With experience spanning over 25 years, Jim has developed a reputation for being a leading criminal appeals barrister and he is often asked to represent defendants (and advise their families) in appeals against conviction and sentence. He is often instructed to provide a second opinion after trial counsel have given a negative advice.
Invaluable in his support and assistance, and has an exceptional grasp of the cases he is involved in. His advocacy is first-rate and he has good emotional intelligence.
Chambers & Partners
Jim has appeared in some of the most significant miscarriage of justice appeals, including R v Dallagher where a conviction for murder was quashed after Jim was asked to give a “second opinion”, original counsel having advised that there were no grounds for appeal. The case featured in a BBC documentary “Earmarked” which was the first case where a television crew were allowed to film inside a prison and to follow the progress of the appeal. At the retrial Mr Dallagher was acquitted.
Jim also acted for Charles Dixon in his successful appeal against conviction (Jim did not act at trial and was instructed to give a second opinion) for drugs offences in the “Operation Cinema” case where the conviction was quashed on the basis of serious failures to disclose by HMRC investigators. Jim also acted for V in the first of the successful London City Bond appeals based on non disclosure by HMRC (the case was featured in a “Panorama” documentary). Jim also acted at the retrial where the proceedings were stayed for an abuse of the process of the Court. Jim acted in a series of successful linked appeals for a number of defendants thereafter.
Jim has advised in numerous other successful appeals, based on misdirections of law, fresh evidence (e.g. R v I, fresh evidence called on the issue of diminished responsibility after trial counsel did not raise the issue), false confession, failure to disclose the involvement of a participating informant (R v R and R v V), entrapment and nearly all conceivable grounds of appeal. Jim has a particular interest and expertise in challenges to novel “expert” evidence, such as “ear print identification”, “psychological profiling” and mental health defences. As a result of Jim’s vast experience he is regarded as one of the top appeal barristers by many fellow professionals.”
Jim has also acted in many appeals against sentence, including R v DG where a sentence for “one punch manslaughter” was reduced to 18 months imprisonment, as well as in appeals from the magistrates Court to the Crown Court.