Dean joined Nicholls & Nicholls in late 2025 as a Partner and Co-Head of Prisoner
Rights. His reputation nationally speaks for itself being a significant part in legislative
change in prison rules and regulations. He is also an active advocate, with a strong
focus on parole board hearings and reviews.
Having practised several decades, he has made numerous judicial review
challenges which impacted on the changes to prisoner’s rights. He is resilient in
exposing injustices within the prison system, specifically in high secure
establishments including the close supervision centres housing what is described as
‘some of the most dangerous prisoners in the UK.’
Originally starting his career as a general legal aid criminal defence lawyer with
police station accreditation, working with incarcerated individuals is where he found
his passion for the injustices occurring to human rights in that specific environment.
His tenacity has continued to the United Nations on behalf of IPP (indeterminate
sentences for public protection now abolished) prisoners.
Dean works closely with JENGBA and UNGRIPP. One is an organisation set up in
2010 campaigning against the legislation relating to joint enterprise (commonly used
in allegations of drug dealing and murders). The other focusses on reforming and
abolishing any link to the IPP punishment. This punishment no longer exists but
hundreds of prisoners are still subject to its restrictions.
Naturally, his results speak for themselves. Not only has he represented the first ever
public parole board hearing, but in fact was instructed in the next three that fell within
that category including the first for a prisoner on an IPP. He has been recommended
and represented notorious criminals including Harry Roberts, John Worboys, Charles
Bronson, Michael Steele, John Cannan, Jeremy Bamber, Joanne Dennehy, David
Norris, Glyn Razzell, Russell Causley, Michael Stone and Billy Dunlop.
In recent times, the Secretary of State for Justice has exercised his powers
unders.32ZAA (2) Crime (Sentences) Act 1997, to direct the Parole Board to refer a
decision that a prisoner should be released, to the High Court for review by a judge.
Dean was the instructed solicitor demonstrating e is at the forefront of protecting
prisoner rights.
Not just content with being a practising lawyer, co-head of a department and partner
of a law firm, Dean is co-author of ‘A Practical Guide to Parole Board Proceedings’
and in recent years, has won awards such as ‘Public Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year’.
He is also one of an exclusive group of lawyers trained in the main psychological risk
assessments used by parole boards; HCR-20 (violence) psychological risk tool,
RSVP (sexual) psychological risk tool and SAPROF (protective factors tool).
Dean also holds the following roles/positions:
Committee member for the Association of Prison Lawyers (APL) since 2015.
He is the Parole Board lead for the APL and as a result, sits on the Parole
Board user group;
Vice-chairman of Progressing Prisoners Maintaining Innocence (PPMI);
Sits on the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) User Group;
Council member for the human rights charity, Justice;
Sits on the advisory panel for Inside Justice.
In addition to his prison law practice, Dean has been developing his passion with
Sports Law. Dean acted pro-bono alongside Counsel for the Everton FC Fans
Advisory Board (FAB) regarding premier league deduction of points. Submissions
were made to the Appeal board which were successful. He also has a passion for
boxing, much like managing partner, Lucinda Nicholls. He attended the heavyweight
clash between Fury and Usyk in Abu Dhabi and sponsors welterweight professional
fighter, Elliot Whale.
Examples of notable cases for Dean include:
Michael Steele- Dean successfully argued for the release of Mr. Steele from
category A conditions. Mr. Steele maintained his innocence of a triple murder
and had been detained as a category A prisoner. Dean argued the
recommendations of the professionals were materially flawed and persuaded
a panel the level of risk was manageable in the community.
Dean achieved the release of a non-released category A IPP Prisoner.
Dean successfully argued for a recommendation for open conditions for a
high escape risk category A IPP prisoner.
Wakenshaw v SSJ- Sought a declaration that the MoJ interfered with the
independence of the Parole Board. The court granted this declaration.
Successfully acted for Worboys in seeking to argue the decision of the Parole
Board to release him was rational before the High Court.
Warner v SSJ- Sought a declaration that the MoJ interfered with the
independence of the Criminal Cases Review Commission;
Hassett and Price v SSJ- Lead category A oral hearing case seeking
increased access to oral hearings for category A prisoners;
Salvador v SSJ- Successfully sought a declaration that the Parole Board
Rules 2019 is ultra vires in that it prevents a prisoner from applying for a
public parole hearing if the prisoner so wishes.
Acted for a transgender female who resides in the female estate. The
Secretary of State for Justice indicated that despite having her gender recognition certificate and being legally female, she was to be rehoused in the
male estate. Successful in preventing this from occurring.
Dean joined Nicholls & Nicholls in late 2025 as a Partner and Co-Head of Prisoner
Rights. He is a nationally recognised specialist in prison law, with decades of
experience representing prisoners and challenging decisions and practices that
affect their rights and liberty.
Dean has played a significant role in bringing about changes to prison rules and
regulations and has pursued numerous judicial review challenges concerning
prisoners’ rights. He is particularly experienced in complex and high-profile cases
involving the Parole Board, Category A prisoners and those held in high-security
establishments, including Close Supervision Centres.
His commitment to protecting prisoners’ rights began during his early career as a
general legal aid criminal defence solicitor, when he obtained police station
accreditation. It was through representing incarcerated individuals that Dean
developed a particular interest in the human rights issues arising within the prison
environment. That commitment has remained a defining feature of his practice
throughout his career and has extended to international human rights work, including
representations made to the United Nations on behalf of prisoners serving
Indeterminate Sentences for Public Protection (IPP).
Dean works closely with organisations including JENGbA and UNGRIPP. JENGbA
campaigns against the operation of joint enterprise law, while UNGRIPP campaigns
for reform and an end to the continuing impact of IPP sentences. Although IPP
sentences were abolished for new offenders in 2012, hundreds of people remain
subject to the sentence and its continuing restrictions.
Dean has extensive experience in Parole Board proceedings and has been involved
in a number of significant and high-profile cases. He represented the first prisoner to
have a public Parole Board hearing and was subsequently instructed in the next
three cases to fall within that category, including the first such hearing involving a
prisoner serving an IPP sentence.
Throughout his career, Dean has represented a number of high-profile and notorious
prisoners. His work has also attracted wider public and media attention. He has
featured in television documentaries examining his work with prisoners and the wider
issues surrounding the treatment and rights of people in custody. These
appearances further demonstrate the public profile and recognition his work in this
specialist area has attracted.
Dean has also acted in cases concerning the exercise of the Secretary of State for
Justice’s powers under section 32ZAA(2) of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997, where
a decision by the Parole Board that a prisoner should be released is referred to the
High Court for review. His work in this area reflects his wider commitment to ensuring
that the rights of prisoners are properly protected throughout the parole process.
Alongside his legal practice, Dean is the co-author of A Practical Guide to Parole
Board Proceedings. He has also received significant recognition for his work,
including being named Public Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year.
Dean is one of a select group of lawyers trained in the principal psychological risk
assessment tools used in Parole Board proceedings, including HCR-20, which
assesses violence risk; RSVP, which assesses sexual violence risk; and SAPROF,
which focuses on protective factors.
Dean currently holds a number of professional and advisory positions, including:
Committee member of the Association of Prison Lawyers (APL), a position he
has held since 2015. He is the APL’s Parole Board lead and sits on the Parole
Board User Group.
Vice-Chairman of Progressing Prisoners Maintaining Innocence (PPMI).
Member of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) User Group.
Council member of the human rights charity Justice.
Member of the advisory panel for Inside Justice.
Notable Cases
Dean’s practice includes a broad range of complex and high-profile prison law and
public law matters. His notable cases include:
Michael Steele – Successfully argued for Mr Steele’s removal from Category
A conditions. Mr Steele maintained his innocence of a triple murder and had
been detained as a Category A prisoner. Dean successfully challenged the
recommendations of the professionals involved and persuaded the panel that
the level of risk was manageable in the community.
IPP prisoner – direct release – Successfully secured the release of a non-
released Category A IPP prisoner.
Category A IPP prisoner – open conditions – Successfully argued for a
recommendation for open conditions for a Category A IPP prisoner assessed
as presenting a high escape risk.
Wakenshaw v SSJ – Sought and secured a declaration that the Ministry of
Justice had interfered with the independence of the Parole Board.
Worboys – Successfully represented John Worboys in proceedings
concerning the rationality of the Parole Board’s decision to direct his release
before the High Court.
Warner v SSJ – Sought a declaration that the Ministry of Justice had
interfered with the independence of the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
Hassett and Price v SSJ – Acted in a leading Category A oral hearing case
seeking increased access to oral hearings for Category A prisoners.
Salvador v SSJ – (AKA Charles Bronson) Successfully obtained a
declaration that the Parole Board Rules 2019 were ultra vires insofar as they
prevented a prisoner from applying for a public Parole Board hearing where
the prisoner wished to have one.
Prisoner gender recognition case – Successfully represented a
transgender woman who, despite holding a Gender Recognition Certificate
and being legally recognised as female, was facing transfer to the male prison
estate. Dean successfully prevented the transfer from taking place.
Sports Law
Alongside his specialist prison law practice, Dean has developed a particular interest
in Sports Law. He acted pro bono, alongside Counsel, for the Everton FC Fans
Advisory Board in relation to the Premier League’s deduction of points, making
submissions to the appeal board which were successful.
Dean is also a keen boxing enthusiast. He attended the heavyweight clash between
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk in Abu Dhabi and sponsors professional
welterweight boxer Elliot Whale.