Having now looked at the previous year's 'Results' published by the CAA, it appears that there were indeed two similar cases in the IoW Magistrates Court in consecutive years - both with the same result.
vee-tail-1
I wonder if you have any observations on the currently available specialist aviation lawyers
When I was a barrister, I thought very highly of the following aviation specialists.
Solicitors: Ian Clark at Clark Ricketts LLP - A former RAF fighter pilot and QFI. Hon Legal Advisor to the British Helicopter Advisory Board and the British Business and General Aviation Association (formerly GAMTA).
Tim Scorer at Ince & Co - Owner/pilot for many years. Honorary Solicitor to GAPAN.
Clyde & Co's aviation department - Civil matters only.
Barristers: 'Horses for courses'
Civil cases Robert Lawson - We were against each other in some cases and on the same side in others over the years. First class.
Tim Marland - He was my Junior in a few cases and I was always impressed.
'Criminal' cases Stephen Spence - an excellent barrister and experienced owner/pilot. Honorary Legal advisor to the British Parachute Association. Some might say he had a good Pupil Master (as barristers' trainers/mentors used to be called); I couldn't possibly comment.
I arranged for Stephen to do two cases of mine when I was unavailable, and he won them both. On my recommendation he also took over this case when I left the Bar:
http://www.pprune.org/private-flying...withdrawn.html
Expert Witnesses Choice of expert witness is also very important. Again, it's 'horses for courses'.
I worked with several excellent experts over the years but the one who stood out, in both 'criminal' and civil cases, was Captain Jock Lowe.
Former Chief Pilot of BA, and an experienced and current owner/pilot. One of only two people ever to be both Master of the Guild of Air Pilots (GAPAN) and President of the Royal Aeronautical Socety.
I first met him when I was representing BA, and thereafter he became my first choice for airline and GA cases. A very clever man, extremely knowledgeable and with the gift of being able to explain technical matters in a way that non-aviators can understand, which is very important when giving evidence in Court.
I used to enjoy watching my opponents trying to get the better of him in cross-examination. No-one ever succeeded - not even a notoriously arrogant barrister who for some reason had an extremely high opinion of himself (an opinion not shared by the rest of us) and was confident that he could do so. Becoming increasingly frustrated, he eventually (and, for him, predictably) tried a very low ball. It backfired badly, ruining his client's case and making himself look very silly - to the great amusement and enormous delight of other aviation lawyers when the news quickly spread.
FL
Edited to correct an error.
I remembered that there was one other person who was both Master of GAPAN and President of the RAeS: Sir Sefton Brancker, who was among the 48 people killed in the R101 airship during its maiden voyage to India in 1930.