Andrew Pike

Andrew specialises in Public Family Law, acting on behalf of local authorities, family members, and children. He is frequently instructed in complex care proceedings involving allegations of serious physical abuse (including non-accidental head injury), sexual abuse, fabricated and induced illness, and applications under the Inherent Jurisdiction.

Andrew is ranked as a leading junior by the Legal 500: “A very diligent, thorough and skilled advocate. His preparation is second to none. He is able to give pragmatic advice to clients in difficult circumstances.”

Andrew also practises in the area of Coronial Law and Inquests, particularly those concerning the involvement of Children’s Services.

Notable Cases

2024

Led by John Vater KC, Andrew represented a father alleged to have inflicted closed head injuries to his baby by shaking them. The father accepted that he was likely to have caused the child’s acute injuries through his panicked response to discovering them limp and unresponsive in their Moses basket. Following a fact-finding hearing no adverse findings were made and the child was returned to the care of the parents.

2024

Andrew represented a father alleged to have inflicted bilateral parietal skull vault fractures to his baby which did not approximate at the sagittal suture and were alleged to have been caused by two separate impacts. Following a fact-finding hearing the Court found that the injuries were sustained accidentally as the result of a low-level fall from the father’s arms and the children were returned to the care of their parents.

2024

Led by Victoria Butler-Cole KC, Andrew represented a father seeking discharge of a care order in favour of wardship and/or injunctive relief to restrain the exercise of parental responsibility by the local authority in circumstances where there was a dispute as to a looked after child’s diagnosis of, and treatment for, complex PTSD predicated upon unproven allegations of sexual abuse.

2024

Appearing against King’s Counsel for the parents, Andrew represented the local authority at a re-opened fact-finding hearing concerning the causation of femoral and skull fractures to an infant.

2024

Andrew represented a mother alleged to have added non-renal stones to her child’s urine samples and fabricated reports that they were kidney stones which had been passed by the child.

2023

Andrew represented a step-mother who was alleged to have fractured her step-daughter’s arm by pushing her down the stairs. The Court found that the child’s mother had coached her to make a false allegation against Andrew’s client, and that the injury had in fact been sustained whilst the child was in the care of her mother. The client’s children were returned to her care.

2023

Led by Tim Donnelly, appearing against King’s Counsel for the other parties, Andrew represented a father in care proceedings regarding alleged fabricated illness.

2022

Led by Tim Donnelly, appearing against King’s Counsel for the other parties, Andrew represented the subject children at a 5-week fact-finding hearing regarding alleged fabricated illness.

2022

Appearing against King’s Counsel for the local authority and the father, Andrew represented the subject children in care proceedings concerning allegations of historical sexual abuse against their adoptive father.

2022

Led by Barbara Connolly KC, represented a child alleged to have sexually abused his younger sibling.

2022

Led by Penny Howe KC, Andrew represented a child in care proceedings involving allegations of sexual abuse, including sexual activity between the subject children, and abnormal illness behaviour.

2021

Inquest touching the death of Thomas Brookes, a 16-year-old child who died whilst placed at home under a Care Order. The Coroner’s conclusion was one of death by misadventure. Instructed on behalf of Together for Children Sunderland.

2019

Inquest touching the death of Cpl Joshua Hoole, who died during an Army fitness test in the Brecon Beacons in July 2016. The Coroner raised concerns that the Army had failed to learn lessons following the 2015 Inquests.

2015

Inquests touching the deaths of Cpl James Dunsby, LCpl Craig Roberts, and LCpl Edward Maher. The deceased were Army reservists who suffered fatal heat injuries during a SAS selection exercise in the Brecon Beacons in July 2013.

Recommendations and client feedback

The Legal 500 2025 – Leading Junior

‘A very diligent, thorough and skilled advocate. His preparation is second to none. He is able to give pragmatic advice to clients in difficult circumstances.’

The Legal 500 2024 – Leading Junior