Martin Beddoe

Beddoe served as a Standing Counsel to the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office for 3 years, until December 2007, dealing with numerous high-level drug importations and diversion cases, including some of the largest fraud prosecutions in the country such as the largest diversion fraud ever prosecuted at the time.[1]

Beddoe was a senior prosecutor in Peterborough Crown Court, Cambridgeshire. Throughout his career he successfully prosecuted many criminal cases including prosecution of a fraudster who was found guilty of involvement in a £1.5 million fraud in 2002,[13] and a solicitor who plead guilty to stealing £350,000 in fees from clients in 2005.[14] Solicitor Christopher McChrystal was arrested in October 2004 after the Law Society referred his case to the police.[15] McChrystal was subsequently struck off after Lincoln Crown Court's finding that he used the clients' money to make an investment into his business.[15] In 2003, Beddoe was a senior prosecutor in court cases resulting from Operation Harrier,[16] a clean-up operation which has declared all-out war against Class A drugs in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.[17]

Beddoe has defended at the criminal bar in drug cases, fraud, homicide and other serious crime. He also dealt with Courts Martial, Inquests and Public Enquiries. In 2005, he successfully defended Jason Smith, British soldier who served eight years in the British Army. The court heard that Smith's successful Army career was halted prematurely due to a back injury, and he had struggled to come to terms with it. In March 2005, as a result of his post-traumatic stress disorder, Smith had carried out a raid of a petrol station in Northampton at knife-point, but later dropped £45 in cash as the owner and several villagers gave chase.[18] Sentencing Jason Smith to a two-year suspended sentence, Judge Nigel Daly told him:

It is the first time you have been in court and you are of previous good character and here you are in relation to a very serious offence. You had considerable problems with your finances and then suffered a reactive depression brought on by the spiralling debts.[18]

In 2007 Beddoe became the Resident Judge on the South Eastern Circuit based at Southwark Crown Court

Beddoe was a Recorder of the Crown Court from 2002 until 2007, when he was appointed a Senior Circuit Judge,[22] becoming the Resident Judge on the South Eastern Circuit based at Southwark Crown Court.[12]

In 2017, Judge Beddoe presided over the case of Ricardo McFarlane, 30-year-old Muslim convert charged with anti-social behaviour after preaching Sharia law in Oxford Street and two other London venues,[23] who declined to stand up in court on religious grounds.[24] McFarlane allegedly breached the terms of an antisocial behaviour order[25] barring him from addressing members of the public to promote sharia law.[26] At the hearing in Southwark Crown Court, Judge Beddoe noticed that McFarlane did not stand when he entered the room.[27] McFarlane's defence barrister commented:

"Because of his religious belief he believes there is only one person who he should bow to."[28]

To which Judge Beddoe responded:

"That is as may be, but this isn't a court of religion, this is a secular court and it expects to be treated with respect. That isn't in breach of any religious principles I'm aware of."[29]

McFarlane then proceeded to stand for Judge Beddoe while he was speaking and during the rest of the hearing.[30]