Madeleine Combrinck

Madeleine is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer with a background in material failures and building and white goods fire investigation.

Minesh Patel

Minesh is a Chartered Engineer with expertise in structural design and forensic engineering. He holds master’s degrees in Civil and Applied Science Engineering, and has led investigations into structural failures, bridge performance, and construction defects across the UK, Canada, and the Middle East

Andrea Veronese

Andrea ha completato una Master of Science (equivalente della laurea magistrale) in Metallurgia e Scienze dei Materiali presso l’università di Cambridge. In questo periodo ha preso parte in un progetto al centro universitario di Rolls-Royce (UTC Cambridge) studiando le proprietà di leghe metalliche prodotte attraverso la stampa 3D per la riparazione di componenti dei motori jet danneggiati. In seguito, Andrea ha completato un dottorato di ricerca nell’ambito dei materiali ceramici, in particolare nello sviluppo di ossidi porosi a base di cromo e la loro applicazione nella pirolisi e gassificazione di plastiche e rifiuti legnosi, oltre che nei rivestimenti in vetro-ceramica. Durante gli studi ha acquisito competenze in varie tecniche di fabbricazione e cottura delle ceramiche a partire dalle polveri, la gestione dei cilindri e le condutture di gas ad alta e media pressione, l’analisi gas-cromatografica e varie tecniche di microscopia ad elettroni. Andrea ha cominciato a lavorare come associato ad Hawkins nel 2025.   LINGUE Andrea Veronese parla fluentemente anche inglese.

Luke Hooper-Fitch

Luke Hooper-Fitch is a Forensic Collision Investigator at Hawkins, based in Birmingham. He has expertise in collision reconstruction and vehicle examinations.

Louisa Laing

Louisa graduated with a Masters degree in Chemistry from Durham University, where she developed a strong foundation in analytical and materials science. During her studies, she completed a year in industry with Intrinsiq Materials Ltd, working on conductive nanomaterials for printed electronics. After graduating, she returned to Intrinsiq as a Research Scientist, focusing on the development and characterisation of nanocopper pastes. In 2018, Louisa joined QinetiQ, where she specialised in electro-optical physics and advanced material systems for defence applications. As Team Leader of the Electro Optical Physics group, she led a team of scientists delivering research and development projects focused on coatings, textiles, and composite camouflage materials. Her work included designing and testing novel materials, using optical and infrared measurement techniques to evaluate performance. She also collaborated with military stakeholders and QinetiQ’s legal team, contributing to intellectual property development and presenting technical findings to the NATO Science and Technology Organisation. Throughout her career, Louisa has developed strong expertise in technical investigation and data interpretation—skills that closely align with forensic methodologies. She has authored technical reports for government and industry clients, contributed to multiple patent applications, and provided training and mentorship within her team. Louisa joined Hawkins in August 2025 as […]

Jason Buchwitz

Jason, an Intel scholar, graduated from University College Dublin in 2018 top of his class with a 1st Class Honours Masters of Material Science and Engineering.

Hugh Martindale

Hugh is a Chartered Engineer with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. He has degrees in Architecture and Mechanical Engineering with Business Finance, and a Mechanical Engineering PhD from University College London (UCL) on the behaviour of flexible pipe tensile armour in the region of an end fitting.

Albert Richardson

Albert is an Electrical and Rotating Machines Engineer with over three decades of experience in the field. He is recognized for his expertise in generators and high-voltage (HV) motors, primarily focusing on power generation and distribution.

Robert Edwards

After completing a Post Doctoral Research Fellowship, Robert joined Liverpool John Moores University as a Lecturer and then Senior Lecturer in Environmental Chemistry. Here he developed a successful research programme in environmental chemistry and environmental analysis, publishing numerous papers in scientific journals and books and presenting research work at many national and international conferences. Robert has lectured extensively on analytical, environmental and corrosion chemistry. He was the course leader for the University’s MSc Analytical Chemistry course and was an assessor for the Higher Education Funding Council (Wales). Robert also gave annual lecture courses and workshops in Universities in Thailand, where he was a visiting lecturer. Since joining Hawkins in 2001, Robert has specialised in post-fire, post-flood and post-chemical spill contamination investigations throughout the world. This work involves determining the effects of contaminants on buildings, production equipment, complex computer systems and products, including food stuffs, and providing advice on the long term effects of the contaminants and best remediation techniques for recovery. During his time at Hawkins, Robert successfully completed the BOHS course for surveying buildings for asbestos and has since carried out asbestos contamination surveys following various incidents in the UK and Europe. Robert has also conducted many forensic fire […]

Ian Giddings

Ian gained sponsorship for his degree from GEC Satchwell Control Systems. Whilst studying for his degree he also undertook periods of formal training with Satchwell in their Electromechanical Section, Technical Laboratory and the London North Office. After obtaining his degree with honours, Ian worked as a design engineer for Satchwell. Ian utilised his knowledge of mechanical, electrical and electronic engineering to take a number of projects from concept to manufacture. These projects included the design of microprocessor based control systems, valve actuators and gearboxes. He was also responsible for project planning and the ISO 9001 documentation for each of his designs. In 1999 Ian joined Dr J H Burgoyne & Partners LLP as a Consulting Engineer, where he specialised in the forensic investigation of fires, explosions and engineering incidents. Ian conducted around 400 investigations and was appointed on several occasions to present expert evidence in accordance with Part 35 of the CPR and also for criminal proceedings. In 2006 Ian joined Hawkins’ office in Reigate, Surrey where he continues to carry out forensic investigations of fires, explosions and engineering incidents. Ian has conducted a wide range of investigations including fires in domestic, commercial and industrial premises, fires in domestic appliances, […]