Partner, Bolt Burdon Kemp
David is a partner and solicitor advocate at Bolt Burdon Kemp specialising in child abuse compensation claims.
David has successfully brought claims on behalf of claimants who have suffered abuse at the hands of Scout leaders, Boys’ Brigade Captains, clergymen (Roman Catholic Church, Church of England, Church in Wales, Evangelical Church), youth club leaders, teachers, sports coaches, foster carers, care home staff and family members.
As a solicitor advocate, David regularly appears in the High Court on behalf of his clients and in 2012 he was the advocate in the case of GLB v TH. David secured his client one of the highest ever awards of general damages in a child abuse compensation claim. In 2015 David was the advocate in the first ever test case against the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority in respect of applications made outside the time limit under the new 2012 scheme. On appeal, David successfully argued that the time limit should be extended for his client who was a survivor of child abuse.
David regularly appears on national broadcast media (BBC One, BBC News, Sky News, BBC Radio Four and BBC Radio Five) providing expert opinion and commentary on developments in child abuse law and on child abuse issues. He also regularly provides commentary to national newspapers (The Times, The Telegraph, Daily Mail, The Express and Daily Mirror).
In 2014 David was responsible for bringing the issue of sexual abuse in the Scouts to public attention. Having acted for numerous victims of abuse in the Scouts, David’s media appearances prompted hundreds of other victims to come forward and instruct David to pursue claims against the Scouts.
In July 2017, David featured in the BBC Panorama’s ‘Cadet Abuse Cover-Up’ which exposed abuse and failures to prevent abuse in the Cadet organisations. David has brought many successful claims against the Ministry of Defence on behalf of clients for abuse carried out by their employees and volunteers. Throughout this work, David has uncovered evidence of negligence suggesting that the abuse some of his clients suffered could have been prevented. The programme for the first time shone a light on the issue of sexual abuse taking place in the Cadets.
David is a committed member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and has been secretary and coordinator to APIL’s child abuse special interest group since 2014. In 2016 he was appointed as an Executive Committee member of the Association of Child Abuse Lawyers. David regularly provides training seminars on child abuse law, both in-house, and externally to the College of Law and the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.
Reported cases
- CAX v PQR [2023] EWHC 3198 (KB) – Secured damages in excess of £300,000. David acted as solicitor-advocate appearing in the High Court.
- FZO v London Borough of Haringey [2020] EWCA Civ 180 – The largest award of compensation in an abuse claim; securing damages of £1.1 million.
- KCR v The Scout Association [2016] EWHC 587 (QB) – Successful claim for damages for a former scout. David acted as solicitor advocate appearing in the High Court.
- FKB v Derek Lampitt [2015] EWHC 3368 (QB) – a claim for compensation for a client who suffered serious sexual abuse at the hands of her step father. The court made a substantial award of damages to reflect the impact the abuse had on the claimant’s education and earnings. David acted as solicitor advocate appearing in the High Court.
- ABC v West Heath 2000 Ltd (1) William Whillock (2) [2015] All ER (D) 14 (Oct) – First ever child abuse compensation claim in which damages were awarded to a claimant for ‘sexting’ (The claimant had been encouraged to send sexual images of herself to a school teacher).
- CXX v DXX [2012] ALL ER (D) 22 (Jun) – Clarified the law in respect of whether or not a defendant who has been convicted of an offence is permitted to deny that offence in a subsequent civil claim.
- GLB v TH [2012] ALL ER D 329 –David acted as solicitor-advocate appearing in the High Court.