Ben Thompson
Year of Call: 2022
Email Address: [email protected]
CJSM: [email protected]
Telephone: 01202 292102
Clerk Details
- Clerk Name: Ellie Bloomfield
- Clerk Telephone: 01202 292102
- Clerk Email: [email protected]
Overview
Ben Thompson is a barrister and member of the Crime Group at 3 Paper Buildings (3PB), accepting instructions across the Western Circuit. He is a Grade 2 prosecutor and practises in both the Crown Court and Magistrates’ Court across Dorset, Hampshire, and Wiltshire.
Ben joined 3PB following the successful completion of his pupillage with the Crown Prosecution Service in September 2024, during which he undertook a secondment with Jodie Mittell KC and other members of 3PB. He works from 3PB’s Bournemouth office and appears regularly in jury trials, contested hearings, and sentencings.
Recognised for his meticulous preparation and measured courtroom style, Ben has been described by a member of the judiciary as having “exceptional” drafting skills. His advocacy has been praised for demonstrating “great skill and competence.” He is known for presenting cases to juries clearly and without unnecessary embellishment, distilling complex evidence into focused and persuasive submissions.
Ben undertakes both prosecution and defence work. As a prosecutor, he is regarded as fair, principled, and scrupulously balanced, taking particular care when dealing with self-represented defendants to ensure proceedings remain just. He is known for handling vulnerable defendants with patience and professionalism, taking time to explain the process in clear terms, ensuring they understand the case against them, and putting them at ease so they can properly participate in proceedings. Whether prosecuting or defending, he approaches vulnerable witnesses and defendants alike with sensitivity and calm assurance.
Recent work includes:
- Affray Conviction – Four Child Witnesses – Ben sensitively led four young witnesses through their evidence in a knife-point affray trial and delivered focused, effective cross-examination of the defendant, securing unanimous convictions.
- Trial of the Act – Successful Defence – Ben successfully defended a Crown Court trial where he argued that self-defence properly arose on the evidence and must be left to the jury, notwithstanding it being a trial of the act. Following legal submissions, the issue was left to the jury, and the case concluded favourably for the defendant.
- Pre-Trial Evidential Submissions Leading to the Crown Offering No Evidence – Through detailed preparation and close collaboration with his client, Ben compiled and served a comprehensive defence bundle in advance of trial, exposing significant evidential weaknesses in the prosecution case. He made focused written and oral submissions on the Crown’s case. Following review, the Crown offered no evidence and the case was discontinued.
Outside court, Ben enjoys skydiving and travelling.
Related News
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3PB criminal barrister Ben Thompson has successfully acted for the Crown in a serious affray involving multiple child victims. Ben prosecuted a man in his 40s who confronted nine children in a public park, brandishing a knife and threatening to “cut their hearts out.” The defendant denied having a knife, claiming instead that he was holding a vape, but the jury rejected his account after a four-day trial in Southampton. The defendant was unanimously convicted...
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3PB (3 Paper Buildings) is pleased to announce that crime and regulatory barrister Ben Thompson, based in Bournemouth, has become a full tenant of the 270-barrister national chambers after successfully completing his probationary tenancy. Ben is a busy and versatile practitioner on the Western Circuit, having joined 3PB from the CPS where he had completed his pupillage. As a prosecutor, Ben has been entrusted with serious cases, recently securing a just sentence in a controlling...
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