Paul has prosecuted and defended in many homicide cases. He has a particular interest in cases involving complex psychiatric issues (diminished responsibility, loss of control and fitness to plead) and scientific issues (including issues relating to the reliability of LCN DNA results and the relevance of stochastic effects to DNA findings).

A small selection of recent serious crime cases of significance (all of which attracted substantial media attention) include:

Notable Cases

• 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.

Has appeared in many serious and complex fraud cases and is currently acting on behalf of the former director of a major international company in corruption proceedings in Greece.

Has appeared in many cases concerning complex money laundering issues, always involving significant sums.

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.

Notable Cases

• R v WI [2014]
  

  Defence of a prominent Yorkshire businessman on a charge of conspiracy to defraud.

• R v H & G [2012]
  

  Prosecution of two solicitors for a £1,000,000 fraud on the client account of the commercial property firm of which they were the senior partners.

• R v B [2011]
  

  Defence of a solicitor charged with a fraud on the client account of the firm of which she was principal.

• R v K.D [2010]
  

  Defence of the first defendant in a trial arising out of an alleged massive procurement fraud on contractors within the railway industry.

Particularly claims relating to the criminal justice system, police law and coronial law.

Notable Cases

• R (W) v Leeds Crown Court [2012] 1 Cr.App.R 13)
  

  Challenges to the jurisdiction of the Crown Court.

• Hillsborough Disaster Proceedings & R (Dawson) v Hull Coroner
  

  Challenges to inquest verdicts.

• R (M) v DPP
  

  Challenges to decisions of the D.P.P not to prosecute.

• R (Boot) v PCA
  

  Challenges to the ECHR compatibility of the predecessor body to the IPCC.

• R (Dawson) v Hull Coroner & R (French) v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire [2011]
  

  Challenges based on bias by decision makers.

• R (Evans) v GMC [2010]
  

  Challenges to decisions of the GMC, representing the GMC.

• Police Regulations
  

  Acted in two major claims relating to the interpretation of the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2008.

Paul has acted on behalf of those applying for licences and also for Police Forces. Has also undertaken firearms licence appeals.

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.

Notable Cases

• R v Ikram [2018] 2 Cr.App.R.6
  

  Misconduct in public office; terminating rulings.

   

• R. (on the application of Gray) v Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire Police [2018] 1 WLR 1609:
  

  Abuse of process; cause of action estoppel; disciplinary proceedings; res judicata.

   

• R v Maling [2017] 1 Cr.App.R.(S.) 14
  

  Manslaughter; aggravating factors.

• R v Bell [2016] 1 WLR 1
  

  Approach to sentence in historic homicide cases; article 7 ECHR.

• R v Cornick [2015] 1 Cr.App.R.(S) 69
  

  Appropriate approach to sentence for horrific murder committed by a child.

• Attorney-General v HM Coroner [2012] EWHC 2783 [2013] ACD 22
  

  Acting on behalf of the Police Federation on the AG’s application to quash the Hillsborough inquests.

• R (on the application of Montgomery) v Police Appeals Tribunal and the Commissioner [2012] EWHC 936 (Admin)
  

  Important case on the operation of the police misconduct regime.

• Attorney-General's Reference No 107 of 2011 [2012] EWCA Crim 459
  

  Sentences of imprisonment for public protection.

• R (on the application of W) v Leeds Crown Court [2012] 1 Cr.App.R 13
  

  Power of the Crown Court to remit a child for trial in the Youth Court.

• R v Valentine [2012] 1 Cr.App.R.(S) 42
  

  Sentence for money launderers.

• R (on the application of French) v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police [2011] EWHC 546 (Admin)
  

  Challenge to decisions made in police misconduct proceedings.

• R (on the application of Kay) v Chief Constable of Northumbria Police (no 2) [2010] ICR 974, [2010] EWHC 31 (Admin)
  

  Whether the Chief Constable could be compelled to reinstate the Claimant following a declaration in earlier proceedings that he had acted unlawfully and in breach of his duty in dispensing with her services as a probationary constable.

• R v Morley [2009] Times LR July 6
  

  Minimum term on conviction for murder; post-mortem cannibalism.

• R v Pola [2009] Crim LR 603
  

  Meaning of “employer” in health and safety legislation; [2010] 1 Cr.App.R (S).6: compensation orders.

• R v Rahman and others [2008] 3 W.L.R. 264
  

  House of Lords; leading case on joint enterprise in homicide; also appeared in Court of Appeal (R v Rahman [2007] 2 Cr App R 16) and at first instance.

• R v Hickinbottom [2007] Inquest LR 1
  

  Manslaughter by gross negligence.

• R v Brady and Paton [2007] 1 Cr. App. R. (S) 117
  

  Minimum term on conviction for murder.

• R v H.T.M Ltd [2007] 2 All ER 665:
  

  Leading case on the reasonable practicability “defence” in the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and on the effect of regulation 21 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

• R (on the Application of Ashton) v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire [2005] Po.LR 313.
  
• Attorney-General’s Reference No 95 of 2004 [2004] EWCA Crim 3028
  

  Whether public service is a mitigating factor where an offence is committed in private; relevance of complainant’s conduct in sentencing for domestic violence.

• Southwick v State [2004] FJSC 3
  

  Human rights compatibility of the Criminal Procedure Code of Fiji – Supreme Court of Fiji.