Shauna Ritchie

Coroners Inquests

In the Coroner’s Court Shauna has represented individuals, companies, and government departments at inquests ranging from deaths on the railway and on commercial premises, to domestic carbon monoxide poisoning, agricultural and construction industry deaths. In recent years these have included a crane collapse and a multi-fatality gas explosion. She has particular experience representing medical professionals at inquests in relation to the death of patients in their care.

Health & Safety

Since 2005 Shauna has developed a substantial Health and Safety practice. Initially instructed principally by, and on behalf of, the Health and Safety Executive, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Office of Rail Regulation, she has dealt with a wide variety of cases relating to companies and individuals for offences involving both fatal and non-fatal incidents, including gross negligence manslaughter. In turn this has led to a growing defence practice.

Shauna has been instructed in a substantial number of health and safety cases in the last nine years. Her involvement in this area stemmed initially from involvement in the early disclosure stages of a multi-defendant prosecution for Health and Safety at Work Act offences in relation to two deaths. She has particular experience in cases involving asbestos exposure, railways, and construction industry fatalities. Shauna has also undertaken appeals against fire safety orders and the refusal to grant a licence a licence to work with asbestos, instructed by the Fire Service and Treasury Solicitors respectively.

Serious Sexual Offences

Shauna has developed a specialist practice dealing with sexual offences.

She is a Specialist Rape Prosecutor, ‘B’ List Health and Safety Prosecutor, and Grade 3 CPS Prosecutor.