Marcus Farrar

BSc (Hons) MSc, PgDip (Law), PgDip (Legal Practice), Solicitor

 

Mr M Farrar became a self-employed Solicitor during June 2005. The Prison Law Department at Chivers Solicitors was established by Marcus during that time. He had previously been employed at three other firms of solicitors in the West Yorkshire area. He had worked in a defence role in the criminal justice system since September 1997, qualifying as a Solicitor during June 2002. Since 1998 he has dealt purely with convicted prisoners advising and assisting on Prison Law matters.

 

Within that time he became a specialist in the Prison Law field. That experience and specialisation has allowed him to deal with a number of reported cases. For example:

 

R (Spence) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (2003)

 

A case involving the timing of Parole Board reviews for life sentenced prisoners and the Secretary of State's powers.

 

R (Lindo) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (2004).

 

A case involving sentence calculation and days spent unlawfully at large.

 

R (Hare) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (2003).

 

A case involving a recall to prison and the reasons that justify the same.

 

R v Fernandez (2002).

 

A successful appeal against conviction.

 

And a number of reported Criminal Appeals leading to reductions in tariffs:

 

R v Cattaway (2003) R v Rutter (2003) R v Dyson (2003) R v Mills (2004) The Times, December 2004

 

Mr M Farrar has also recently acted in the case of R v Ford. That case involved an application to the CCRC in 1997. On the 12th December 2008 the CCRC referred the convictions to the Court of Appeal.

Mr Ford was convicted of 12 burglaries, six robberies and an attempted robbery on 20 and 21 November 1996 at Bradford Crown Court. He was sentenced to a total of 25 years’ imprisonment. Mr Ford’s case was referred to the CCRC principally on the basis of fresh evidence found by that investigation concerning the treatment of an important prosecution witness. The Court of Appeal quashed the most serious convictions.  

 

Since September 2005 the department has flourished and Marcus has employed four case workers. Those individuals now have their own case load and client base. Their details can be found on this site at Meet The Staff.

 

As a team we advise and assist with Prison Law matters.