Alexandra Tampakopoulos is a leading criminal regulatory and inquest & public inquiry barrister. Her practice has built upon her years of experience defending and prosecuting serious crime.
Alexandra has developed her expertise in inquests & public inquiries through her involvement in numerous complex and high profile cases including in relation to the death of Alexander Litvinenko, the Hillsborough stadium disaster, the ‘SAS Inquest’ involving the death of three army reservists from heat illness in the Brecon Beacons and most recently the public inquiries into the Grenfell Tower fire and the Manchester Arena bombings.
Alexandra has a parallel expertise in Health & Safety, Fire Safety and Food Safety and is a leading defence specialist. She has significant experience advising and acting for individuals and major corporate clients across a wide range of industries including Energy, Utilities, Construction, Manufacturing, Agriculture and Food.
Alexandra is ranked as a Leading Individual for Inquests and Public Inquiries and Health & Safety in the 2023 Chambers & Partners UK legal directory. She was also nominated as Health and Safety Junior of the Year in the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2018 and Public Law Junior of the Year by The Legal 500 in 2018.
Additionally, she has recently been shortlisted for the Health and Safety Junior of the Year award at the Chambers & Partners UK Bar Awards 2024.
Alexandra also speaks fluent Russian and is instructed in matters requiring her Russian language skills and specialist knowledge of Russia and the CIS region.
Before coming to the Bar Alexandra lived in Russia for several years where she interned for Human Rights Watch and then worked at BP.
Alexandra accepts Direct Access instructions.
Alexandra has developed a recognised expertise in criminal regulatory matters relating to breaches of Health & Safety, Food Safety and Fire Safety legislation.
In the Health and Safety field, her practice covers the full range of offences from corporate to gross negligence manslaughter to prosecutions under the Health and Safety at Work Act etc 1974 arising from fatal and non-fatal accidents. She also advises and acts in relation to appeals against Enforcement and Prohibition Notices as well a substantives appeals against conviction and sentence in the Crown Court and the Court of Appeal.
Alexandra has acted for clients, both individuals and corporate entities, across a wide range of industries including Energy, Utilities, Construction, Manufacturing, Agriculture and Food. She is regularly instructed in inquests which often precede prosecutions for H&S offences by the HSE.
Alexandra has extensive experience advising in matters related to Food Safety, Hygiene and Labelling and has defended a number of prominent restaurants, food and coffee chains as well as food manufacturers.
In addition, Alexandra has also advised in matters related to breaches of Fire Safety legislation including appeals against Enforcement Notices under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
She is a specialist defence advocate and is ranked as a leading individual in the Health & Safety section in Chambers UK 2023.
Police Investigation and Inquests touching the deaths of Rebecca Ikumelo and Gaby Hutchinson
Acting on behalf of the operators of the Brixton Academy in relation to the deaths of Rebecca Ikumelo and Gaby Hutchinson at a concert on 22 December 2022.
Office for Product Safety and Standards v Sunseeker International Limited
Acting in relation to the prosecution of Sunseeker International Limited for breaches of the Timber and Timber Products (Placing on the Market) Regulations 2013 concerning teak products incorporated into yachts worth approximately £97M.
London Borough of Waltham Forest v SBL
Acting on behalf of a prestigious, independent brewery and bar in relation to a prosecution for breaches of the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013.
Court of Appeal – R v Places For People Homes ([2021] EWCA Crim 410)
Acted in appeal against sentence for an offence contrary to section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA) in relation to the use of vibrating tools by employees. It was argued on behalf of the Appellant that in applying Step 4 of the Sentencing Guidelines the Appellant should have been treated in the same way as a charity and therefore entitled to a substantial reduction in fine, in excess of the £350,000 figure the sentencing judge had allowed. The Court of Appeal held that a Community Benefit Society is equivalent to a charity and it should be entitled to a substantial reduction of fine as indicated at Step 4 of the Sentencing Guidelines. Accordingly, the fine was reduced by £200,000 resulting in an overall reduction on the basis of Step 4 considerations of £550,000.
HSE v PFPH
Defended in prosecution of charitable body for breaches of Health & Safety legislation relating to the use of vibrating tools and appeared in appeal above.
HSE v NG
Defended in prosecution of power company for breaches of Health & Safety legislation in relation to gas safety in HRMOBs.
Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry
Acting in relation to the Public Inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire which resulted in the deaths of 71 people on 14th June 2017.
Westminster City Council (Environmental Health) v SH
Defended a renowned private members club in respect of a Food Safety and Hygiene prosecution.
Westminster City Council (Environmental Health) v CN
Defended a well-known coffee chain in respect of a Food Safety and Hygiene prosecution.
Didcot A Power Station
Advising in respect of the ongoing joint Thames Valley police and HSE investigation into the premature collapse at Didcot A Power Station which resulted in the deaths of four men on 23rd February 2016.
Westminster City Council (Environmental Health) v RT
Defended a renowned and long standing Soho food establishment and its director in respect of a Food Safety and Hygiene prosecution.
Inquest re SH
Representing the Site Manager at Inquest and in criminal proceedings following the death of an employee and serious injuries caused to another employee at a recycling plant. Both workers had been working within a trommel designed to sift waste when the machine was inadvertently activated.
Inquest re DM
Representing a lifeguard at an inquest concerning the drowning of a young man with epilepsy at a swimming pool.
Inquest re SS
Representing a water utility company in relation to an inquest involving the death of a young man who suffered fatal injuries when he crashed his car on a flooded road known for flooding.
Alexandra is a leading inquest and public inquiry barrister. She advises and acts in complex and high profile cases on behalf of a wide range of interested persons and core participants including bereaved families, companies, company directors, schools and other educational establishments, medical professionals, care homes, care providers and NHS Trusts.
Alexandra is ranked as a Leading Individual for Inquests and Public Inquiries and Health & Safety in the 2022 Chambers & Partners UK legal directory. She was nominated as Public Law Junior of the Year by The Legal 500 in 2018.
Thirlwall Public Inquiry
Acting as Junior Counsel in the public inquiry into the events at the Countess of Chester Hospital concerning a series of murders and attempted murders of babies by Lucy Letby between June 2015 and June 2016.
Inquest touching the death of Ruth Perry
Acting as Junior Counsel on behalf of Ofsted in the inquest concerning the death of Ruth Perry in January 2023, the headteacher at Caversham Primary School in Reading.
Inquest touching the death of Marta Vento
Acting on behalf of Travelodge in the inquest concerning the death of Marta Vento, a hotel receptionist, who died after being attacked by Stephen Cole in December 2020.
Inquest touching the death of Jack Zarrop
Acting on behalf of the Ministry of Justice in relation to the death of Jack Zarrop in March 2021, a prisoner at HMP Wormwood Scrubs.
Inquest touching the death of Zac Brettler
Acting on behalf of the family of Zac Brettler, 19, who died after jumping into the Thames river from a balcony at the Riverwalk apartment complex in November 2020.
Inquest touching the death of Leighane Redmond and Melsadie Parris
Acting on behalf of Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust who conducted a mental health assessment of Ms Redmond some 6 weeks prior to her jumping in front of a train at Taplow Station with her three year old daughter Melsadie.
Inquest touching the death of Paul Kavanagh
Acting on behalf of the family of Paul Kavanagh, who died whilst at the helm of the Pomeroy Swan racing yacht sailing on The Solent during a gybe manoeuvre.
Inquest touching the death of Ella Parker
Acted on behalf of the CNWL NHS Foundation Trust in the inquest into the death of Ella Parker who was 5 months pregnant when she was stabbed to death by Ryan Blacknell, a voluntary patient at the Campbell Centre from which he had absconded.
Inquest touching the death of Emiliano Sala
Acting on behalf of FC Nantes in the inquest into the death of 28 year old footballer, Emiliano Sala, who died when the Piper Malibu aircraft he was travelling in crashed into the English Channel, north of Guernsey, in January 2019.
British Virgin Islands Commission of Inquiry
Acting as Junior Counsel to the Commission of Inquiry which was established in January 2021 by the Governor of the British Virgin Islands. The Right Honourable, Sir Gary Hickinbottom, a member of the Court of Appeal, has been appointed as the sole Commissioner of the Inquiry. The purpose of the Commission is to examine the Territory’s governance and to make recommendations for improvements. The inquiry is expected to report within six months.
Inquest into the death of Baby C
Acting on behalf of Doncaster & Bassetlaw NHS Foundation Trust in relation to the death of Baby C, a neonate who died in hospital from Necrotising Enterocolitis.
Inquests touching the deaths of Benjamin Haddon-Cave and Patrick Bolster
Acting on behalf of Network Rail in relation to the deaths of Benjamin Haddon Cave and Patrick Bolster who had accessed train track and climbed on top of a freight train in the early hours of the morning of 21 March 2019 and come into contact with the overhead, high voltage power line.
Inquest touching the death of Kishorkumar Patel
Acting on behalf of RATP Dev, one of London’s largest providers of bus services. Mr Patel was a London bus driver for RATP Dev. He contracted Covid 19 in April 2020 and died at a Nightingale hospital some 4 weeks later. One of the issues explored by the inquest was the adequacy of protective measures implemented by RATP Dev in relation to Mr Patel in response to the Covid 19 pandemic and by extension the many hundreds of its bus drivers who, as key workers, continued to work throughout the duration of the pandemic.
Manchester Arena Bombing Public Inquiry
Acted on behalf of Showsec in relation to the public inquiry into the Manchester Arena bombing on 22 May 2017 which resulted in the deaths of 22 people.
Inquest touching the death of Roy Morris
Acted on behalf of Oxford NHS Foundation trust in the inquest into the death of a psychiatric patient following his treatment and discharge from hospital.
Inquest touching the death of Charnelle Williams
Representing a station Supervisor in the inquest into the death of a young woman who fell on the tracks (a fall visible from several CCTV cameras) and died from multiple injuries sustained by a passing train several minutes after her fall.
Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry
Acted on behalf of Harley Facades in relation to the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire which resulted in the deaths of 71 people on 14th June 2017.
Inquest touching the deaths of Corporal Matthew Hatfield and Corporal Darren Neilson, Royal Tank Regiment
Acting alone on behalf of the family of Corporal Darren Nielson who died following an explosion of a Challenger 2 battle tank during live firing training on 14th June 2017.
Inquest touching the deaths of Corporal James Dunsby, Trooper Edward Maker and Lance Corporal Craig Roberts
Acting alone for the family of Lance Corporal Craig Roberts, one of the three soldiers who died of heat exhaustion following an SAS selection exercise in the Brecon Beacons in July 2013.
The Litvinenko Inquiry
Instructed as second junior counsel to the public inquiry into the death of Alexander Litvinenko, the former Russian FSB agent allegedly poisoned by Polonium 210 in London in 2006.
Alexandra appears before licensing sub-committees and Magistrates’ Courts (on appeal) all over the country as well as advising in a wide range of licensing matters. She has particular experience in the following areas:
Licensing Proceedings in relation to the O2 Brixton Academy
Junior counsel acting on behalf of AMG following a fatal crushing incident at the O2 Academy Brixton in December 2022 in the application to vary conditions of the licence and to oppose the application to revoke the licence made by the Metropolitan Police.
Alexandra has substantial experience in presenting and defending cases before a range of professional conduct panels and committees. She regularly appears in matters before the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the General Dental Council (GDC) and the General Medical Council (GMC). She also appears in the High Court on statutory appeals and judicial reviews of regulatory decisions.
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