About IDEA
Who are we?
The Independent Drug Expert Alliance has been established as an inclusive, impartial, and truly independent network of drug experts.
We are committed to fairness, transparency, and objectivity across the drug expert community and within the criminal courts of the United Kingdom. Accordingly, the Alliance does not exclude any individual who contributes to this field.
Originally founded by retired police officers, who continue to work as practising drug experts and trainers, alongside one of the UK’s most respected and experienced forensic scientists, the Alliance recognises that unnecessary secrecy and information hoarding persist among Criminal Justice System drug experts on all sides. We believe that greater openness is essential.
By sharing credible, reliable, and critical information, we aim to collectively reduce both the time and costs associated with UK criminal drug trials, while enhancing the knowledge and capability of all drug expert witnesses.
Our mission is to support any member working as a Drug Expert Witness, or within a related area of expertise, across the Criminal Justice System.
Our Aims & Intentions.
At our core is the open and impartial sharing of knowledge in a complex field with the aim of expanding the expertise of all drug expert witnesses.
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To be Inclusive as an Alliance
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To remain Impartial as Individuals
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To support each other as Independent Drug Expert Witnesses
IDEA Council
Dr Simon Harding
Dr. Simon Harding, former Professor in Criminology at the University of West London, has over 40 years' experience in criminology, crime reduction, and community safety. Simon is the Director of the National Centre for Gang Research Ltd., advising a number of governmental bodies and departments on matters including youth violence, gangs, knives, and county lines.
Simon is also an expert witness for both defence and the crown, specialising in areas such as street gangs, gang slang, criminal exploitation, county lines, knife crime, and modern slavery.
In addition to his expert witness role, Simon actively engages with gang-affiliated youths, conducts independent research, and provides consultancy services. He has served in an advisory capacity for the London Mayor’s Office, the Home Office, HMICFRS, the NCA, and the Metropolitan Police Service.
Simon is a much sought-after public and conference, keynote speaker and media contributor, regularly lending his expertise to national debates on numerous criminological matters.
Simon is located in the London area but works across the UK, and wider.
Zack Newton
Zack is a retired police officer and member of police staff with Wiltshire Police where he gained over 31 years policing experience, 15 years of which as a Drug Expert.
Zack is currently a Casework Consultant Drugs Specialist at Keith Borer Consultants and takes instruction from both prosecution & defence teams. Zack is located in the South West.
Dr Grace Robinson
Grace is the Founder and CEO of Black Box Research and Consultancy; a criminal justice consultancy specialising in modern slavery, and Co-Founder of Youth In Justice, a Community Interest Company supporting children and vulnerable adults affected by modern slavery.
Grace completed her PhD on street gangs and criminal exploitation in 2019 and has since served as an independent expert witness in over 300 criminal court and asylum tribunal cases. Grace has applied her expertise in modern slavery to various legal matters, including international drug trafficking, county lines, cannabis cultivation, weapons offences, fraud, burglary, and robbery. Grace is located in the London area but works across the country.
Grace can be found listed on the JS Publications list of Experts.
Alan Baker BSc (Hons), CChem, MRSC, MEWI
Forensic Scientist and practising Independent Expert Witness
Director of Bericon Forensics, one of the UK’s oldest forensic science consultancies.
Although Alan has recently taken a more relaxed approach to his work with IDEA, we feel his involvement and motivation in progressing IDEA is well worthy of note.
Retired Police officer, with over 20 years' experience as a drugs trainer, and latterly as a practising Independent Expert Witness. Matt has extensive experience in investigating drugs trafficking at all levels of the supply chain and takes instruction from both Prosecution and Defence teams through his company Expert Evidence Training & Consultancy.
Matt is a Member of the National Expert Witness Agency NEWA.
Retired Police officer having served as a Detective for over 25 years and currently working as an Independent Drugs Expert Witness. Derek takes instruction from both Prosecution and Defence teams.
Retired Police officer, with a Masters Degree in Criminology, Darrell set up DJ Drugs Expert Witness Ltd and takes instruction from both Prosecution & Defence teams across the UK as a practising Independent Expert Witness in drug trafficking.
Darrell is a Member of the Expert Witness Institute EWI and the National Expert Witness Agency NEWA
Retired Police officer, owner of Appropriate Training & Consultancy Ltd, delivering bespoke drugs training to Law Enforcement and a practising Independent Expert Witness in UK domestic Illicit drug markets.
Adrian takes instruction from both Prosecution and Defence teams and is a Fellow of the Expert Witness Institute and sits on the EWI Training & Events committee, as well as the EWI New member assessment panel.
Babajimmin 'Jay' King
As a digital forensic examiner and independent drugs expert witness, Jay has cultivated a wealth of experience providing expert opinion in both criminal and civil proceedings.
Following on from a near two-decade career in law enforcement, he founded Drugs Focus Expert Witness Services, and continues to provide impartial expert evidence taking instruction from all parties.