edmund specialises in:
Edmund prosecutes on behalf of regulators, professional disciplinary bodies and conducts private prosecutions on behalf of individuals failed by the police.
Defended a police response driver charged with Causing Serious Injury by Dangerous Driving who drove over a cyclist he was following.
Defended (led by Alistair Williamson QC) a police response driver charged with Causing Death by Dangerous Driving and Causing Serious Injury by Dangerous Driving following a fatal moped pursuit in 2016. Charges were brought following High Court judgment in Torpey v DPP [2019] EWHC 1804 (Admin). Prosecution case was that all police pursuit driving is unlawful.
Defended police officer charged with Causing Death by Careless Driving in relation to a collision with a high-speed motorbike.
Defended (led by Alisdair Williamson QC) in an insanity defence murder allegation; the defendant had stabbed to death a close family member and tried to kill two others; the prosecution disputed insanity but the jury found the defendant to be insane.
Defended man who was ambushed by five armed men on his way home from the gurdwara; he stabbed 3 of them to death; although the CPS accepted he was acting in self-defence, they prosecute for carrying the kirpan which saved his life.
Defended a police response driver charged with Dangerous Driving who lost control at speed on ice during the ‘Beast from the East’, writing off 3 cars and seriously injuring another driver.
Defended serving police officer who downloaded pornography while guarding the body of a teenage suicide.
Defended former deputy superintendent of Scarborough children’s home charged with rape of and sexual assaults on 3 girls in 1978-9, following post-Savile proactive North York police investigation, revisiting previous 1979 police investigation.
Defended former choir teacher charged with sexual assaults in 1993 on foreign teenage choral student permitted by social services to reside with the defendant despite the latter's previous conviction for a child sex offence.
Defended serving police officer charged with harassment having installed a listening bug in his ex-wife's bedroom.
Defended former ice cream man charged with campaign of sexual assaults upon 4 young girls (2-by-2) in the 1970s.
Defended significant nominal charged with hand-gun road rage on the North Circular.
Defended diplomatic close protection officer charged with violently assaulting a child in public.
Defended former child protection officer charged with downloading IIOCs.
Defended senior conspirator in protracted and sophisticated multi-million-pound frauds on mobile phone service providers.
Defended father charged with joint liability offence (Section 5 Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004) in respect of grievous assaults on baby by mother culminating in skull fracture. Complex clinical expert evidence as to timing and manifestation of pain.
Defended serving police officer charged with historic sexual offences against family members while still a teenager. Case halted following legal argument in respect of the former principle of doli incapax.
Defended impeccable international businessman charged with money laundering on behalf of a syndicate allegedly headed by the Tartan Pimpernel, following determined multi-jurisdictional NCA investigation.
Defended man charged with manslaughter of his loved step-father.
Edmund frequently represents police officers facing misconduct hearings in London and across the country, and also appears before the Police Appeals Tribunal. Edmund is also regularly instructed in matters for the General Dental Council in proceedings before the Professional Conduct Committee.
Represented police inspector at a misconduct hearing in respect of a happy relationship with a civilian member of staff and accused of being drunk on duty.
Prosecuted two hospital surgeons in disciplinary proceedings (spanning 3 years) charged with falsification of records and deceit of a subsequent investigation in order to conceal wrong site surgery.
Prosecuted two medical professionals who submitted fraudulent NHS claims.
Represented detective sergeant at a misconduct hearing for 6 officers charged with using discriminatory language recorded on covert probes, and trawled emails and texts.
Represented junior PC whose investigation into a serious in error led to an innocent person facing Crown Court trial.
Represented custody sergeant at a misconduct hearing accused of mistreating a violent detainee including leaving him handcuffed in the prone position.
Represented response driver at a misconduct hearing who crashed after driving at nearly 100 mph along a high street.
Represented police officer in misconduct hearing accused of assault, unlawful arrest and perjury; allegations dismissed on a Merrill submission arising from 6-year delay in proceeding.
Represented custody sergeant in misconduct hearing accused of failing to prevent DP tying a ligature around neck in alleged attempt at self-asphyxiation.
Represented police officer in misconduct hearing accused of failing to prevent DP from repeatedly head-butting cell wall in alleged self-harm episode.
Represented police officer in misconduct hearing part of a specialist team accused of unlawful and abusive behaviour towards a traveller family while accompanied by an embedded TV documentary crew.
Represented retired police officer in misconduct proceedings accused of failing to protect a child rape victim from further offences.
Represented police officer in misconduct hearing accused of repeatedly falsifying her work attendance log in extreme personal circumstances (herself being a high-risk domestic violence victim); dismissal by the panel then successfully reversed on appeal to the PAT.
Represented police officer in misconduct hearing accused of ‘sexting’ explicit images of himself to civilian and watching pornography on duty.
Prosecuted medical professional in disciplinary proceedings charged with self-medicating and deceiving the professional regulator in the subsequent investigation.
Prosecuted medical professional in disciplinary proceedings charged with abandoning his 1,800 NHS patients.
Edmund has long experience in road transport law, acting for HGV operators and finance houses before the Traffic Commissioners in Public Inquiries and impounding hearings. He also defends HGV Operators and HGV drivers in criminal proceedings in the Magistrates’ Courts, and acts in Death by Driving cases. He also advises companies in respect of transport regulatory matters and responding to criminal investigations.
Edmund defends in regulatory proceedings such as brought by the Marine Management Organisation, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and local authorities (trading standards to tree preservation).
Edmund regularly prosecutes in Magistrates’ Courts and the Crown Court on behalf of various fire services.
Edmund is a Specialist Regulatory Advocate in Health and Safety and Environmental Law (List B).
Represented corporate client before the traffic commissioner in relation to an allegation of ‘fronting’ arising inadvertently from a complicated relationship between group companies.
Represented corporate client before the traffic commissioner in relation to an allegation of ‘fronting’ on behalf of a disqualified director.
Prosecuted on behalf of the fire authority an international chain hotel and its UK managing director for knowingly operating a hotel for months with no functioning alarm.
Represented transport manager for large public authority at traffic commissioner public inquiry whose vulnerable persons' PSVs had operated without MOTs.
Edmund advises and appears before licensing sub-committee hearings, on behalf of both applicants and objectors.
Notable Inquests
Inquest touching the death of Daniel Gwynn (2021)
Jury inquest; represented three police officers who searched for the deceased following reports he might take his own life.
Inquest touching the death of Richard Cottier (2021)
Jury inquest; represented police force in respect of a complex and dynamic fatal police shooting; conclusion of lawful killing.
Inquest touching the death of JF (2020)
Coroner-only; represented driver who collided with man walking in the carriageway of an A road at night.
Inquest touching the death of John O’Sullivan (2020)
Jury inquest; represented a custody sergeant in a death in custody case.
Inquest touching the death of Daniel Cuffe (2020)
Judge-led jury inquest at Central Criminal Court; represented police force in sensitive case of man under arrest swallowing cocaine.
Inquests touching the death of Ian Pearson & Robert Richards (2017)
Two linked but separate jury inquests; represented public body IP in inquests concerning deaths of two prisoners (by suicide) in a London prison against a sensitive background of suspected extortion and criminality within the prison.
Inquest touching the death of Imran Douglas (2015)
Jury inquest; represented local authority IP in inquest concerning the death by suicide of the youngest ever serving prisoner at HMP Belmarsh.
E (2021)
Defended a police response driver charged with Causing Serious Injury by Dangerous Driving who drove over a cyclist he was following.
P (2021)
Defended (led by Alistair Williamson QC) a police response driver charged with Causing Death by Dangerous Driving and Causing Serious Injury by Dangerous Driving following a fatal moped pursuit in 2016. Charges were brought following High Court judgment in Torpey v DPP [2019] EWHC 1804 (Admin). Prosecution case was that all police pursuit driving is unlawful.
J (2021)
Defended police officer charged with Causing Death by Careless Driving in relation to a collision with a high-speed motorbike.
G (2021)
Defended (led by Alisdair Williamson QC) in an insanity defence murder allegation; the defendant had stabbed to death a close family member and tried to kill two others; the prosecution disputed insanity but the jury found the defendant to be insane.
S (2020)
Defended man who was ambushed by five armed men on his way home from the gurdwara; he stabbed 3 of them to death; although the CPS accepted he was acting in self-defence, they prosecute for carrying the kirpan which saved his life.
M (2019)
Defended police response driver charged with Dangerous Driving who lost control at speed on ice during the ‘Beast from the East’, writing off 3 cars and seriously injuring another driver.
V (2019)
Defended serving police officer who downloaded pornography while guarding the body of a teenage suicide.
R (2019)
Defended former deputy superintendent of Scarborough children’s home charged with rape of and sexual assaults on 3 girls in 1978-9, following post-Savile proactive North York police investigation, revisiting previous 1979 police investigation.
D (2019)
Defended former choir teacher charged with sexual assaults in 1993 on foreign teenage choral student permitted by social services to reside with the defendant despite the latter’s previous conviction for a child sex offence.
A (2018)
Defended serving police officer charged with harassment having installed a listening bug in his ex-wife’s bedroom.
U (2018)
Defended former ice cream man charged with campaign of sexual assaults upon 4 young girls (2-by-2) in the 1970s.
T (2018)
Defended significant nominal charged with hand-gun road rage on the North Circular.
T (2018)
Defended diplomatic close protection officer charged with violently assaulting a child in public.
C (2018)
Defended former child protection officer charged with downloading IIOCs.
L (2017)
Defended senior conspirator in protracted and sophisticated multi-million-pound frauds on mobile ‘phone
service providers.
T (2017)
Defended father charged with joint liability offence (Section 5 Domestic Violence, Crime and
Victims Act 2004) in respect of grievous assaults on baby by mother culminating in skull fracture.
Complex clinical expert evidence as to timing and manifestation of pain.
P (2017)
Defended serving police officer charged with historic sexual offences against family members while still a teenager. Case halted following legal argument in respect of the former principle of doli incapax.
J (2017)
Defended impeccable international businessman charged with money laundering on behalf
of a syndicate allegedly headed by the Tartan Pimpernel, following determined multi-jurisdictional NCA
investigation.
I (2017)
Defended man charged with manslaughter of his loved step-father.
S (2021)
Represented police inspector at a misconduct hearing in respect of a happy relationship with a civilian member of staff and accused of being drunk on duty.
S & F (2019-2021)
Prosecuted two hospital surgeons in disciplinary proceedings (spanning 3 years) charged with falsification of records and deceit of a subsequent investigation in order to conceal wrong site surgery.
S & S (2021)
Prosecuted two medical professionals who submitted fraudulent NHS claims.
G (2020)
Represented detective sergeant at a misconduct hearing for 6 officers charged with using discriminatory language recorded on covert probes, and trawled emails and texts.
A (2020)
Represented junior PC whose investigation into a serious in error led to an innocent person facing Crown Court trial.
O (2020)
Represented custody sergeant at a misconduct hearing accused of mistreating a violent detainee including leaving him handcuffed in the prone position.
M (2020)
Represented response driver at a misconduct hearing who crashed after driving at nearly 100 mph along a high street.
O (2019)
Represented police officer in misconduct hearing accused of assault, unlawful arrest and perjury; allegations dismissed on a Merrill submission arising from 6-year delay in proceeding.
A (2019)
Represented custody sergeant in misconduct hearing accused of failing to prevent DP tying a ligature around neck in alleged attempt at self-asphyxiation.
Y (2019)
Represented police officer in misconduct hearing accused of failing to prevent DP from repeatedly head-butting cell wall in alleged self-harm episode.
K (2019)
Represented police officer in misconduct hearing part of a specialist team accused of unlawful and abusive behaviour towards a traveller family while accompanied by an embedded TV documentary crew.
E (2019)
Represented retired police officer in misconduct proceedings accused of failing to protect a child rape victim from further offences.
D (2019)
Represented police officer in misconduct hearing accused of repeatedly falsifying her work attendance log in extreme personal circumstances (herself being a high-risk domestic violence victim); dismissal by the panel then successfully reversed on appeal to the PAT.
O (2018)
Represented police officer in misconduct hearing accused of ‘sexting’ explicit images of himself to civilian and watching pornography on duty.
Z (2018)
Prosecuted medical professional in disciplinary proceedings charged with self-medicating and deceiving the professional regulator in the subsequent investigation.
L (2019)
Prosecuted medical professional in disciplinary proceedings charged with abandoning his 1,800 NHS patients.
G Ltd (2021)
Represented corporate client before the traffic commissioner in relation to an allegation of ‘fronting’ arising inadvertently from a complicated relationship between group companies.
H Ltd (2020)
Represented corporate client before the traffic commissioner in relation to an allegation of ‘fronting’ on behalf of a disqualified director.
M Ltd (2020)
Prosecuted on behalf of the fire authority an international chain hotel and its UK managing director for knowingly operating a hotel for months with no functioning alarm.
M (2018)
Represented transport manager for large public authority at traffic commissioner public inquiry whose vulnerable persons’ PSVs had operated without MOTs.
Emma Makepeace
Deputy Senior Clerk
“A man with a great tactical mind.” “Terrific, charming and spookily bright …” Chambers UK 2022 Crime
“… he is robust and effective in his cross-examination.” Chambers UK 2022: Crime
“Seriously bright and an incredible writer.” Chambers UK 2021: Crime
“He takes on some of the most problematic cases around and displays assiduous attention to detail.” Chambers UK 2021: Crime
“Clients trust him and value his clear advice implicitly. He knows how to pitch his advice at just the right level for each client.” Chambers UK 2021: Crime
Before coming to the Bar, Edmund worked for a year on a local newspaper and then for five years for the Economist Intelligence Unit specialising in the Middle East, with a particular interest in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
I, Edmund Gritt, am a data controller and can be contacted at 3 Raymond Buildings, Gray’s Inn, London WC1R 5BH or by telephone on 020 7400 6400 or by email at edmund.gritt@3rblaw.com. My Data Protection Policy can be found below.
All personal data that I process is for the purposes of providing legal services, conducting conflict-checks, marketing, defending potential complaints, legal proceedings or fee disputes, keeping anti-money laundering records, training other barristers and pupils and when providing work-shadowing opportunities, and/or exercising a right to a lien. The types of data I process vary upon the nature of the legal matter in relation to which I am engaged to advise, but can include names, contact details, biographic details and ‘special category personal data’ (such as details of racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, health, sex life and criminal convictions and proceedings).
Depending upon the circumstances of the case, the legal bases upon which I process personal data are (i) the performance of a contract to which the data subject is a party or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract, (ii) the processing is necessary to comply with legal obligations to which I am subject, or (iii) the processing is necessary for the legitimate interests set out above, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subjects which require protection of personal data, in particular where the data subject is a child. When I rely on (iii) legitimate interests, my ‘Legitimate Interests Assessment’ can be found here. When I process data which has not be obtained directly from the data subject (e.g. personal data contained in evidential materials), it will have been supplied to me as part of my instructions in circumstances covered by legal professional privilege.
Depending upon the circumstances of the case, I may share the personal data with:
I retain personal data for no longer than 15 years after the case has come to an end or as otherwise required by law – save in cases of special consideration such as murder or ‘historic’ cases where extended retention may be necessary subject to proper review.
I do not intend to transfer data to any country which is not either within the European Union, ‘white listed’ by the EU or otherwise permitted by EU law (e.g. to the USA under the provisions of the ‘Privacy Shield’).
Under the GDPR, data subjects whose personal data I process have the right to request from me access to, and rectification or erasure of, their personal data, the right to the restriction of processing concerning them, the right to object to processing as well as the right to data portability. Data subjects also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ico.org.uk).
In cases where there is a contract between me and the data subject, the provision of personal data is a contractual requirement and the data subject is obliged to provide the personal data in order that I can supply legal services. A failure to provide such data may mean that I will not be able to provide the legal services.
Rev 1.1 – 25.05.2018
Edmund Gritt is qualified to accept instructions direct from clients under the Bar Council’s Public Access Scheme. This means that members of the public who seek specialist advice can come direct to him. In addition, he welcomes instructions from solicitors, in-house law departments, qualified foreign lawyers, and clients licensed by the Bar Council to give instructions direct to barristers under the Bar Council’s Licensed Access Scheme.
For further information please contact our Clerks.
| Address | 3 Raymond Buildings, Gray’s Inn, London WC1R 5BH |
|---|---|
| DX | 237 LDE |
| Opening hours | 08:30 – 18:30 |
| Telephone | +44 (0)20 7400 6400 |
|---|---|
| clerks@3rblaw.com | |
| Senior clerk | Edmund Gritt |
