Charles graduated from Harper Adams in 1980. He worked in livestock marketing for three years, during which time he became associated with the Humane Slaughter Association (HSA), carrying out appraisals of livestock markets. Since 1988, Charles has worked full-time for the HSA; initially as a Technical Officer and as Technical Director from 2001 to the present.

Charles has been involved in collaborative research with the Royal Veterinary College, the University of Bristol and ADAS on projects including:

• captive-bolt stunning of water buffalo
• livestock market surveys
• head-restraint of cattle
• comparative bleed-out rates of stunned and non-stunned sheep and cattle
• humane killing of neonates

He has been a member of a number of committees and steering groups, most recently the BVA animal welfare at slaughter group. Charles provides training for RSPCA staff, slaughtermen, knackermen, hunt servants, the State Veterinary Service, police and armed forces and livestock farmers.

Outside the UK, he has spoken on animal welfare between the farmgate and slaughter in Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Spain, Finland, Turkey, Taiwan, the Philippines, Eire, China, Norway and Estonia. Outside the educational sphere, he has given evidence as an expert witness in a number of cases involving animal welfare at slaughter.

Charles is a Member of the Institute of Meat, a Churchill Fellow of 1990, an Associate Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies, a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Butchers and a vice-president of the Association of Meat Inspectors.