Lincoln Booth
Lincoln Booth is an MSc Taxation student at Kellogg College, University of Oxford, with a particular interest in Criminal Law. He recently published a piece exploring how a criminal conviction can continue to affect someone long after a court in England and Wales has determined that no punishment is necessary. During his time at Oxford, Lincoln has also represented the University in the Nuremberg Moot and contributed to Oxford Pro Bono Publico.
- What are you working on at the moment?
I am an MSc in Taxation candidate in the Faculty of Law, although my interest in criminal law deepened while representing Oxford at the Nuremberg Moot Court Competition in 2026.
My recent paper is No Punishment, Lasting Record: Criminal Records and the Magistrates’ Court Backlog. It asks why a conviction can continue to affect someone long after a court in England and Wales has decided no punishment is necessary. I propose record protection for absolute and successfully completed conditional discharges, alongside a voluntary written procedure for suitable admitted low-level offences.
- Who supervises this work?
The paper is independent work with no supervisor. My formal programme at Oxford is the MSc in Taxation, so criminal law sits alongside my degree.
- How did you come up with the research topic?
The motivation came during a criminal law mini-pupillage shortly before my call to the Bar. I saw courts under enormous pressure while valuable time was still being lost on cases that did not ultimately need a hearing. Often, a listed case ended when the Crown offered no evidence.
What struck me was how hard everyone was working. Police officers, prosecutors, defence lawyers, court staff, witnesses and victims were all giving the system enormous effort. They deserve better. That led me to ask whether some admitted cases could be resolved more efficiently without sacrificing fairness.
- Why has Oxford been important to your interest in criminal law?
Oxford has allowed me to range well beyond the title of my degree. I represented the University at the Nuremberg Moot Court Competition in 2026 and contribute to Oxford Pro Bono Publico.
- How do you hope the research will contribute to law and society?
In 2025, 30,804 offenders received an absolute or conditional discharge in England and Wales. If a court decides punishment is unnecessary, the law should be able to explain why the record may continue causing harm afterwards. I also hope the proposal can reduce unnecessary pressure on the magistrates’ courts.