St Philips Chambers

Crime

Chris is one of the leading and most experienced criminal silks in the Midlands. He has acted in over 100 murder cases since he took silk in 2001 and has been involved in some of the most complex cases both regionally and nationally. These have included a number of high profile murders and in particular gangland shootings, some of which have played a central part in the recent evolution of the law on witness protection issues such as anonymity. He also has extensive experience in gross negligence manslaughter cases. One such case involved a nurse acting as a carer and another concerned the sinking of a pleasure cruiser. Chris also acts in cases relating to sexual offences, these being mainly historical offences. He was appointed a Recorder of the Crown Court in 1997 and is one of a small number authorised to try cases involving rape and serious sexual offences. Fraud and financial crime make up the other component part of Chris’s practice along with regulatory offences such as breaches of health and safety law, trading standards and licensing. Chris is renowned for his approachable, straightforward and responsive style. He is often instructed to defend in privately funded cases and encourages the use of fixed/capped fees providing certainty of costs for clients.

Called 1976; Recorder 1997; KC 2001.

Midland Circuit; Criminal Bar Association.