Waheed Baber delivered an educational seminar on the criminal justice system in front of 200 Soldiers.

The virtual seminar, which took place on 29 April, covered the offences that military service personnel are most at risk of being charged with. The offences discussed included assault, public order offences, race hate crimes, counterterrorism offences, defences, and more.

The risk of committing offences is ever-increasing for members of the armed forces due to willingness on the part of the Crown Prosecution Service to charge soldiers and advancements in technology. We now have CCTV on every street corner and antisocial behaviour has become easier to report with the advent of social media and instant messaging services.

As a Criminal Barrister, Waheed Baber has defended Soldiers in the Criminal Courts for the last 15 years. He also has a personal family connection with the armed forces through his paternal grandfather who was awarded two Burma Stars serving as a Private in Burma during the Second World War for the British Indian Army.

It was his passion for the armed forces that encouraged Waheed to reach out to the RSM Recruiting Group, offering to deliver a seminar that would help to bridge the gap between what Soldiers think they know and the truth of how the criminal justice system actually works.

Waheed Baber presented to Soldiers of all ranks and cap badges, covering common misconceptions about self-defence, defence of colleagues, of property, and of provocation. He explained how juries decide whether a defendant acted in self-defence or not and was successful in getting the Soldiers engaged in conversation throughout the seminar.

Regimental Sergeant Major, Paul Buckerfield was enthused, saying “Waheed Baber delivered an exceptional presentation to 200 Soldiers of all ranks.”

Hoping to bring Waheed Baber back to their higher headquarters to deliver another presentation in October, Paul added “The seminar was extremely relevant and educational to soldiers who often find themselves in situations where self-defence can quickly turn into something much worse, with life-changing consequences.”

The Sergeant Major wasn’t the only one impressed by the contents of Waheed’s presentation. The Commanding Officer was so inspired by the seminar that they requested Paul Buckerfield present Waheed Baber with a Commanding Officer’s coin.

The Commander’s coin has a long history, predating even Waheed’s grandfather’s days in the British Indian Army. They are usually handed out in exceptional circumstances, for going above and beyond the call of duty.

This show of appreciation for Waheed’s time meant the world to him. Speaking after receiving the coin, Waheed said “To be able to impart some of the knowledge I have gained as a Criminal Barrister was a proud moment for me. The award of the Commanding Officer’s coin has helped remedy the regret I felt when I was not courageous enough to join the Army at my grandfather’s request 22 years ago.”

Waheed Baber is looking to take on defence work for Military Personnel, to check his availability please contact our Criminal Clerks Greg Highton and Paul Mander by emailing [email protected], [email protected] or by calling 0161 832 4036.