Edmund Body

Edmund acts for both claimants and defendants. An experienced trial advocate, with significant experience in cases of fraud and exaggerated claims, low velocity impact cases and credit hire cases. His practice spans road traffic collisions, employer’s liability, occupier’s liability and public liability.
Alongside his court work Edmund’s paperwork practice includes advising on liability, quantum, assisting with litigation tactics and procedure as well as drafting pleadings.

Examples of his recent work include:

• Acting for the second defendant in the High Court, both defendants were engaged in farming. The claimant was a cyclist who collided with livestock and suffered catastrophic injuries and significant loss of earnings.
• Drafting pleadings in a catastrophic road traffic collision on a motorway.
• Acting for the defendant, a manufacturer where an employee alleged the employers were liable for injuries including carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Acting for the defendant and successfully establishing fundamental dishonesty and a significant cost order against the claimant.
• Acting for the claimant who was seriously injured in a Road traffic collision and substantially beating a part 36 offer.

Insurance

Edmund is experienced at advising on and appearing in proceedings concerning policy interpretation, avoidance of cover and policy wording.

Examples of work in this area include:

• Advising a major insurer on the redrafting of their standard policy for car insurance.
• Acting for a large travel insurer and successfully having the claim struck out with a significant cost order. After the claimant alleged fraud and avoidance of cover.

Edmund regularly advises and acts in a wide range of commercial disputes including the supply of services, the sale of goods, freezing injunctions and defective products.

Examples of his recent work include:

• Defending a mechanic after allegations by a claimant alleging a breach of contract.
• Persuading the court to strike out a claim for defective services in relation to mechanical work on a car due to inadequate expert evidence.
• Representing the claimant in proceedings against the defendant for misrepresentation and the sale of a defective product when purchasing farming equipment.
• Drafting a claim for misrepresentation during the sale of a high value static caravan.

Edmund defends and prosecutes in serious and complex crime. This includes complex frauds, large scale drug importations, slavery offences, armed robbery, serious violence and serious sexual offences.

He is also very experienced in Road Traffic cases.

Featured cases

R v MS (Lewes Crown Court) Defended in exposure case involving two child complaints and a vulnerable defendant. Acquitted.

R v PM (Willesden Magistrates) Road Traffic case. The Crown offered no evidence on the day of trial due to disclosure issues.

R v Joseph Burman. Successfully prosecuted a protester who cause criminal damage by pouring fake blood over government property. Click here for BBC News report

R v AD (Maidstone Crown Court) Successfully prosecuted indecent images case.

R v JW (Maidstone Crown Court) Represented JW charged with armed robbery.

R v FE (Maidstone Crown Court) Represented FE, child neglect.

R v DE (Canterbury Crown Court) Represented DE who pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice. Persuaded the court to suspend the sentence.

R v YS (Canterbury Crown Court) Represented the defendant charged with importation of 25 kg of cocaine with a street value in excess of £2 million. Acquitted.

R v LH (Lewes Crown Court) Large scale cultivation of cannabis, persuaded the Crown to offer no evidence.

R v AM (Canterbury Crown Court) GBH s18 persuaded the Crown to offer no evidence.

R v Driver. Successfully prosecuted protester who cause criminal damage. Click here for article in The Daily Mail

R v JH (Lewes Crown Court) Successfully appealed conviction after JH was convicted of assaulting two police officers. The Crown relied on evidence of four police officers.

R v MM (Highbury Corner Magistrates) Defendant acquitted of driving without due care and attention. MM was accused of careless driving by the “Traffic Droid” a serial complainer of careless driving who has featured in the channel 4 series the Complainers and many national newspapers.

Notable Cases

R v Killick (Shane) [2020] EWCA Crim 785

Edmund has an expanding regulatory practice and can advise on licensing, health and safety, financial service regulation, trading standards and professional misconduct.