Mark Scott

Mark Scott specialises in private and public law claims against the state as well as assisting families whose loved ones have died in custody.

Mark has been involved in conducting a substantial caseload of private and public law claims against the police and other detaining authorities such as the Home Office as well as companies such as Group 4 running prisons and detention centres for the Home Office under contract. He has concluded major clinical negligence litigation against a police doctor (initially involving the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police as co-Defendant) resulting in a settlement at a record level of agreed damages. He has developed a particular and unique expertise in claims on behalf of those detained under the immigration rules and regulations in particular. He has also conducted work on behalf of bereaved families at inquests into deaths in prison, police and immigration custody.

His recent notable cases include:

ID and others v Home Office, CA 2005
which declared that an immigrant detained under immigration legislation had an entitlement to bring a private law action for false imprisonment on the basis that the detention was unreasonable and/or in breach of policy.

Re Sarah Campbell, Cheshire Coroner’s Court 2005
acted for Pauline Campbell the mother of Sarah who had died at HMP Styal, the jury in their verdict expressed concerns about the treatment of Sarah who was one of a number of women who had died at the prison.

N and others v Group 4, HC 2005
settlement, the terms of which are confidential, of claims by a number of detainees regarding their treatment and the conditions of their detention following the fire at Yarl’s Wood in 2002.

M v Home Office, HC 2005
settlement of a damages action by a refugee involving a challenge to the Home Office policy of detention of Zimbabwean asylum seekers following the suspension of removals to Zimbabwe in January 2002.

LM v Home Office, HC 2005
settlement of a damages action by a refugee whose detention was continued after a significant change in the strength of his asylum claim.

Bark and others v Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis, HC 2004
settlement of a damages action in a claim in false imprisonment and under the Human Rights Act for a group of protestors on the jubilee weekend.

Mark has practised as a solicitor since 1993, initially with the well known and respected firm of Winstanley-Burgess until 1997, then with Stephens-Innocent and BM Birnberg & Co before becoming one of the founding partner’s of Bhatt Murphy in October 1998.