Polly’s work spans discrimination, human rights, and police misconduct claims against a wide range of clients both in the public sector and private organisations who provide services to the public, such as central and local Government, leisure and hospitality industries, and the police.

Polly’s discrimination practice covers all types of non-employment Equality Act claims brought by members of the public against providers of services, including direct and indirect discrimination, victimisation, and failures to provide reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities. 

Polly’s human rights and civil liberties practice focuses largely on claims of wrongful arrest and false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, assault, and misfeasance in public office against police forces, and claims for breaches of Articles, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, and 10 of the ECHR. 

Prior to joining DAC Beachcroft, Polly served as a National Security Legal Adviser at the Home Office, and litigator for the Ministry of Defence dealing with the Iraqi civilians group litigation. 

Featured experience:

• Hardy v David Lloyd Leisure – discrimination on the basis of single-sex spaces 

• Jones v Essex Police – disproportionate force in the multiple use of tasers – case dismissed 

• Brown v David Lloyd Leisure – allegations of racial discrimination – case dismissed 

• Christmas v Hampshire Constabulary – Article 2 ECHR claim following alleged failures to act