Direct access barrister
Andrew Thompson
Barrister · Called 1998
Andrew Thompson is a road traffic defence specialist acting only for defendants, nationwide. He defends the full range of offences in the magistrates' court, Crown Court and on appeal, from speeding and drink-driving to...
Regions served: North West · North East · East Midlands
About Andrew
Andrew Thompson is a barrister with extensive, specialist experience of road traffic offences. He acts only for defendants and undertakes no other kind of work, with a national client base across England and Wales and a proven track record of successful outcomes in both straightforward and complex, serious cases.
Magistrates' court: He is regularly instructed to prepare pleas in mitigation (including exceptional hardship arguments) and to defend trials across speeding, drink-driving, drunk-in-charge, insurance, construction and use, and failure to provide driver information offences.
Crown Court: He represents people accused of the most serious offences, including causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by careless driving (including while unfit through drink or drugs), causing serious injury by dangerous driving, dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice.
Appeals: He is experienced in appeals against sentence and conviction before the Crown Court and the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division), and several of his cases have been reported.
My approach
Andrew engages early, providing tactical advice and written advices at the outset, and conducts every case himself from start to finish rather than passing it to others. His fees are competitive and usually fixed, with potential savings where a case is suitable for Direct Access, and he responds to calls and emails quickly, generally the same day.
Notable cases
- R v G (Northampton Crown Court, October 2024), causing death by dangerous driving; complex non-insane automatism issues arising from mild obstructive sleep apnoea and shift-work sleep disorder. The prosecution offered no evidence and a not-guilty verdict was recorded.
- R v B (Cambridge Crown Court, September 2024), perverting the course of justice; guilty plea at the earliest opportunity, resulting in a Suspended Sentence Order where immediate custody would usually follow.
- R v C (Harrow Crown Court, April 2024), Direct Access mobile-phone-while-driving case; appeal against conviction allowed.
- R v D (York Crown Court, March 2024), Direct Access speeding case; appeal against sentence allowed.
- R v V and another (Lincoln Crown Court, February 2024), dangerous driving; prosecution offered no evidence and the defendant pleaded guilty to careless driving.
- R v P (Grimsby Magistrates' Court, December 2023), causing death by careless driving; jurisdiction retained by the District Judge and a Suspended Sentence Order imposed.
- R v S (Chelmsford Crown Court, June 2022), causing death by dangerous driving; Suspended Sentence Order.
Professional & academic
- LL.B (Hons), 1996; Bar Vocational Course (Very Competent), 1998
- Called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn, 1998
- Qualified to accept Direct Access instructions via the Public Access Scheme
What clients say
Andrew was generous with his time and specialised knowledge from the first point of contact. He was full of empathy and extensively knowledgeable regarding all aspects of our complicated case. He guided us every step of the way and provided reassurance and realism to keep us grounded. He helped to achieve a suspended sentence for our son amidst a challenging and unusual set of circumstances.We are enormously grateful to have had such a professional barrister helping us and cannot recommend him highly enough.
Areas of practice
Direct Access means you can instruct Andrew directly, without going through a solicitor first. Barristers are regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB).
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