Benjamin Crosland

Benjamin Crosland

  • MA Cantab
  • Year of Call: 1993

  • Grays Inn

    Practice

    Ben Crosland has prosecuted and defended in all areas across the criminal spectrum, including murder, manslaughter, death by dangerous driving, serious sexual offending, firearms offences, drugs offences and conspiracy to commit professional burglaries of banks and building societies.  He is a Grade 4 Crown Prosecutor and has been for a number of years.

    Professional Memberships

    North Eastern Circuit

    Notable Cases

    Court of Appeal
    R v Sood [1998] 2 Cr. App. R 355 CA
    The prosecution of a doctor for perjury in relation to a death certificate contrary to section 5 Perjury Act 1911

    Crown Court
    R v Gary Roland Day Bradford Crown Court 2001
    The Defence of a man charged with the manslaughter of Monica Coghlan, the prostitute at the centre of the Jeffrey Archer scandal

    R v Mohammed Rafiq Leeds Crown Court, 2003
    The Defence of a man, along with several others, charged with Conspiracy to Murder. The so called ‘Keighley roundabout murder’ set against a background of gang turf warfare in relation to drug dealing in the town.

    R v  Danny Kevin Major Bradford Crown Court, 2006
    The Prosecution of a police officer charged with assault upon a detainee in custody. Lengthy trial and retrial. Defendant represented by leading Counsel. The Defendant was convicted and sentenced to custody. The case attracted local and national press attention.

    R v Andrew Jan Shovelar Lincoln Crown Court 2007 and 2008
    The Prosecution of a police officer charged with long term domestic violence on his partner. Lengthy trial and retrial. The Defendant was convicted and sentenced to custody. The case attracted much national press attention –‘Tyrant PC’s ground rules for his girlfriend: don’t speak when I come home’ the Daily Mail 6th July 2007. ‘Hero PC bullied partner into being silent when he came home’ the Mail on Sunday 9th January 2008.

    R v Josiah Abijah Sanderson, Isiah Cardwell, Josiah Ruben Wiggan, Ainsley Kenneth Ellis and Adrian Gareth Wilson Sheffield Crown Court  2009
    The Prosecution of a number of men for drugs and firearms offences against a background of postcode gang violence in Sheffield. Much of the evidence consisted of covert audio recordings of the Defendants, together with expert voice analysis evidence. A mixture of guilty pleas and trials. Substantial custodial sentences of those convicted.

    R v Gerard Michael Langton, Craig Peter Brunie and Gary Frederick Gill Sheffield Crown Court 2010
    The Prosecution of a team of professional burglars who targeted banks and building societies in the South Yorkshire and Midlands regions using specialist knowledge of alarm systems to disable them before burning  the backs off ATMs using oxyacetylene equipment. There were several different strands of evidence to demonstrate association between the Defendants at the various locations (in circumstances where they made no comment in interview and left no forensic traces at all)  from ANPR cameras, the Defendants’ mobile telephones, 2 Satellite Navigation systems, surveillance by police officers and surveillance videos. A hugely complex circumstantial case which resulted in guilty pleas on the day of trial. Substantial sentences followed

    Other Information  

    Before being called to the Bar, Ben Crosland was a solicitor for 15 years both in private practice and within the CPS and its predecessor, the County Prosecuting Solicitors Office of the WYMCC.