Contact Dean:

Email: dean@reecethomaswatson.com

Notable Cases:

  • Wakenshaw v SSJ- Sought a declaration that the MoJ interfered with the independence of the Parole Board. The court granted this declaration

  • Successfully acted for Worboys in seeking to argue the decision of the Parole Board to release him was rational before the High Court.

  • Warner v SSJ- Sought a declaration that the MoJ interfered with the independence of the Criminal Cases Review Commission;

  • Hassett and Price v SSJ- Lead category A oral hearing case seeking increased access to oral hearings for category A prisoners;

  • Salvador v SSJ- Successfully sought a declaration that the Parole Board Rules 2019 is ultra vires in that it prevents a prisoner from applying for a public parole hearing if the prisoner so wishes.

  • Acted for a transgender female whom resides in the female estate. SSJ indicated that despite having her gender recognition certificate and being legally female, they were going to put her back into the male estate. Dean indicated he would seek an injunction and they backed down. The client remains in the female estate;

  • Acted for an Irish prisoner arguing discrimination for failing to permit Irish prisoners a return to Ireland using the tariff expiry removal scheme or early release scheme. Every other foreign national is able to be removed under the schemes. This case remains on-going as they seek to have the issue heard by the Supreme Court;

  • Acted for Harry Roberts before the Parole Board and secured his release direct from closed conditions having served 48 years in prison;

  • Secured Not Guilty verdicts in a historic sexual conviction case whereby the Defence undertook significant investigations. They achieved not guilty verdicts and hung jury in the first trial before being acquitted of outstanding matters after a second trial within 30 minutes.

Dean Kingham

Dean has practiced in prison law for around 15 years. He is often at the forefront of the main challenges protecting the rights of prisoners and viewed as someone who works tirelessly to expose injustice and a lawyer who does not shirk from representing those for whom antipathy is to be expected from the courts, or the general public. He conducts all manner of prison law hearings and tends to do a lot of work for those within the high secure estate and represents a number of prisoners within the Close Supervision Centre system. He works closely with JENGBA and UNGRIPP. Achieving release for prisoners who have no support for progression is one of Dean’s passions.

His practised has developed into sports law. It reflects his passion for football and boxing. Dean represented Everton FC Fans Advisory Board in respect of Everton Football Club’s appeal following the premier league points deduction.

Prison Law

As a result of establishing a change in the law and parole hearings being capable of being conducted in public he represented the very first prisoner to have a public hearing and has now represented the prisoners who had the first four public parole hearings, including the first IPP to have a public hearing.

Naturally, his results speak for themselves.

In 2020, he was named public law legal aid lawyer of the year, which recognised the fact he is often at the forefront of the challenging advancing prisoner rights.

He is trained in the main psychological risk assessments- HCR-20 (violence) psychological risk tool, RSVP (sexual) psychological risk tool and SAPROF (protective factors tool). Being one of a few lawyers trained in these tools he is able to better question the psychological evidence given in cases by Prison Service psychologists.

Dean also holds the following roles/positions:

  • Committee n a member for the Association of Prison Lawyers (APL) since 2015. He is the Parole Board lead for the APL and as a result, sits on the Parole Board user group;

  • Vice-chairman of Progressing Prisoners Maintaining Innocence (PPMI);

  • Sits on the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) User Group;

  • Council member for the Human Rights Charity Justice;

  • Sits on the advisory panel for Inside Justice.

Sports Law

Dean acted pro-bono alongside Counsel for the Everton FC Fans Advisory Board (FAB) to submit written submissions to the Appeal Board following the Premier Legue deduction of points. Dean was instructed to advise the FAB as to its options to ensure the fans of Everton Football Club had a voice into the appeal. This was the first time the fans voice had been heard on a formal basis as part of the premier league and the appeals process. The Appeal Board considered the written submissions submitted and referenced the submissions within the Judgment reducing the points deduction from 10pts to 6pts.

 Dean is a keen boxing fan and took the opportunity to attend Riyadh Season to watch the Heavyweight Undisputed fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Uysk and consider opportunities pertaining to his practice.