Practise Summary
Matthew is an outstanding advocate and prosecutes and defends in a range of serious and high-profile criminal cases, including offences of homicide, ‘baby shaking’, child abuse and multi-defendant drug conspiracies.
He is regularly instructed in cases involving serious sexual offences, including complex and sensitive cases involving children and historic sexual abuse. He was selected as one of 12 trainers on the programme of Vulnerable Witness Training of all barristers on the North Eastern circuit.
Advocacy Trainer on the ‘Vulnerable Witness Advocacy Training’ Scheme.
‘Hampel method’ Advocacy Trainer.
‘His preparation is meticulous and his advocacy measured and highly effective.’
(Legal 500)
Notable cases
Homicide and serious violence
- R v H
Gross negligence manslaughter – defence of a mother charged with having unlawfully killed her 1-year-old child from methadone overdose.
- R v Ali and Sunderland
Murder - 2 males charged with multiple counts of murder arising out of an incident in which they set fire to a house, killing 3 children and their mother (complex case unit).
- R v A &W
Causing or allowing serious physical harm to a child - mother and father charged with causing serious injury to their 8-month-old child in a so-called ‘baby- shaking’ case, involving complex contested medical evidence.
- R v Lukasik
Murder - the defendant charged with the murder of his father and attempted murder of his mother.
- R v Brand
Manslaughter – a ‘single-punch’ manslaughter case involving complex issues relating to causation.
- R v Witten
Attempted murder – Prosecution arising out of an unprovoked and motiveless stabbing in a nightclub.
Organised crime
- Annis & others
Defendant charged with 8 others with involvement in a 6-week complex cannabis conspiracy trial. Acquitted after trial.
- Operation Florida
A four-month complex drugs conspiracy trial, involving 10 Defendants in the North East and Liverpool (complex case unit and NCA).
- Operation Craneman
A series of multi-defendant ‘EncroChat’ conspiracy trials, involving importation and commercial supply of cocaine (complex case unit and NCA).
- R v Barnes & others
Defendant charged with 8 other defendants with involvement in a Customs and Excise fraud, valued at in excess of £2 million.
- Operation Ebony
Prosecution of 11 Defendants charged with offences relating to the supply of cocaine throughout the North-East of England (complex case unit and ROCU).
Sexual offences
- R v W
Rape. Defence of a male alleged to have anally raped his own brother (who had Down’s Syndrome). Acquitted after trial.
- R v T
Rape. Defence of a male alleged to have raped a female using a so-called ‘date rape’ drug. Acquitted after trial.
- Operation Stovewood
Rape. Prosecution of a series of cases arising out of Operation Stovewood, involving males alleged to have groomed vulnerable girls in the Rotherham area (CPS Organised Crime Division).
- R v A
Male alleged to have raped his own sister. Acquitted after trial.