Paul Greaney KC specialises in serious crime, public inquiries and inquests, regulatory crime and professional discipline.
For many years he has been recommended in the leading professional directories. In Chambers & Partners 2023, he was recommended in four practice areas: inquests and public inquiries; crime (star individual); financial crime and health and safety.
Scope of Practice
- Public Inquiries (eg. Counsel to the Inquiry at the Manchester Arena Inquiry; counsel to a corporate core participant at the Grenfell Inquiry; counsel to a senior lawyer core participant at the Independent inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse; counsel for the Royal Military Police at the Independent Inquiry Relating to Afghanistan; advising a large corporate organisation in relation to the COVID inquiry);
- Inquests (eg. counsel for a prominent institutional client at the Hillsborough Inquests; counsel for the family at the Deepcut Inquest; counsel for the family in the Jack Ritchie Inquest (state regulation of the gambling sector); counsel for Manx Care and the DHSC (Isle of Man) in a current inquest; counsel for NHSE in a recent inquest);
- Serious crime,including financial crime and crime with an international dimension;
- Regulatory crime, with an emphasis on the healthcare sector; health and safety enforcement; data protection; trading standards issues; environmental health and prosecutions arising out of planning disputes;
- Disciplinary proceedings, including proceedings before professional sporting bodies, (eg. acted in the Football Association proceedings in the Suarez/Evra racist abuse case and the Anelka “quenelle” case);
- Warrants and production orders (regularly instructed on behalf of companies and prominent individuals in challenges, eg. acted on behalf of a media organisation on such issues arising out of the phone hacking investigation).
- Public law, particularly claims relating to inquiries and inquests and the criminal justice system.
Homicide & Serious Crime
Paul has prosecuted and defended in many homicide cases. He has a particular interest in cases involving complex scientific issues (including issues relating to the reliability of LCN DNA results and the relevance of stochastic effects to DNA findings). He currently appears on behalf of the first defendant in Operation Embossed II, a case in which the point of interception of the Encrochat data is being explored.
A small selection of recent serious crime cases of significance (all of which attracted substantial media attention) include:
Notable Cases
- Embossed II [2022 – 2023]
Lead case on aspects of Encrochat evidence
- R. v D Ltd. [2022]
Defence of company director on charge of manslaughter by gross negligence.
- R. v T [2021]
Defence of lottery winner on serious criminal charge
- ICO v X [2019]
Defence of an international company on charges brought by the Information Commissioner’s Office.
- R v E [2019]
Defence of a university student charged with serious sexual offences.
- R v Jackson [2019]
Defence of police officer charged with serious offences of violence.
- R v Cleary [2019]
Prosecution of teenage bomb maker.
- R v Fellows and Boyle [2018 – 2019]
Prosecution of the contract killers of Paul Massey and John Kinsella.
- R v Bettison [2017 – 2018]
Defence of Sir Norman Bettison on charges of misconduct in public office.
- R v X [2017-18]
Defence of a politician on a charge of misconduct in public office.
- R v Corbett & Others [2017]
Prosecution of four persons for the torture and murder of a vulnerable man; the “Dark Ages Torture” murder case.
- R v Colin Gregg [2017]
Prosecution of a member of the Greggs the Bakers family for historical sexual abuse.
- R v Boots [2017]
Prosecution of a police inspector and others for corruption.
- R v Syeedy [2016]
Prosecution of the murderer of a local Imam; “ISIS inspired”.
- R v X [2015]
Prosecution of a schoolboy for plotting an ISIS attack on an Anzac Day parade in Melbourne.
- R v Amaro [2015]
Defence of a nurse charged with manslaughter by gross negligence arising out of the death of a child in hospital.
- R v William Cornick [2014]
Prosecution of the schoolboy who stabbed his Spanish teacher to death in class.
- R v Rosser [2014]
Prosecution of a psychopath for the sadistic murder of a child.
- R. v Hanley [2013]
Defence of a man charged with the execution of an alleged police informer.
- R. v Hutton [2013]
Prosecution of a mother who starved her child to death and then kept the child’s mummified body in her bedroom for almost two years.
- R. v McFadden and others [2013]
Prosecution of one of the largest police corruption cases ever.
Fraud
Paul has appeared in many serious and complex fraud cases, including acting on behalf of the former director of a major international company in corruption proceedings in Greece.
He has appeared in many cases concerning complex money laundering issues, always involving significant sums.
He has appeared on behalf of members of the legal profession charged with serious criminal offences, including the managing partner of a well-known firm of solicitors on a charge of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and a barrister on a charge of wounding with intent.
Regulatory
Paul has been involved in many serious and complicated regulatory prosecutions, including cases involving multiple fatalities and complex issues of law and cases involving the risk of reputational damage. That has involved defending individuals, companies and organisations facing allegations, and prosecuting such cases. Currently acting on behalf of a property developer in proceedings before the Court of Appeal and advising the owner of a business under investigation for corporate manslaughter.
Disciplinary Proceedings
Paul represented the Football Association in the proceedings brought against Luis Suarez, the Liverpool player in respect of his racial abuse of Patrice Evra, the Manchester United player [2011], in the proceedings brought against Everton FC in respect of the tapping up of Jamaal Lascelles [2013] and in the proceedings brought against Nicolas Anelka in respect of his use of the quenelle gesture [2014] and Benoit Assou-Ekotto for tweeting his support for Anelka’s gesture [2014]. He has more than 20 years’ experience in representing police officers in misconduct proceedings and has also conducted proceedings in the GMC and SRA.
Public Inquiries and Inquests
Paul has acted on behalf of companies and company directors, police officers, doctors and other interested persons at inquests involving deaths in police custody and in hospital or in connection with medical treatment and in other circumstances. He has appeared in public inquiries and inquests concerning mass fatality events, eg. the Hillsborough Inquests, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and the Manchester Arena Inquiry.
Relevant Experience
- Currently acting as leading counsel (CTI) to the Manchester Arena Bombing Inquiry, advising a major corporate body in the COVID Inquiry and representing a government department in another public inquiry.
- Led the team (comprising other barristers, including a second KC, solicitors, paralegals and researchers) representing the Police Federation at the Hillsborough Inquests.
- Acting on behalf of the family at the Deepcut Inquest (death of a young soldier at Deepcut barracks);
- Acting on behalf of the family at the Jack Ritchie Inquest (Art 2 Inquest concerning the state’s regulation of gambling);
- Acting on behalf of the owners of a prominent, city centre commercial development at the inquest into a death said to have been connected with a wind tunnel effect created by the building.
- Acting on behalf of many custody sergeants in relation to deaths in custody, eg the Christopher Alder Inquest (at one time the longest single death inquest in history).
- Acting on behalf of a police officer involved in the death of a football fan during football violence, the Coles Inquest.
- Also appears on behalf of interested persons at inquests involving complicated health and safety issues.
- Long experience of acting on behalf of individuals, companies and organisations at such hearings.
Public Law
Particularly claims relating to the criminal justice system, police law and coronial law.
Licensing
Paul deals with all forms of licensable activity.
International
Has conducted cases in Fiji, including in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Fiji as a temporary member of the Bar of Fiji.
Currently acting on behalf of the former director of a major international company in corruption proceedings in Greece. Admitted to the Bar of Athens for that purpose.
Currently acting on behalf of Manx Care and the DHSC in proceedings in the Isle of Man.
Directory quotes
"He is a very high-profile and very able silk." "He is excellent." [Crime]
Chambers & Partners 2023 [Crime]
"A top performer", who "has a very good manner and is very efficient."
Chambers & Partners 2023 [Inquests and Inquiries]
"He is a very skilled cross-examiner."
Chambers & Partners 2023 [Financial Crime]
"Paul is an advocate of the highest level, he commands the courtroom." "He is an excellent and efficient barrister."
Chambers & Partners 2023 [Health and Safety]
"An incredibly intelligent silk who inspires confidence in lay clients. He has the ability to make any issue appear straightforward and is very attuned to the needs and feelings of bereaved families."
Legal 500 2023 [Inquests and Inquiries]
‘Paul is very clever, very eminent and impressive, but also personable. He is a great communicator who instils confidence in those who instruct him, and he is a trusted adviser.'
Legal 500 2023 [Business and Regulatory Crime]
"Without a shadow of a doubt he is the best advocate I've worked alongside. He can deal with any witness you put in front of him and get the best evidence from them."
Chambers & Partners 2022 [Inquests and Inquiries]
"He is super experienced. He makes cross-examination look easy - it looks as if he's doing it in his sleep."
Chambers & Partners 2022 [Crime]
"He's hard-working, very thorough and a very good advocate. He's also excellent with clients."
Chambers & Partners 2022 [Financial Crime]
"An outstanding silk."
Chambers & Partners 2022 [Health and Safety]
"One of the best criminal silks in the business. He speaks with authority. His advocacy is a master-class to watch - it always gets results."
Legal 500 2022
"The best advocate I've seen on his feet: all others in the room tend to pale in comparison even if they are very good."
Chambers & Partners 2021 [Inquests and Public Inquiries]
"Paul Greaney QC brings great insight into the fundamental issues of the case and is able to communicate the complexities in a highly effective and straightforward way. He also displays superb advocacy skills during legal arguments."
Chambers & Partners 2021 [Crime]
"A QC with considerable gravitas and exceptional technical capabilities; he is without doubt one of the leading advocates."
Chambers & Partners 2021 [Financial Crime]
"A superb choice for dealing with complex high-profile inquests and inquiries."
Legal 500 2021 [Inquest and Inquiries]
"Exceptionally intelligent, his technical ability and advocacy are second-to-none."
Legal 500 2021 [Crime]
"He takes a holistic approach in his advice and always takes into the consideration the wider picture, including the commercial and reputational impact of decisions."
Legal 500 2021 [Business, Crime and Regulatory]
Practice Areas
Appointments & Memberships
- 2020 Silk of the Year, Regional Bar (Legal 500)
- 2016 – 2022 Recorder (ticketed to try sex cases)
- 2016 Bencher - Inner Temple
- 2012 – 2022 Head of the Criminal Team at NPCC
- 2012 – 2020 Director of Advocacy Training for the North Eastern Circuit
- 2010 Queen's Counsel
- 2009 Criminal Junior of the Year (Chambers & Partners)
- 2002 Attorney General's Panel of Advocates (Crime)
- 1995 Tenant at New Park Court Chambers
- 1993 Call
Publications & Speaking
Recent talks include:
- Protecting Against the Threat of Terrorism to, among others, COBR, CONSEC, the English Football League and the Institute of Licensing.
- Advocacy in the Court of Appeal.
- Changes to the Coronial System.
- Jury advocacy.
Related News
- Verdicts in the Ashley Dale murder trial – Paul Greaney KC leads for the prosecution
- New Park Court Chambers retains Band 1 ranking for Crime in Chambers & Partners 2024
- Paul Greaney KC makes opening statement on behalf of the Royal Military Police at the Inquiry Relating to Afghanistan
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