Professor Rudi Fortson, KC, LLB (Lond), Barrister (Middle Temple)

Visiting Professor
Website: http://www.rudifortson4law.co.uk
Profile
Rudi Fortson KC is a Visiting Professor of Law at Queen Mary University of London, and he has been a barrister in independent practice for some 30 years at 25 Bedford Row, London, and he "took silk" in 2010. As well as an in-court practitioner, Rudi Fortson has written and lectured extensively on many criminal-law issues. He has attended several experts' meetings at the European Commission on behalf of the 'Bar Council of England and Wales', and the 'Criminal Bar Association'. He was a member of the 'Police Foundation Independent Inquiry into the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971' (Chair: Viscountess Runciman DBE), and a member of the 'Criminal Justice Forum' for the Institute of Public Policy Research [IPPR]. More recently he was a member of the Independent Working Group on Drug Consumption Rooms for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Research
Publications
Books
- "Misuse of Drugs and Drug Trafficking Offences" (Sweet & Maxwell, 6th ed., January 2012).
- "The Serious Crime Act 2007" (OUP, 2008)
- "The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005" (Sweet & Maxwell)
- "Criminal Justice Act 2003" (Sweet & Maxwell);
- "Criminal Justice Act 1991"(Sweet & Maxwell);
Annotated Statutes (Current Law Statutes; Sweet & Maxwell):
- Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Act 1990;
- Criminal Justice Act 1991;
- Criminal Justice Act 1993;
- Drug Trafficking Act 1994;
- Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994;
- Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (civil recovery);
- Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Parts 1-11, 13 (part) and 14).
- Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004
- Gangmasters Act 2004
- Drugs Act 2005
- Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005
- Serious Crime Act 2007
- Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008
- Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (parts 2-9)
Other significant publications
- Contributing editor to Blackstone's Criminal Practice (from 2007 to current); firearms; other weapons; explosives; drugs; drug trafficking.
- Contributing editor to Blackstone's Criminal Practice Supplements (from 2008 to current): firearms, drug offences, confiscation, and asset recovery.
- Contributing chapter 'Participation in Crime' (specifically 'Inchoate Liability and the Part 2 offences under the Serious crime act 2007': edited by A. Reed and M. Bohlander, Ashgate Publishing, 2013).
- Contributing chapter on Diminished Responsibility: "Loss of Control and Diminished Responsibility Domestic, Comparative and International Perspectives" (Edited by A. Reed and M. Bohlander, Ashgate Publishing, November 2011).
- Contributing chapters (confiscation and money laundering) to Banks and Financial Crime 'The International Law of Tainted Money', Edited by William Blair QC and Richard Brent (2008, OUP).
Articles
- The Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 (Criminal Law Review; April 2016).
- The misnomer of “apportionment” in confiscation cases: R v Fields [2013]: January 2014
- Sentencing drug offences: Sentencing Council Guidelines.
- Are We Misusing the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971?: Criminal Law Today, Issue No.2, December 2011.
- Leading Questions: A Critical Analysis [2011] Crim.L.R. 279 (with Professor Adrian Keane).
- Prosecution Appeals - Too Much of a Good Thing? [2010] Crim.L.R. 169 (with Professor David Ormerod, and AndrewWaterman QC).
- Surveillance by the State v Surveillance of the State, Archbold News, Issue 5, June 11, 2009.
- Confiscation proceedings: Adieu Layode and R. v K.?, Archbold News, Issue 8, September 11, 2007.
- Serious Crime Act 2007: The Part 2 Offences [2009] Crim.L.R. 389 (with Professor David Ormerod).
- Bad Character Evidence and Cross-admissibility [2009] Crim.L.R. 313 (with Professor David Ormerod).
- Drug Suppliers as Manslaughterers (Again) [2005] Crim.L.R. 819 (with Professor David Ormerod).
Public Engagement
- Member of the Criminal Justice Centre (CJC)
Download Professor Rudi Fortson's CV [PDF 812KB] for more about his public engagement.
Related news
- Rudi Fortson QC acts as consultant for project on confiscation orders
17 September 2020 - Rudi Fortson QC acts as consultant for project on confiscation orders
17 September 2020 - QMUL Criminal Justice Cente and Centre international de criminologie comparée and École de criminologie, Université de Montréal host joint seminar
29 November 2017 - Fifth Annual Renmin – Queen Mary Criminal Justice Conference held in China
24 October 2017 - Professor Rudi Fortson QC quoted in article on arrests for laughing gas
1 September 2017 - QMUL's Criminal Justice Centre visit Cape Town University
21 April 2016 - QMUL's Criminal Justice Centre visit Cape Town University
21 April 2016