Andrew Robertson QC

Education

• Christ's College, Cambridge, Scholar.
• M.A. (Cantab) Double First Class degree in law.

Areas of Practice

Crime

He takes a particular interest in child homicide cases and recently was called to give evidence at the Goudge Inquiry into Paediatric Forensic Pathology in Ontario. He is presently dealing with a shaken baby syndrome case and has just dealt with an appeal in a child murder based on new expert evidence. However, he has extensive experience in all types of homicide, complex drug cases, serious sex cases and fraud. He has also been involved in "miscarriage of justice" cases in the Court of Appeal. He has developed an expertise in alleged abuse in regulated nursing homes.

Civil

As a junior, covered the whole spectrum of personal injury and clinical negligence work. He now specialises in group actions, disease litigation and cerebral palsy cases. He has also conducted a large number of civil actions concerning the police.

Recent Cases

• R v Chapman – Defence: child sex murder: 35 year tariff
• R v Bowyer – Defence: defendant deliberately burns to death dementia patient in bed: 27 year tariff
• R v Darwin - The "dead canoeist" case
• R v Rogers - Prosecuting death in police custody
• R v Fennelly - Methadone manslaughter of a child, complex toxicology
• R v Howle - Successful defence of 12 year old accused of shooting dead another child
• R v Dunlop - Leading counsel in first ever double jeopardy murder case.
• R v Kyriacou - Successfully defended murder. Issues - Who done it? Cell site evidence
• R v Copeland - Successfully defended murder. Issues medical causation and participation.
• R v Blakey - Defended successfully a police officer charged with manslaughter. Submission of no case succeeded at the end of 10 weeks of prosecution evidence. Highly complex issues on causation (12 prosecution medical experts). Detailed submissions on misfeasance in a public office required.
• R v Slater - Manslaughter; Issue medical causation. Successfully defended.
• R v Morrison, Whitaker and Rose - Successfully prosecuted a double murder and attempt murder case which required detailed consideration of vast amounts of unused material, evidence from locations in disparate parts of the country, similar fact evidence and complex ballistic and chemical evidence.
• R v Crossling - Prosecuted successfully a gangland murder, having to deal with hostile, reluctant and intimidated witnesses.
• R v Pinnock - Multi-handed gangland revenge murder. Involved complex telephone evidence.
• R v Schultze - Success defending in heavy Manchester gangland Conspiracy to Murder.
• R v Operation Convoy - Successful prosecution of all 13 Defendants (including public company) on patient abuse case. Voluminous papers.
• R v ADL. - Successfully defended public company, its managing director and operations director on charges of wilful neglect with respect to a care home. Indictment stayed for abuse of process. Complex interaction of Mental Health Act and statutory regulatory framework considered.
• R v Bailey - Defence murder. Unique issues on neuropathology, causation and res judicata
• R v Stockton "the cat amongst the pigeon case" - Successfully raised the defence of long-standing provocation.

Fraud Cases

• R v P.A. Smith (Fraud) Sheffield Crown Court
• R v Smith and Hope (Company Fraud) Leeds Crown Court and Court of Appeal
• R v Mcmanus (Fraud) Teesside Crown Court
• R v Berry and Beacock (Fraud) Teesside Crown Court
• R v Salmon (VAT Fraud) Teesside Crown Court
• Been successful in all fraud trials undertaken in silk.

Civil

He was leading counsel to the DTI in the Wistow Fumes litigation (CO poisoning), solicitors Nabarro Nathanson. Leading counsel in Court of Appeal case of Doherty v Rugby Joinery (VWF).

Cerebral Palsy Cases

• Wood v Leeds Health Authority - Hempsons
• Clifton v Bradford Hospital - Hempsons
• Pusey v Calderdale & Kirklees Health Authority - Eaton & Co
• Storey v North Yorkshire Health Authority - Harrowells
• Reece Parker v Pontefract General Infirmary - Harrowells
• Woods v North Lincolnshire & Goole Hospitals - Bridge McFarland

Civil Actions against the Police

• Costello v Northumbria Police - Ambit of duty of care - Crutes
• Robinson and Mahon v Northumbria Police - Type of windscreens necessary for patrol cars

Represented Manchester City Football Club. Issue - division of duty between police and football club.
Hillsborough Inquiry - as a junior represented the Fire Service

Professional Membership

• Member of Criminal Bar Association
• Member of PIBA
• North Eastern Circuit

Additional Information

• Past President Adel Hockey Club and Chairman of bloodstock syndicate
• Foreign languages: German and French