Board Members
Wendy Williams - Crown Prosecution Service
Wendy Williams, Chief Crown Prosecutor, joined the CPS in 2003. Prior to taking up her post at Northumbria, she was Legal Director of CPS London’s North Region. Wendy has also worked as a legal inspector with HM CPS Inspectorate where she was responsible for conducting Area, joint and thematic inspections at CPS Areas through England and Wales. Before joining the CPS Inspectorate, Wendy was a partner in a firm in South London, where she practised for many years in the field of criminal and childcare law as a qualified Duty Solicitor and Member of the Law Society’s Children Panel.
Sheila Proudlock - Her Majesty's Courts Service
Sheila Proudlock commenced work for the Lord Chancellor's Department in the House of Lords in 1978, before moving onto various HQ appointments, and a secondment in the Cabinet Office (Scrutiny of Legal Aid). Sheila has held various posts north and south of the country before settling in the north east at the end of 1998. Sheila was appointed Area Director for the recently amalgamated Cleveland, Durham and Northumbria Area in April 2007, and has administrative responsibility for the Crown Court, County and Magistrates' Courts within her Area. She took over as LCJB chair from April 2008.
David Gardiner - Northumbria Probation Area
Dave Gardiner, Director of Operations/Deputy Chief Officer, joined the then Northumbria Probation Service in 1982 after a varied early career and education at Newcastle and Oxford Universities. He worked for several years at the service's homeless unit (including a period managing the Wayside day centre) in Pitt Street, Newcastle before becoming a team manager at Byker in 1988 and assistant chief officer, initially in Northumberland and North Tyneside, in 1993.
His current post includes responsibility for all aspects of service delivery to offenders, leading for us on the annual business planning cycle and representing the area in various strategic settings such as the Local Criminal Justice Board and chair of MAPPA SMB.
Sue Sim - Northumbria Police
Awaiting information
Deborah Challis - Legal Services Commission
Deborah is the Contracts and Criminal Defence Services Manager for the South Tyneside office of the Legal Services Commission, managing the legal aid fund for the whole of the North East and North Yorkshire. The LSC's legal aid scheme safeguards some of society's most vulnerable and disadvantaged people through the provision of advice, information and representation; ensuring legal aid clients have their rights protected, receive fair hearings and can defend themselves if accused of a crime.
Deborah joined the Legal Services Commission in 2001, having previously managed a litigation department of a large finance company. Deborah qualified with an Honours degree in Law and Criminology in 1998.
Chris Livesley - Her Majesty's Courts Service
A solicitor, has served as the justices' clerk for South Tyneside since 1984, having served previously as deputy to Coventry Justices. He became responsible for Gateshead in 2000 and became justices' clerk for the whole of Northumbria at the end of March 2008. He had previously taken a lead role for Northumbria with regard to enforcement and youth courts training. He is the honorary secretary to the North East branch of the Magistrates' Association and serves on the standing committee of Newcastle Law Society.
Paddy Fox - Her Majesty's Prison Service
Paddy Fox, is from Bolton and received his secondary education at St Bede’s College, Manchester. Studied at both Durham and Newcastle Universities and worked with the Northumbrian Probation Service for 20 years before joining the Prison Service in 2000.
Initially appointed to HMP Frankland where he eventually became Deputy Governor. He was appointed Governor of HMPYOI Low Newton in 2006 and in November 2009 he was appointed to his current post, Governor of HMPYOI Castington.
Paul Brownlee - Newcastle Youth Offending Team
Awaiting information
Susan Peel - Government Office North East
Sue has over 20 years experience in the public sector and joined the Government Office in 1994. She has been involved in delivering the Community Safety agenda since 2001.
As Head of Division for Community Safety and Deputy Home Office Regional Deputy Director, Sue is currently responsible for overseeing the Government Office work with partnerships to deliver improved community safety outcomes. This agenda includes anti social behaviour, alcohol, crime, and offender management aiming to create safer, stronger and more inclusive communities.