Professor Simon K Harding

Professor Simon K Harding

Criminology Expert Witness

Simon Harding is a Professor in Criminology at the University of West London (UWL). He works independently on private commissions of research, consultancy and as an expert witness.

Professor Harding has over 35 years of practitioner/professional experience in criminology, crime reduction and community safety with careers at the Home Office, Hackney Council, Islington Council and as Crime Reduction Director in Lambeth. He has worked on over 2,500 UK social housing estates, authored numerous reports and in 1999 invented Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs).

He is now Director of the National Centre for Gang Research at UWL and advises the Home Office, MPS, NCA and HMICFRS on youth violence, gangs, knives and county lines.

He is a skilled and experienced qualitative interviewer and research director and liaises regularly with young people who are gang-affiliated or gang active as well as actively participating in fieldwork and research with young people.

Expert Witness

Professor Harding acts as an Expert Witness for both Defence and the Crown. He has undertaken Expert Witness Training with the Academy of Experts and holds Certificates in Training in the Foundation Course, Understanding Law and Procedure Rules and Into Court.

He is registered with the National Crime Agency Major Crime Investigative Support, Expert Advisers Database.

Key areas of expertise for reports and court appearances include:

• • Street gangs, gang dynamics and behaviours
• • Criminal exploitation, debt bondage, duress and vulnerabilities
• • County lines, drug dealing and drug dealing networks
• • Knife crime, kidnapping and drill music videos
• • The Street Code and 'no snitching'
• • Modern slavery and NRM decisions

Expert Advisor

One alternative to engaging an Expert Witness is to engage an Expert Advisor. This might also be a cost-effective alternative. A key benefit here is that the expert’s advice, including client reports, remain privileged and non-disclosable. This permits the client to access the expert’s knowledge, guidance and opinion. This role may also assist in strategic planning of a case.

An expert witness can be quickly instructed without a need to wait on Legal Aid funding. They can assist in narrowing cases to focus on key issues pre-proceedings and ensure those involved in a case are provided with contemporary knowledge and opinion. Early instruction can also assist in such issues. An Expert Advisor would not be called to appear in court.

Click here to view his CV.