Steven Ball

Criminal Law Specialisations

Steven prosecutes and defends in a wide variety of serious criminal matters for a number of agencies and solicitors.

He has prosecuted cases on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service (Grade 3), Customs and Excise, Environment Agency, Probation Service, Trading Standards, Department for Work and Pensions and the Solicitor to The Chief Constable of Merseyside Police. Between 2003 and 2006 Steven was appointed to the Attorney General's list of Prosecutors based on his level of call. Between 2003 and 2005 Steven regularly prosecuted cases on behalf of the Merseyside Robbery Unit set up under the Street Crime Initiative. Steven receives instructions from Merseyside, Wigan and Barrow CPS.

In addition to his prosecution practice Steven regularly defends for a variety of established defence solicitors in and around Liverpool.

Steven is regularly briefed in cases involving sexual allegations, child cruelty, drugs, serious assaults and allegations involving dishonesty. He has conducted and defended POCA hearings, has experience of PII issues, cases involving Mental Health issues and discretionary life sentences for public protection. Steven has been involved with a number of cash seizure, closure order applications, sexual offence prevention orders and cases involving dangerous dogs.

Steven has experience of the Coroner's Court and Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. He has taken cases to judicial review, case stated and appeal to the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Recent Instructions

Steven recently successfully appealed a large fine imposed against Martin Dawes Ltd for a breach of health and safety at their warehouse in Winsford. Upon appeal the fine imposed was varied from £20,000 to £6,000.

Steven recently prosecuted a case under Operation Balzarine, a case involving the sale of guns and ammunition to undercover police officers in the North Liverpool area. Some of the ammunition was described by the Defendant to the undercover officer as "cop killers" capable of going through a bullet proof vest.

Steven has recently defended in a child cruelty case where the allegation involved a non-accidental injury caused by the brandishing of a cigarette lighter.

Steven recently prosecuted a police operation involving the prosecution of 6 Defendants for conspiring together to steal car stereos across the North West and then to sell them on eBay. This case was concluded with a Proceeds of Crime Act order.

Steven prosecuted a conspiracy to steal new railway lines from Network Rail based in Liverpool involving two men who worked for the company and two men who did not.

Steven represented a respondent to an interim anti social behaviour order sought by the police against a background of allegations concerning drugs, violence and intimidation of city centre security operations. The police had sought a blanket ban from the city centre after 6 pm in the evening. The court agreed that this was too draconian and limited the terms of the restraining order.

Steven prosecuted a primary school administration officer who had stolen just under £10,000 from school funds over the course of 18 months as she was in debt.

Steven defended a decorating contractor who had acrued a £20,000 debt to the inland revenue.  SR sold a property during bankruptcy proceedings and then failed to account to the Trustee for his financial affairs.  SR was prosecuted under the Insolvency Act 1986 and having pleaded guilty to a number of offences awaits sentence in the New Year.

Steven was recently led by Anne Whyte, in a case instructed by Colin Davies of CPS involving money laundering in excess of £5 million, illegal betting and ticket touting.

Steven recently represented a defendant, with no connection to terrorists, charged with explosives offences after his home was found to contain bomb making chemicals and fertiliser together with instructions downloaded from the internet on how to make bombs.