Ian Besford (judge)
Ian Besford was a District Judge on the North East Circuit, sitting predominantly at Kingston-upon-Hull Combined Court, until he retired on 1st April 2022. His retirement notice was as follows:
District Judge Ian Philip Besford retires from the District Bench with effect from 1 April 2022.
District Judge Besford (64) was admitted as a Solicitor in 1983. He was appointed a Deputy District Judge in 1995, a District Judge in 1999 and a Regional Cost Judge in 2017.
Prior to his appointment to the judiciary, he was a Partner in a general practice in the North East. He has had a keen interest in costs since the early 1980s having been principal in a cost drafting firm in the North West.
Bank charges #
Ian Besford has been frequently quoted in connection with campaigners fighting against “unfair” bank charges. In July 2007 he ordered two banks to reveal the details behind unauthorised overdraft fees in a move that could see the true cost of bank charges exposed for the first time. He told Yorkshire Bank and Alliance and Leicester to disclose how they calculate their penalty fees and what the actual cost to them is of servicing a bounced payment.
In the news #
The Telegraph, June 2007: Judge to throw out bank charge claims
BBC News, June 2007: Judge to strike out bank claims
Metro: Bank charges claims must improve