Prior to entering academia Philip began his career working as a criminologist in the field holding the following posts:

• Specialist Crime Team Manager – Kirklees Safer Communities Partnership, West Yorkshire, UK, (May 2004 –December 2006).
• Community Safety Research Manager – Bolton Safer Communities Partnership, Greater Manchester, UK. (January 2003 – May 2004).
• Senior Policy Officer (Crime Prevention/Reduction) –Oldham Safer Communities Partnership, Greater Manchester, UK. (October 2001 – January 2003).
• Through Care Worker – HM Prison Manchester, Greater Manchester, UK. (December 2000 – October 2001).
• Through Care Worker – HM Young Offenders Institution Lancaster Farms, Lancashire, UK. (July 1998 – December 2000).

Philip entered academia in January 2007 and has held academic positions at the University of Huddersfield, UK (2007-2009), the University of New South Wales (2009-2012) and the University of Western Sydney (2012-2017).  Since 2007, he has secured over $855,000 in research funding/grants, including an ARC Linkage grant, which has addressed a variety of themes within his areas of expertise. His research interests centre on his practice background and focus on two overarching areas:

Criminal and Community Justice Policy and Practice

• Police, Probation and Parole Policy and Practice;
• Assessment, Treatment and Management of Offenders;
• Gender and sexuality inclusive Domestic and Family Violence (DFV)/Inter-partner Violence (IPV)

Sex and Deviancy Studies

• Sex Work, Sex Workers and Procurement;
• LGBTI Criminality and Deviancy.

Throughout his academic career, Philip has been involved in the supervision of Honours, Masters by Coursework, Masters by Research and PhD students in the field of Criminology, Criminal and Community Justice and has several completions.

Philip is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy and holds an honorary research fellowship in the School of Psychology (Forensic Centre), University of Central Lancashire, UK, as well as a Professorial Associate in the Ashworth Research Centre, Ashworth High Secure Forensic Mental Health Hospital, as part of the National Health Services, UK.  Philip was the co-founder and editor in chief of the Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice (2014-2017).  Currently he is the editor in chief of Salus: An international journal for law enforcement and public safety (2018 - Present) and Abuse: An Impact Journal (2020 - Present), Philip is also an editorial board member of the Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research.