Criminal
We are committed to providing excellence in legal advice and advocacy for all our clients and in all areas of the criminal law. Our silks and juniors are sought out for their diligence, tenacity and dedication to client care.
We provide a comprehensive service from the earliest stage of proceedings, including pre-charge advice, all the way through to appeals at the highest levels. Members of chambers appear in all areas of the Northern Circuit and beyond in Magistrates and Crown Courts, at Inquests and Inquiries.
Our members are instructed by most of the major defence solicitors in the North West as well as by the Crown Prosecution Service, HM Revenue and Customs, The Asset Recovery Agency and Serious Organised Crime Agency. We also have members who specialise in such areas as cash seizure and other ancillary orders.
Our members are instructed regularly in matters involving:
- Murder and Manslaughter
- Terrorism
- Serious and Organised Crime
- Drug Trafficking
- Serious Sexual Offences
- Violent Offences
- Police Misconduct
- Modern Slavery
- Fraud
- Money Laundering
- Proceeds of Crime
- Motoring Offences
The pages of each individual member of the Group will provide you with details of their particular experience and help you to identify the barrister who will be best for your case.
We have published defence service standards, which represent the minimum standards which should be met by barristers in the team.
We offer modern IT and video-conferencing. We are able to offer facilities for video-conferences with prisons with the co-operation of the prison service.
We are authorised by the Law Society to give accredited seminars for CPD purposes and provide training for defence solicitors on topics connected with the criminal law.
If you are interested in receiving such training please contact our Senior Criminal Clerk, Chris Swann.
What the Legal Directories say:
9 St John Street ‘is an excellent set of chambers in the criminal field’ and some of its members have more niche expertise in areas such as cash seizures, anti-social behaviour orders and sexual harm prevention orders. Jaime Hamilton KC both prosecutes and defends, and his practice includes representing police officers in criminal proceedings. Geoff Whelan handles a wide range of serious criminal cases including murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to supply, rape and other serious sexual offences, and fraud – in addition to his defence practice, he prosecuted an 80-year-old defendant who was convicted of rape and other serious sexual offences over a 30-year period against six victims. Helen Longworth is skilled in handling serious fraud, money laundering, serious sexual offences, and gang-related drug trafficking cases, and Vanessa Thomson is another notable name in the set with expertise in serious sexual offence cases.
Legal 500 2024
The barristers at 9 St John Street offer expertise spanning a wide range of criminal matters. Members are routinely instructed by major defence firms in the region, as well as the Crown Prosecution Service and the Serious Organised Crime Agency. Areas of strength for the team include serious crimes such as homicides, with recent instructions including defending in the murder of an Uber driver. The team is also regularly instructed in sexual offences and large drugs conspiracies. The set's barristers have experience of appearing in the magistrates' and Crown courts, at inquests and in appellate proceedings.
Chambers and Partners 2024
The barristers at 9 St John Street offer expertise spanning a wide range of criminal matters. Members are routinely instructed by major defence firms in the region, as well as the Crown Prosecution Service and the Serious Organised Crime Agency. Areas of strength for the team include serious crimes such as homicides, sexual offences and large drugs conspiracies. The set's barristers have experience of appearing in the magistrates' and Crown courts, at inquests and in appellate proceedings in the House of Lords.
Client service: "It's an excellent clerking team. Chris and Anthony are very approachable, organised and go that extra mile in ensuring consistency of counsel in each case."
Chambers and Partners 2022
A well-regarded set on the Northern Circuit, noted for its expert handling of a wide range of criminal matters. The group regularly appears in hearings, trials and appellate proceedings, and acts for both the prosecution and defence. Members handle serious criminal cases relating to large drugs conspiracies as well as violent crime, sexual offences, organised crime, and firearms offences. Recent work for the set includes Operation Leopard, a wide-ranging operation involving a gangland feud in Salford, and R v Davies and another, a case concerning the alleged murder of a baby.
Chambers and Partners 2020
What the clients say:
“We have used the Criminal Group in this Chambers for over 20 years; they leave no stone unturned to help us to help our clients.”
Guy Rogers Partner, Pluck Andrew & Co Solicitors
“A no-nonsense, highly experienced and skilful Criminal Team supported by adept and proficient clerks. I would have no hesitation in recommending 9 St John Street to colleagues and associates.”
Shane Parkin, Solicitor Maidments
"In our view Nine St John Street are one of the leading Criminal Chambers in the region. They have a strong line-up with expertise in all areas, and a very responsive and helpful clerical team, which we are happy to recommend."
Daniel King, Forbes Forbes
"As one of the regions most experiences criminal specialists I have been instructing counsel at 9 St John Street for many years and have unfailingly been impressed by the calibre of the sets counsel, both Junior's and Silks. Couple this assurance of quality with the readiness of chambers talented clerks to find solutions both in terms of near-impossible logistics and cost constraints and one has, as a busy practitioner, all that one can possibly need - quality and delivery. A very strong set"
Peter Grogan, Head of Business Crime & Regulation JMW Solicitors
"9 St John Street Chambers is a professional, efficient and effective outfit with an excellent reputation in the North West. Their barristers impress us with their quality and astuteness and are backed by a team of clerks who run the outfit like clockwork. The fact that Burton Copeland has been instructing 9 St John Street Chambers for over a quarter of a century is testament to our confidence in them”.
Gwyn Lewis Burton Copeland
Criminal Barristers:
- Charles Garside KC
- Simon Jackson KC
- Dafydd Enoch KC
- Jaime Hamilton KC
- Peter Cadwallader
- Gordon Hennell
- David Bruce
- Mark Monaghan
- Nigel Booth
- Geoff Whelan
- Vanessa Thomson
- Alison Heyworth
- Jonathan Savage
- Robert Smith
- Matthew Curtis
- Simon Blakebrough
- Phil Barnes
- Helen Longworth
- Hayley Bennett
- Andrea Lock
- Robert Lassey
- Adam White
- Emma Clarke
- Beth Caunce
- Tobias Collins
- Olivia Gatfield
- Katie Walden
Other Areas:
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