Kenneth Harvand Hind CBE (born 15 September 1949) was the Conservative Member of Parliament for West Lancashire from 1983 until 1992, when he was defeated by Labour's Colin Pickthall. In May 1997, he was a candidate in the general election for the constituency of Selby, but was defeated by John Grogan.
Early life and university
Ken Hind was born on 15 September 1949, and educated at Woodhouse Grove School and the University of Leeds, where he was Editor of the student newspaper, Union News, Treasurer and Chairman of the Entertainments Committee and later President of the Student Union.Soho - New Clubs but Old Methods & "You cannot help people if you're nothing - so become something - and Jim has done just that" in Union News Friday 16 May 1969 He helped to drive the merger of the University and Polytechnic newspapers to create Leeds Student.
In this period, Hind, working with Simon Brogan, Entertainments Secretary, promoted concerts for The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Leonard Cohen, John Mayall & the Blues Breakers, Black Sabbath, Ginger Baker and many others at Leeds University. In 1971 The Who recorded the live album, ‘’the Who live at Leeds’’ which became the best selling album in the world in 1972.Who booked The Who? Interview with Simon Brogan 18 April 2005, The University of Leeds Andy Kershaw subsequently stated, "Leeds University managed to get The Who to perform simply because the students who were running the gigs there at the time, Simon Brogan and Ken Hind (who later became a Tory MP), had a reputation for doing a highly professional job. Most student unions were amateur. Leeds was different."Andy Kershaw: The band played there because the students were very professional in The Independent Wednesday 7 June 2006
As a journalist Hind worked for the Wakefield Express.
Legal career
Hind graduated in Law, with an LLB degree, in 1971 and then qualified as a barrister at Gray's Inn in 1973. Hind served his pupillage under John Hampton at Park Square Chambers in Leeds where he became a tenant until elected to Parliament in 1983. In 1992 he joined 2, Kings Bench Walk Chambers King's Bench Walk and in 1997 - 3, Temple Gardens, Inner Temple, remaining as a door tenant but left in 2000 to join Winkley Square Chambers in Preston. In 2007 Hind left to join Oriel Chambers and in 2013 set up one of the first internet sets of chambers, Newton Chambers. During his period of practice he built a reputation as a fighter of trials. Hind retired from the bar in 2017. During his period of practice he defended in cases in 26 court centres and frequently appeared in the Court of Appeal. In legal practise Hind specialised in organised crime, murder, drugs, and sex cases. He defended in Triad Moss Side and Salford gang cases.
Notable cases
Regina Versus Donna Cannon
R V Donna Cannon Winchester Crown Court 1993 brothel owner acquitted of perverting the course of justice but convicted of blackmail. Main prosecution witness prosecution fail to disclose is a drug dealer on witness protection programme. Paul Foot of Private Eye championed case which went to Court of Appeal.[Keep Off The Grass in Private Eye No.836 31/12/93 p26]
Regina Versus Anthony Ian Jackson
R V Anthony Ian Jackson Preston Crown Court 2005 Drug Supply by proprietor of All Night Club Monroes Acquitted in 8 minutes by Jury of all charges following a 40-day trial.A nightclub owner accused of allowing drugs to be supplied on his premises has denied he knew what was going on. Anthony Ian Jackson said there was no truth whatsoever in any suggestions that he turned a blind eye to any dealing at Monroes in Great Harwood.Drugs 'zero tolerance' in Lancashire Telegraph 5 January 2005
Regina Versus Graham Redford
R v Graham Redford 2006 – Manchester Crown Court - Alleged Noonan Gang armourer, charged with murder of another gang member shot in the back of the head and body put in car which was the set on fire. A police informer who shot a petty crook to death in a gangland-style execution was trapped by a spelling mistake. Redford, who once ran a private detective agency, also posed as Mr Lloyd and used his mobile phone to send text messages to his girlfriend and another woman in a bid to convince them he was still alive. But instead of saying "I'm" in the texts Redford spelled it "Ime" and detectives investigating the murder discovered that was the way Redford - unlike the victim - always spelled it. Redford was jailed for life and told he must serve at least 30 years - less the time he has spent in custody - before he can be considered for release.Life for killer trapped by spelling error in Manchester Evening News 22 February 2006
Regina Versus Peter Newton
R V Peter Newton Multi million £ fraud on Cumbria County Council by a waste disposal firm. The charge stated that they did this by "inflating the quantities of household waste actually collected and disposed of and including quantities which had not been collected and disposed of." Those who admitted being involved in the fraud were CAW Ltd's managing director Dave Armer, the firm's general manager Donald Andrew Kershaw, and yard worker Peter Newton. They were all employees of CAW Ltd of Barrow-in-Furness, which ran seven Cumbria county council civic amenity sites. The firm had originally been paid a set fee for processing the waste. But in 2002 the council introduced a new scheme, in which the firm was paid according to how much waste it handled. This allowed the three to oversee a scam in which the amount of waste processed was exaggerated, with false paperwork being drawn up to back up the bogus figures, so they could claim more money than they should have. In many cases records showed that lorries had contained much more waste than they really had; loads were given "multiple tickets" (making it look as if several lorries had arrived, not just one) and in some cases records were submitted for loads that hadn't existed at all. Transport Manager Peter Newton was jailed for six months.CAW bosses jailed for waste disposal fraud in letsrecycle.com 24 July 2009
Regina Versus John Varey
R V John Varey 2009 Teesside Crown Court charges with 4 others with aggravated burglary, wearing stocking masks and armed. A defence witness who saw attackers leaving the premises was killed in a car accident before the trial- Judge allowed her emergency telephone call to the police in which she made from a passing bus describing what happened to be played to the jury. This evidence of a witness speaking after death, resulted in the acquittal of all 5 defendants.
Regina Versus Saim Mahmood
R V Saima Mahmood Preston Crown Court 2011. Honour Poisoning and by family of daughter who left home to live with another man, defendant acquitted. The Case featured in BBC programme on honour cases.Guilty mother condemned by her own family in Manchester Evening News 23 January 2013
Regina Versus David Evans
R V Evans 2011 Preston Crown Court- Armed robbery of security Van driver shot – discovered by dye on stolen currency notes. This is the trial of the gang had been involved in robberies of security guards making deliveries to cash machines. David Evans along with other gang members was convicted of conspiracy to commit robbery and possessing a firearm and jailed for 10 years.Notes stained with dye and DNA foil Lancashire robbers in BBC News Channel 17 May 2010
Regina Versus Swaley Wilsher
R V Swaley Wilsher 2011- Lincoln Crown Court Armed Robbery of isolated farm – telephone evidence helped to clear the defendant – acquitted - Crimewatch Most Wanted Case- BBC
Regina Versus Emma Mitchell R V Emma Mitchell- Preston Crown Court 2013.- Case went to Court of appeal as one of jurors was a Facebook friend of people involved in the case.Top judges order inquiry into 'Facebook link' of defendant and juror in Lancashire Telegraph 28 December 2012
Regina Versus Simmon Grayson
R V Simmon Grayson 2014 -. Preston Crown Court rape of former girlfriend 2 trials, jury in first trial could not agree. Simmon Grayson had claimed that what took place between him and the victim had been consensual but today he starts his sentence after being found guilty of rape and sexual assault. Hind his barrister told Preston Crown Court that Grayson had committed no sexual offences in the past. And it was the first time he had ever been sent to prison. Grayson was given eight years for the rape, two years prison for the sexual assault and another 12 months on top for an offence of intimidation. Jail sentence for ‘brutal’ rape in Lytham & St. Anne's Express Friday 20 June 2014
Regina Versus Mary Kidson
R V Mary Kidson 2014 Worcester Crown Court -defendant accused poisoning her child by allegedly administering illegally obtained prescriptive drugs to her daughter who was removed from her care by social services. Defendant was acquitted by direction of Judge at end of prosecution.Ledbury daughter-poisoning accused cleared on orders of judge in BBC News 30 October 2014
Regina Versus Rebecca Tootle
R V Rebecca Tootle; 2014 -Preston Crown Court charged with murder issue was the right of a defendant attacked at her own home to use force. Acquitted of murder convicted of manslaughter.Blackburn stabbing: Rebecca Tootle jailed for killing friend in BBC News 23 February 2015
Regina Versus Abid Khan
R V Abid Khan 2015-16 – Manchester Crown Court - Rochdale Grooming Case charged along with a number of other men with sexual assault and rape upon vulnerable girls under the age of 16. Abid Khan, 38, of Liverpool, was found guilty of sexual activity with a child.
Member of Parliament (1983-1992)
Hind made his maiden speech in parliament on 4 November 1983. He was Secretary of the Society of Conservative Lawyers Committee and Secretary of the All-Party Parliamentary Pro-Life Group of MPs.
In 1986 Hind was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister responsible for Defence Procurement, David Trefgarne where he monitored Labour's policy on nuclear disarmament.
In 1987 after the general election, Hind was appointed PPS to the Minister for Small Businesses John Cope in the Department of Employment and was involved in the creation of Training and Enterprise Councils, trade union and employment legislation and abolition of the National Dock Labour Scheme.
Hind rebelled against the Government over sentencing policy in 1988, stating that sentences should be able to be appealed if the prosecution on behalf of the victims believed they were too light.in Hansard Business of the House – in the House of Commons at 4:10 pm on 1st December 1988. He strongly supporting Margaret Thatcher's proposal to enter the Single Market and the government's privatisation programme.
In 1988 Hind became PPS to the Minister for Minister of State for Security and Finance at the Northern Ireland Office, then John Cope and between 1989 and 1992 then PPS to Peter Brooke, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Under the Anglo-Irish Agreement Hind was Chairman of the Joint Anglo-Irish Committee on Environment and Education and a member of the Joint Anglo- Irish Agreement Parliamentary Committee.Paul Bew, Henry Patterson, Paul Teague Between Peace And War: The Political Future of Northern Ireland
In February 1988, Hind presented a Private Member's Bill to control embryo research and invited along with a Parliamentary British delegation to an audience with the Pope. In a debate in the House of Commons on 4 February 1988 Hind introduced the Bill stating that a Department of Health & Social Security Report identified the fact that, "there are deep feelings inside and outside the House over the sensitive issue of embryo research."Embryo Research Bill Debate in Hansard 20 June 1990 Column 849 & 850