Chris Wallace is an independent barrister at Central Chambers, specialising in family law with experience across both public and private children proceedings. He is regularly instructed in cases involving domestic abuse, acting for both victims and alleged perpetrators, including in complex and high-risk matters, as well as cases involving neglect, substance misuse, and serious harm. He is known for delivering clear, practical advice tailored to the needs of the client, particularly in sensitive and challenging cases. Before coming to the Bar, Chris had a career in the games industry and later ran his own business in photography and graphic design. He completed his legal training at the University of Law, was awarded a scholarship by Middle Temple, and obtained a Distinction in his LLM.
Tim Shortt is a specialist family barrister who regularly appears in courts all across the Northern Circuit as well as in North Wales, the Midlands and the North Eastern Circuits. He has also regularly acted for clients seeking non-molestation orders, successfully arguing that such orders are necessary. He is experienced in representing vulnerable clients who are the victims of domestic abuse, appreciating the difficulties they may have participating in proceedings where they may have to indirectly interact with their abusers.
Inspector Maciej Matusiak is the MOSOVO (Management of Sexual and Violent Offenders) Inspector for Merseyside Police, with governance responsibility across three specialist functions: MAPPA, the Violent Offender Unit (VOU), and the Domestic Abuse Offender Management Team (DAOMT). He provides strategic and operational oversight for the force’s highest-risk offenders, ensuring effective multi-agency risk management, safeguarding, and public protection arrangements. His responsibilities include governance of more than 150 MAPPA offenders, approximately 80 violent offenders managed through VOU, and high-risk domestic abuse perpetrators managed through DAOMT, including those subject to Stalking Prevention Orders, MATAC, and other offender-management frameworks. As the force lead for MAPPA, Maciej oversees the full MAPPA process, chairs complex Level 2 and participate in Level 3 meetings, manages police-led cases, and ensures compliance with national standards. He works closely with Probation, local authorities, health services, prisons, and safeguarding partners to coordinate risk management and protect communities. Within VOU, he leads proactive offender management activity, overseeing intelligence development, enforcement opportunities, disruption tactics, and performance monitoring to reduce reoffending and improve public safety outcomes. In DAOMT, he has established and strengthened domestic abuse offender governance across multiple local authorities, developing effective partnerships with Probation, Housing, IDVA services, and safeguarding agencies. His focus is on moving beyond information sharing to active offender management, disruption, and behavioural change. Having attended and chaired over 500 MAPPA and related risk-management meetings, Maciej provides leadership across tactical, operational, and strategic levels, Stalking Prevention Orders, partnership working, and evidence-based offender management to improve safeguarding outcomes across Merseyside.
