This Register is primarily for those in the legal profession who are seeking Expert Witnesses in cases involving, mountaineering, hill walking, abseiling, indoor and outdoor climbing, outdoor pursuits and related activities.

This Register is primarily for those in the legal profession who are seeking Expert Witnesses in cases involving, mountaineering, hill walking, abseiling, indoor and outdoor climbing, outdoor pursuits and related activities. Each person on the Register has undertaken expert witness training and has met rigorous selection criteria set out in the document entitled BMC Register of Expert Witnesses. This document is available here.

The people on the Register have a wide range of experience and expertise. Consequently, the information given below can only act as an approximate guide in choosing an Expert Witness. If you feel a person on the Register has the relevant expertise you will need to contact them to ascertain (a) whether they have precisely the expertise you require and (b) whether they are willing and able to take on a particular case.

The Register is set out under countries: England, Scotland and Wales and in alphabetical order of surnames.

England

Ian Dunn
Manchester & NW England
07969 884822
Email: ian@coachingclimbing.com
Read his CV

Areas of Expertise: The construction, design and management of artificial climbing walls. I have also considerable experience of high standard climbing of all disciplines, including equipping of new routes, competitions and training and coaching climbing. Ian has prepared expert witness reports for over 20 years and given evidence in court on several occasions.

Chris Ensoll
Lake District & North West England
07775 630 488 (m)
Email: info@chrisensoll.com
Read his CV

Areas of Expertise: Active Alpine Guide in Europe, providing summer mountaineering, icefall climbing, off-piste skiing and ski-touring. Also guiding in the Lakes and winter climbing/mountaineering in Scotland. External Technical Adviser for Climbing and Trekking on Foot since the introduction of the AALA licensing scheme, providing advice to several organisations. Single Pitch Award provider since the award started, and now Rock Climbing Instructor provider since the change of the scheme. Provider of Mountain Leader courses since 1997. Coached/mentored friends/colleagues, helping them to attain Winter Mountain Leader, Mountaineering Instructor Award, Mountaineering Instructor Certificate and British Mountain Guide. Have worked with young people in the outdoors since 1981 with huge variety of groups. A rock climber and regular user of climbing walls.    

Ian Fenton
Lancashire
01254 886018 (h)
01254 886018 (w)
07979 278922 (m)
Email:  mountfenton@supanet.com
Read his CV 

Keith Fleming
East Sussex
01273 400415
07710 345322 (m)
Email: keith@mountain-activities.co.uk  
Website: www.mountain-activities.co.uk
Read his CV

Areas of Expertise: Provider of activity trips for schools, individuals and groups for over 30 years throughout the U.K. and abroad; over 30 years’ experience of providing training for mountaineering, winter climbing and rock climbing; Provider of  Mountain Training Qualifications since 1994; Provider of Site-specific instructor training award schemes for climbing walls, high ropes courses, zip wires etc. for 25 years, including some of the U.K.’s largest activity and outdoor education providers; Provider of technical advice for AALA and other purposes since 1995. This includes private organisations, Education Authorities, London Boroughs, climbing walls and individuals; Committee member of the Adventure Activities Advisory Committee for 6 years, and also served on the Adventuremark Manging Forum for 3 years; Extensive experience of Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Expedition in the U.K. and abroad, including the Himalaya.

Expert experience includes: Provided expert opinion in court, and written, report for HM Coroner; Acted as Expert Witness for civil cases on both claimant and defence sides; Acted as expert, and given evidence in Court for Criminal and Civil Trials, including at the Royal Courts of Justice; Provision of expert reports for incidents overseas, both within the EU and beyond; Provision of post-incident investigations for local authorities and private organisations outside of any legal proceedings; Given Expert opinion and reports for HSE; Also undertaken Jury Service and acted as Foreman of the Jury.

Doug Jones
North West, East Midlands & East Anglia
01298 27774 (h)
07890 307663 (m)
Email:  doug@d-jac.co.uk
Website: www.d-jac.co.uk

Areas of Expertise: Rock climbing, hillwalking and mountaineering (summer and winter), in the UK. Mountain leadership and rock climbing instruction in the UK. Outdoor Centre work, particularly with young people. Residential and non residential outdoor education adventure activities (ropes courses, initiative tasks, orienteering etc.). Outdoor Education in schools and the LEA approval system for educational visits. The Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

Adge Last
Peak District
07504506626 (m)
Email:  adge.last@gmail.com
Read his Experience Resume

Areas of Expertise: Climbing (indoor and outdoor), mountaineering, adventure activities and outdoor education. I have over 35 years experience in outdoor education, including periods instructing, training & assessing, managing and advising a broad range of organisations. I have experience over 25 years of providing expert reports and have given evidence in court. I am currently active both personally as a climber, mountaineer and cyclist, and professionally as a manager and adviser in the broad field of outdoor education. In a voluntary capacity I am a Director of Mountain Training UK, advise DofE nationally and am a trustee on several charitable bodies. My professional experience as a technical adviser includes Governing Body, Local Authority, private sector and self employment. Located in the Peak District, but no geographical boundaries.

Mike Margeson
Lake District
01229 889721 (h)
07766 971477 (m)
07766 971477 (w)
Email:  mmargeson@hotmail.com
Read his CV

Areas of Expertise: 25 years experience as a full time mountaineering and outdoor education Instructor. Experience of local government/LEA, the private and charity/voluntary sectors of the industry. Have particular skills and experience of Leader and Instructor training and assessment and have been a member of Mountain Leader training board and various BMC specialist committees for a number of years. I also undetake technical advisor work for a variety of orgainisations including working as an Inspector for AALA the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority. My specialist area is Mountain Rescue as a current Mountain Rescue Team Leader and Equipment Officer of the Mountain Rescue Council of England and Wales and delegate to IKAR the International Commission for Alpine Rescue.

Christopher Short FRGS
Bristol / South West
07798 528239 (WhatsApp)
Email:  chris@farfrontiers.co.uk
Read his CV

Scotland

Bob Barton

Iain Peter

07836 642162 (m)
Email:  iain.peter@btinternet.com
Read his CV

Areas of expertise:  Extensive worldwide experience of mountaineering (summer, winter, alpine, expeditions, high altitude), rock and ice climbing, climbing walls, abseiling, ski-touring and ski-mountaineering, off-piste skiing. Extremely wide experience of Outdoor Centre management, commercial expeditions, instruction and guiding in all aspects of mountain, hill and rock based activities; mountaineering qualifications (training and assessment courses), care and supervision of young people in the outdoor environment, film and television safety.  IP has prepared reports for, and given evidence in, Criminal and Civil cases and at Coroner's court.  

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Wales

John Cousins

North Wales
01286 870059 (h)
01690 720129 (w)
07889 407810 (m)
Email: john@mountain-training.org    

Steven Mayers

Andy Newton
North Wales
01286 872317 (h)
01690 720361 (w)
07702 905208 (m)
Email:  andy@andynewtonmic.org
Read his CV

Areas of Expertise:  Four decades of mountaineering, rock climbing and indoor climbing experience in the UK and abroad. Self-employed Mountain Instructor and approved course Provider & Director for Mountain Leader, Hill & Moorland Leader, Lowland Leader, Climbing Wall Instructor, Climbing Wall Development Instructor, Indoor Climbing Assistant and Rock Climbing Instructor schemes. Freelance AALS inspector. Technical Advisor to numerous activity providers involving extensive knowledge and experience of outdoor centre work with all ages and both residential and day activity provision. Technical Advisor level experience of all types of activities including ropes courses, climbing walls, gorge walking. Currently Chair of BMC Training, Youth and Climbing Walls Committee. Active and enthusiastic climber and mountaineer.

Mike Rosser
Wales
01690 750318 (h)
07767 386470 (m)
Email:  mikearosser@gmail.com
Read his CV

Areas of Expertise: I have 40 years’ experience as a teacher and lecturer of PE and Outdoor Education, Executive Officer for Mountain Training England,  a Manager and Director of companies organising trekking and mountaineering expeditions to remote regions for youth groups and adults and as an Education Visits Advisor. I am based in Snowdonia and have experience of working in many areas of the of the UK including N & S Wales, the South West and Peak District.

I have more than 25 years’ experience of providing expert reports and have given evidence in court. I am currently active both personally as a climber, mountaineer and cyclist, and professionally as an Inspector of Outdoor Providers and a Educational Visits Advisor to state and independent school education. I have Chaired the Adventurous Activities Industry Advisory Committee that Awards  Adventuremark a recognised Industry Standard for Adventurous  Activity Providers and currently Chair an Industry group that is reviewing Current Standards.

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