Cost: from £205 + VAT

This course provides a solid and practical exploration of the law and practice of local authority food hygiene prosecutions and enforcement. The course will provide attendees with:

• A basic knowledge and understanding of local government criminal litigation and magistrates’ court process.
• Good practice tips for case management, evidence review, identification of criminal offences and proceeding with a prosecution.
• Confidence to apply what they have learned and deal with a range of advocacy in the magistrates’ court.
• An understanding of Covid-19 enforcement, as far as it is relevant at the time of the course.

This course is aimed at trainee solicitors and those new to local government prosecutions who wish to understand how best to prepare a file for a magistrates’ court; gain an understanding of the statutory and criminal procedural rules relevant to local authority legal service; benefit from best practice tips for advising a broad range of in-house client departments; and develop their advocacy skills. The course will cover:

• Evidence file review including the provisions of the LGA 1972, disclosure, witness evidence, and PACE
• Proceeding with a prosecution including the CPS Code two-fold test, enforcement policy, the CPR, offences and defences, time bar and primary authority requirements
• Magistrates' court hearing including case study discussion, preparation prior to hearings for summary/either way offences and guilty/ not guilty plea, out of court disposals, additional court orders
• Advocacy including sentencing guidelines, prosecution/defence costs application, case presentation

About the speaker:

Aneeka Muneer Sarwar

Solicitor - Education, Employment and Litigation Team, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council

Aneeka Muneer has been a magistrates’ court advocate for over fifteen years. In 2010 she qualified as a solicitor at Bradford Metropolitan District Council in the criminal and civil litigation team. Since 2011 she has been the regional lead for prosecutions for LLG’s SAA for Yorkshire and Humberside. Aneeka was recently appointed as director for membership on the LLG national board. Aneeka completed the Diploma in Local Government Law and Practice in 2018 and holds a firm knowledge base for understanding internal dimensions within local government and also the political interplay between central and local government. The description given by clerks at court is that Aneeka is 'one of the most organised and methodical prosecutors'.