Nicholas Walker

Call 1998

walker@exchangechambers.co.uk

"Nick Walker is excellent"

The Legal 500 2024 - Tier One

"Provides a high-quality level of service consistently. He is thorough, prepared, professional and pleasant at all times."

Chambers and Partners 2024 - Tier One
Photo of Nicholas Walker

Police Law

“Nick is a standout junior when it comes to representing police officers” (Chambers and Partners 2023)

Nicholas is hugely experienced in defending police officers and appears in misconduct proceedings, Police Appeals Tribunals, Judicial Review and Inquests. Able quickly to get to the heart of cases and gain the confidence of his lay client, he enjoys a reputation for persuasive advocacy in police forces across the country.

In 2022, Nicholas, led by Paul Greaney KC, successfully defended PC Jackson following a Crown Court trial and directed IOPC misconduct hearing during which it was alleged that the officer had used his Police Dog as a weapon in order gratuitously to injure and torture up to eight detainees. He was acquitted after the criminal trial in 2019 and all misconduct allegations were dismissed after a five-week hearing which concluded this year.

Along with Sam Green KC, Nicholas recently represented ‘V39’, the police firearms officer who shot Yassar Yaqub, at the long-running inquest into his death which arose out of a covert police operation. The jury ruled that he was lawfully killed, the Coroner having withdrawn unlawful killing from the jury after written and oral submissions.

In 2021 he successfully defended Sgt Dawson, a Custody Serjeant in North Wales who was alleged to have assaulted numerous detainees with incapacitant spray. Following one of the longest and most complicated cases in North Wales Police history, Sgt Dawson was cleared of gross misconduct.

Nicholas sits as an Assistant Coroner, is a Legally Qualified Chair of Police Misconduct Hearings and is Vice President of the National Association of Legally Qualified Chairs.

Police Law Cases

R v Paul Jackson (Preston)
Led by Paul Greeney QC, Nicholas successfully defended a police officer charged with multiple counts of wounding with intent. During the six-week trial, PC Jackson was alleged to have used his police dog gratuitously to injure detained suspects.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/police-officer-cleared-using-dogs-16433165 & https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/06/14/police-officer-cleared-using-dog-weapon-vent-contempt-criminals/)

Cleveland v PC S-C
The officer kept his job after a highly sensitive material relating to sex offenders had been thrown out with the rubbish found by a member of the public and handed to The Sun newspaper
https://nypost.com/2019/11/27/cops-mother-in-law-accidentally-threw-out-top-secret-sex-offender-documents/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7732209/Police-sergeant-keeps-job-despite-losing-sex-offenders-dossier.html
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/police-officer-paedophile-dossier-skip-middlesborough-cleveland-hartlepool-a9220716.html

Leicestershire v Special Constable D
Successfully argued that a special constable committed misconduct only when he lied to Leicestershire Police about his whereabouts when he claimed he was sick. The special constable received management advice.
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/special-constable-lied-called-sick-3500172

Humberside v PC N
Successfully represented PC N on multiple allegation arising out an incident involving use of force during an alleged unlawful arrest which took place over five years earlier. There were challenges to the disclosure regimes adopted by the IPOC and PSD.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-46651983