Professor of Criminal Law

My research explores the relationship between the criminal law and society, particularly the impact of law on the most vulnerable. I am one of a minority of legal academics skilled in the use of qualitative and quantitative research methods.  I have a track record over the last decade of publishing in leading international journals, producing impactful commissioned reports and attracting research funding. 

 Three current areas of interest are:

1) PUBLIC SPACE AND THE CRIMINAL LAW - the relationship between criminal law and the use of public space. This research builds on my previous research on the control of anti-social behaviour. In recent years, I have been exploring how current trends in law reform in the UK and elsewhere have been towards greater regulation of the use of public space in the name of gentrification, consumerism and crime control. I have also being examining what the appropriate role for criminal law is when the use of public space is contested. 

2) OLDER VICTIMS OF CRIME  - exploring crimes that impact on older people and the response of the justice system to this. This has included exploring the phenomenon of unequal access to justice for older victims of crime including commissioned work for the Commissioner for Older People for Northern Ireland. It also involves advocating for age as a protected characteristic in hate crime legislation.

3) HATE CRIME - This aspect of my research ties in with the other two areas of interest (public space and protecting vulnerable groups from victimisation). I was an expert panel member on the recent independent review of hate crime legislation in Northern Ireland. I have undertaken commissioned research for the European Commission on the potential for EU hate crime legislation. I have undertaken funded research with colleagues in the University of Limerick on cross-border public attitudes to hate crime on the island of Ireland. 

My work has been published in leading international edited collections and academic journals including Legal Studies, the Journal of Law and Society, the Criminal Law Review and Punishment and Society. I have presented on my work both nationally and internationally to academic and practitioner audiences.

I have been awarded funding from the ESRC, EPSRC and other funding bodies. I am a member of the peer review college for the ESRC. 

Prior to taking up my position at Queen's, I was a lecturer at Newcastle University and an associate lecturer at the University of Manchester. I have also held research assistant positions at the University of Manchester and the University of Aberdeen. I have been a visiting scholar at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto and Fordham Law School in New York City. 

Leadership Role

Director of Internationalisation (2021-2024) 

As Director, I oversaw the design and implementation of the School of Law's internationalisation strategy. This included promoting Queen's as a top destination for academically excellent law students from across the globe and creating exciting opportunities for current students to gain international experiences through study abroad opportunities. Under my leadership, new programmes were introduced which attracted more international students than ever to choose Queen's as their destination for obtaining a world class legal education. 

I served as Co-Chair of the Brickfields Asia College-UK Universities Consortium from 2023-24. 

Previous Administrative Roles 

LLB (Senior Status) Programme Convenor (2017-2022)

LLB Programmes Director (2017-2020)

Law School Ethics Committee Member (2014-2017)

Director of Internationalisation (2016-2017)

UG Admissions Officer (2015-2016)

Advisor of Studies (Year 3 LLB) (2014-2015)

Director of the Newcastle Forum for Human Rights and Social Justice (2013-2014)

Deputy Admissions Selector for the LLB (2013-2014)

Co-ordinator of the Newcastle Law School External Advisory Board (2011-2014)

Staff Co-ordinator of the Student-Staff Relations Committee (2010-2012)

Staff Co-ordinator of the Client Interviewing and Client Negotiation Competitions (2009-2012)

Co-ordinator of Engagement and Alumni Relations (2009-2012)

Personal Tutor (2014-2021)

I am an award-winning educator whose excellence in teaching, educational innovation and leadership has been recognised at the institutional and national level.  I have been awarded the Sustained Excellence in Teaching Award by QUB and was a finalist in the UK-wide Oxford University Press Law Teacher of the Year Award 2018. QUB also nominated me for a National Teaching Fellowship in 2018, with feedback describing me as a gifted, innovative and student centred practitioner of legal education. I designed and implemented the LLB (Senior Status) programme at QUB.

Current Teaching

Criminal Liability (UG LLB) (Module co-ordinator)

Criminal Law (UG LLB) 

PGT Dissertation Supervisions 

Previous Teaching

Criminal Justice (UG; LLM)

Criminal Law (UG LLB) (Module co-ordinator)

Crime, Justice and Society (LLM) (Module co-ordinator)

Employability and Clinical Skills (UG LLB) (Module co-ordinator)

Evidence Law (UG LLB)

Legal and Regulatory Aspects of Money Laundering and Financial Crime (LLM)

Legal Methods and Systems (UG)

Public Law (UG)

The Construction of Crime (UG)

Criminal Justice Processes (LLM)

External Examiner Appointments

University of Southampton (2022-2026) 

Open University (2018-2022)

University of Glasgow (2018-2022)

Lancaster University (2014-2017)

Sunderland University (2011-2015)

External Appointments

President of the Irish Association of Law Teachers (2021-2022)

Lay Member of the Lady Chief Justice's Sentencing Group (2018-2023)

Academic member of the Ministry of Justice's Evidence and Partnerships Hub Academic Network (2021-)

Academic Member of the Working Group on the Non-jury trial provisions in the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007 (2021-2022)

Expert Panel Member of the Independent Review of Hate Crime Legislation in Northern Ireland (2019-2020)

Treasurer of the Irish Association of Law Teachers (2019-2021)

Secretary of the Socio-Legal Studies Association (2015-2017) 

Prizes

Finalist in the Oxford University Press UK-wide Law Teacher of the Year Award (2018)

Winner of the Sustained Excellence in Teaching Award by Queen's University Belfast (2017)