Margaret Obi
Biography
Margaret Obi was appointed as the first Service Police Complaints Commissioner in February 2023.
Margaret is a solicitor, and former partner in a criminal defence practice where she specialised in serious crime, including murder, manslaughter, serious sexual assault and terrorism offences.
After leaving private practice in 2014, Margaret became an independent legal consultant. She was appointed as a Deputy High Court Judge in 2018, and an Acting Judge of the Supreme Court of the British Indian Ocean Territory in 2023.
Margaret’s other judicial appointments and independent roles include:
- advising international legal teams
- defending allegations of war crimes in the International Criminal Court
- advising and chairing various statutory bodies
- providing oversight as a Trustee/Director of the charity and law practice, ‘Appeal,’ which is dedicated to fighting miscarriages of justice and advocating for reform of the Criminal Justice System
Margaret is also the author of two practitioner textbooks on prison law: ‘Prison Law: A Practical Guide’ (December 2008), and ‘Blackstone’s Prison Law Handbook’ (December 2013).
Service Police Complaints Commissioner
The Service Police Complaints Commissioner (SPCC) is responsible for:
- providing independent oversight to uphold the high standards of conduct expected of Service Police
- securing the new Service Police complaints system
- making recommendations and providing advice on Service Police complaints arrangements
- independently investigating the most serious cases (including death, serious injury, and corruption)
The SPCC is required to report annually to Parliament, via the Secretary of State for Defence.