36 Crime
In the past two years Mary has secured the acquittal of the youngest person in the United Kingdom to be accused of terrorism. She represented the stepmother of Arthur Labinjo Hughes at her trial for murder and cruelty and successfully argued at the Court of Appeal that her sentence was not unduly lenient. She secured the acquittal of the alleged leader of a significant organised crime group who was said to run the sale and supply of drugs and firearms in the Coventry area of the Midlands by violence and threats. She secured the conviction on retrial of Emma Magson and the conviction of John Jefferies who killed two young men in revenge for damaging his car. She is currently instructed to prosecute two horrific murders of 10 month old babies in the Derbyshire area.
Mary Prior KC has a reputation for being a powerful, persuasive advocate who commands the respect of the court room and gets results. She has especial expertise with the vulnerable including people on the autistic spectrum, with ADHD, learning difficulties, addictions, sex workers, those in the “looked-after” system. She is regularly instructed to prosecute and defend cases where the key witnesses are vulnerable (children/special needs). Mary takes highly complex factual and legal cases and presents them in a simple manner to ensure everyone understands the issues. She takes great care to ensure that all relevant material is considered and utilised. When prosecuting, she gains the trust of the families of the deceased and works well as part of a team of officers and lawyers. When defending she regularly visits her clients, gains their trust and determines a focussed trial strategy. Mary is fearless when cross-examining those who require a robust approach. She ensures that the best points in a case are not lost by focus on irrelevancies. She prosecutes and defends in equal measure in the best traditions of the independent Bar. She provides early and thorough written advice and strategy as to the best approach. She is often commended by Judges for her handling of cases and of witnesses.
She is often instructed in murders of children involving complex medical evidence, homicides by groups of young people, homicides with a history of domestic violence, all homicides, organised crime groups using firearms and violence to distribute drugs on a massive scale. She is instructed in multi-defendant and complainant historic sexual offences which involve the control of people, slavery and sexual exploitation.
She was called to the Bar in 1990 and has over 30 years experience as a criminal barrister.
TIER ONE LEADING SILK MIDLAND CIRCUIT LEGAL 500
WOMAN OF THE YEAR 2020 WOMEN IN THE LAW UK
FINALIST FOR LEADING SILK OF THE YEAR 2019 LEGAL 500
RECORDER IN CRIME
RECORDER IN FAMILY
Work undertaken:
Terrorism
Organised crime groups
Homicide – death of children
Homicide – history of domestic violence
Homicide - youths
Rape and serious sexual offences and historical sexual offences
Large scale child sexual exploitation
Institutionalised child sexual abuse
Large scale conspiracies to import drugs
Work which crosses family and criminal law - arson, child abduction, homicide, cruelty.
Called 1990; Gray’s Inn; Silk: 2017.
Publications:
Quarterly RASSO newsletter Midland Circuit. Academic papers on memory and intoxication, interview techniques for inebriated witnesses. Chapter for special measures in Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery Flowe, H., Carline, A., Takarangi, M., Humphries, J., French, S., & Prior, M. (2015). Sexual violence and complainant intoxication. Criminal Justice & Law Weekly, 179 (34). Contributor to Alcohol and Remembering Rape - New Evidence for Practice Palgrave McMillan.
Appointments:
Appointed QC 2017 Bencher at Gray's Inn Vice Chair of Education - outreach - Gray's Inn Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, the 36 Group CBA QC elected representative Head of RASSO Training Midland Circuit Head of Social Mobility Midland Circuit Vulnerable Witness trainer/facilitator ICCA Gray's Inn advocacy and ethics trainer Women in Criminal Law – Joint Chair Midlands Branch Deputy Head of Criminal Team – the 36 Group Trainer for Leicestershire Police disclosure champions Co-Chair Leicestershire Schools Courts Competition
Memberships:
Midland Circuit South Eastern Circuit Criminal Bar Association Gray's Inn Visiting professional fellow Aston University. Editorial Board The Contemporary Law Forum -India Women in Criminal Law Patron of Bristol University Criminal Justice Society Patron of Northumbria Bar Society Trustee of Bringing (Dis) Ability to the Bar Champion of Neurodiversity in Law Patron of the Non-Russell Group of Lawyers
Other posts and committees:
On the working committee for the questioning of inebriated witnesses/complainants Legal advisor to Healed with Compassion Co-organiser of the Leicester Schools Mock Trials Competition Bar Council Social Mobility Advocate 2019 Publishes Quarterly RASSO newsletter Midland Circuit Publishes academic papers on memory and intoxication, interview techniques for inebriated witnesses Editorial Board The Contemporary Law Forum -India Women in Criminal Law Patron of Bristol University Criminal Justice Society Patron of Northumbria Bar Society Trustee of Bringing (Dis) Ability to the Bar Champion of Neurodiversity in Law
Anglia Ruskin University (LLB (Hons)); Inns of Court School of Law (BVC (Very Competent)).