Our Expertise
St Pauls Chambers provides legal services throughout the UK and worldwide. We are known for providing excellence in our areas of focus.
As a leading barristers chambers in Leeds, our expertise span the depth and breadth of a number of key areas of law.
Our People
St Pauls Chambers have an excellent team of Barristers, Clerks & Administration, with our barristers including KC’s, Members and Pupils.
View our teams in full detail, or browse by expertise to find a barrister.
Call 1979 | Silk 2005 | Recorder 2000
Bryan Cox is a specialist criminal advocate in high demand. He has been consistently commended in the legal directories as a leading silk in Crime and Regulatory Law, and in 2018 was short listed in the Legal 500 for Circuit Silk of the year.
He has a broad practice defending and prosecuting the most serious criminal cases including, gang/gun related homicide, terrorism, major drug importation, major fraud, international money laundering and serious sexual offences, including historic sexual allegations. He often defends in multi-handed cases featuring cell-site evidence and /or joint enterprise.
He is very experienced representing clients who are vulnerable by reason of age or neuro-diversity, including those with autism spectrum disorder and/or ADHD. Many of his cases attract a high level of media attention.
Since taking silk in 2006, many of his cases have been those in which medical and scientific issues have been prominent. These have included many cases where ‘baby shaking’ has been alleged, and cases of alleged suffocation, strangulation, and poisoning. He has extensive experience of appearing in cases concerning allegations of ‘shaken baby syndrome’ (‘Triad’ cases), and is very familiar with the medical debate and relevant literature in that area, and he has extensive experience of cross examining the leading experts in the associated fields of neuropathology, paediatric neuropathology, ophthalmic pathology, histopathology, and paediatric radiology.
He is a resourceful and versatile advocate whose practice has extended beyond ‘mainstream’ crime. Before taking silk, a substantial part of his practice was Regulatory Crime (Health and Safety and Environmental) Judicial Review and Inquest Law, and he continues to accept instructions in these areas. He was appointed to the Attorney General’s ‘A’ list when a junior, and he has substantial experience of prosecuting and defending in high profile cases arising from fatalities in train derailments, chemical explosions, and industrial accidents. He has considerable experience representing and prosecuting public bodies and major corporations in relation to proceedings brought by the HSE and the Environment Agency. He has considerable experience representing teaching staff, both in relation to prosecutions by the HSE and at inquests; by way of illustration, he represented the teaching staff at the ‘Stainforth Beck’ inquest in Yorkshire, when 2 children died during ‘river walking’ activities, he represented teaching staff at an inquest in relation to a school trip in France, and he defended a Head teacher in relation to a HSE prosecution arising from a death of a pupil during a swimming lesson.
In addition to his primary areas of expertise in crime and regulatory, his expertise in medical issues attracts instructions in the care jurisdiction of the Family Court, where he represents parents in major fact-finding proceedings. These are often parents facing allegations of causing serious injury, including head injury, or alleged to have committed serious sexual abuse. He has also represented parents facing allegations of factitious illness disorder.
Before taking silk, he had a substantial Judicial Review practice, regularly representing applicants, particularly in the fields of Education, Housing and Social Security Law. He is the author of The Law of Special Educational Needs (Croom Helm 1989).
He has an interest in human rights and environmental issues, including climate litigation. He was recently one of 2 silks instructed in the class action brought by 20,000 Kenyans against the Foreign and Colonial Office in respect of serious abuses committed by the security forces under British control during the Kenyan State of Emergency during the 1950’s.
He sits a Recorder, and is authorised to try Crime, including Serious Sexual Offences, and Civil Cases.
Bryan has vast experience in the criminal courts, including a number of years in silk. His criminal work in silk has predominantly been cases of homicide. He has a particular expertise in conducting cases where complex medical issues are prominent such as those concerning complex issues of medical causation and ‘shaken baby syndrome’; he is very familiar with the medical issues in those cases and considerable experience of cross-examining leading experts in the fields of neuropathology, paediatric neuropathology, paediatric radiology, paediatric ophthalmology, and histopathology. He is familiar with the relevant legal and medical learning in this area. In recent years he has defended cases involving allegations of suffocation, poisoning and strangulation. He has conducted numerous cases where blood distribution has been key evidence, and he is experienced in the cross-examination of experts in this and other scientific fields. The majority of his criminal work is ‘high profile’, and the majority of his recent cases have been reported widely in the national media. He frequently defends in gang and firearms cases, including those involving young defendants.
He accepts private instructions to defend sexual allegations; before taking silk much of his work consisted of defending in serious sexual cases, often historic allegations, and he is very familiar with abuse of process applications, public interest immunity, and the disclosure issues that frequently occur in such cases. In silk he has appeared in ‘cold case’ prosecutions, including cases of historic rape where the DNA evidence has been central, and he is authorised to try serious sexual cases as a Recorder.
Defended Millar who formed part of a group accused of torturing, sexually assaulting, and murdering 31-year-old Adam Clapham, and torturing and sexually assaulting a second victim.
Defended Andrews on the double murder of his mother and father
Defended Foote on multiple counts of murder and attempted murder arising out of series of shootings in South Yorkshire
Defended Earnshaw (17 years old at the time) charged with brutal murder of security guard.
Defended one of the two Sheffield University students charged with murder. Successful ‘half-time’ submission.
Defended ‘cut-throat’ murder – Unusual issues in relation to joint enterprises.
Defended mother charged with the murder of two of her children and attempted murder of her other three children. Attracted national and international media coverage.
R v H [2020]
Prosecuted defendant charged with murder of seven-week old baby. Complex medical issues. Case based almost entirely on medical evidence relating to the ‘triad’ and skull fracture.
Defended Knott charged with murder of his partner by pushing her down the stairs. Issue was whether she fell or was pushed. The pathological evidence and scientific evidence concerning the blood distribution was a crucial factor in the case.
Bryan Cox KC has extensive experience in health and safety and environmental law, both in prosecution and defence. As a junior, he was appointed to the Attorney General’s “A” list and regularly prosecuted high-profile cases on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Many of these cases involved fatalities—often multiple—arising from train derailments, chemical explosions, electrocutions, and accidents in demolition, construction, and waste disposal. Notable cases that attracted national publicity included the Biffa Waste case in Newcastle, in which a child trespasser fell to his death in a quarry, and R v Jarvis Facilities Ltd [2005] EWCA Crim 1409, a case involving a train derailment.
He also prosecuted environmental offences on behalf of the Environment Agency and public bodies such as Yorkshire Water. Alongside this, he regularly defended individuals, corporations, and public bodies facing health and safety or environmental prosecutions. His defence work included representing teachers and outdoor activity professionals in proceedings and inquests arising from deaths during school trips, including the well-known ‘Stainforth Beck’ inquest (where two children died during a river walking activity) and the ‘Le Touquet’ inquest (involving the death of a child swimming on a school overseas trip).
Since taking silk, Bryan has continued to act in significant and complex health and safety and environmental matters. He has represented individuals, major businesses, and public bodies across a wide range of cases. Recent examples include:
Defending the headmaster of a special school in Blackpool prosecuted for manslaughter and health and safety offences following the death of a child during a school swimming lesson.
Representing the Museum of Mining in a prosecution brought by the HSE after a fatality during the construction of a tunnel.
Defending a multinational chemical company following a large-scale chemical spillage in Whitehaven.
Acting for the Environment Agency at a high-profile inquest in North Wales concerning fatalities at a weir located on EA-owned land.
In silk, he has also prosecuted and advised in relation to manslaughter and corporate manslaughter cases such as advising the Crown Prosecution Service on the potential prosecution of a health authority for corporate manslaughter, and prosecuting a builder for gross negligence manslaughter and health and safety offences after a wall collapsed onto a baby in a pram.
Bryan has an impressive history in the criminal courts. A large proportion of his criminal work is ‘high profile’, and the majority of his recent cases have been reported widely in the national media. He frequently defends in gang and firearms cases, including those involving young defendants.
He accepts private instructions to defend sexual allegations; before taking silk much of his work consisted of defending in serious sexual cases, often historic allegations, and he is very familiar with abuse of process applications, public interest immunity, and the disclosure issues that frequently occur in such cases. In silk he has appeared in ‘cold case’ prosecutions, including cases of historic rape where the DNA evidence has been central, and he is authorised to try serious sexual cases as a Recorder.
Bryan regularly represents parents in fact finding and welfare hearings. Many of these cases involve serious sexual allegations or serious violence. Bryan is accustomed to appearing remotely or in person as required, and has conducted a number of major fact-finding hearings remotely. Bryan has extensive experience of baby shaking cases and head injury cases in the family and criminal jurisdiction, and he is accustomed to cross examining the leading paediatric neurologists, paediatric radiologists, paediatric pathologists, ophthalmologists and histopathologists who frequently give evidence in such cases. He is familiar with the legal and medical learning in these areas. He is also accustomed to appearing in cases where medical causation is in issue, such as suffocation, poisoning and strangulation. On occasions, his recent cases have had an international dimension including Brussels 2 issues.
He is experienced in dealing with vulnerable neuro diverse clients; he has represented autistic parents in fact finding and welfare hearings, and he is familiar with the relevant legislation and statutory Guidance applicable to those working with autistic parents. He has represented parents (including autistic parents) in cases where factitious induced illness and factitious induced illness in another have been alleged, and he is familiar with the learning, literature and Guidance in this field. He is very experienced in the cross-examination of medical witnesses including psychological and psychiatric evidence, and his long experience of cross-examining professional witnesses in the criminal courts is an advantage in the most contentious care cases.
Re BR and Others (Transparency Order and Finding of Fact) [2023] EWFC 9
Represented an intervenor, the Sheffield Children’s (NHS) Foundation Trust, in a major consolidated Fact Finding hearing concerning allegations of FII in care proceedings, in which Poole J. gave guidance as to the application of the relevant Royal College of Surgeons Guidance
Re: P (2023)
Care proceedings fact finding concerning serious allegations of group vaginal rape.
Re: P (2022)
Care proceedings – Fact finding hearing concerning child with head injuries – ‘baby shaking’
Re: PS (2022)
Care proceedings – Fact finding and welfare hearing – successful representation of autistic mother to retain care of her daughter.
Re: G (2022)
Care proceedings – fact finding with jurisdictional issues including Brussells ll and habitual residence.
BB (Care proceedings) (mid-trial withdrawal or dismissal of allegations) [2021] EWFC 20
Represented mother in major sexual abuse fact finding.
Defended 18 year old. Mounted legal argument that the fatal stabbing by a co-defendant was an Overwhelming Supervening Event (OSE). At the first trial this argument was unsuccessful. However, at the re-trial the judge was persuaded to change his mind and left the issue of OSE to the jury – the defendant was acquitted.
Defended man charged with brutal murder. Complex issues of joint enterprise
K was one of 3 defendants charged with brutal killing of man in own home in course of robbery. ‘Cut throat’ defence.
Turf war shooting. Complex disclosure PII issues. Circumstantial evidence.
Murder with complex medical causation issues. Deceased died 2 month after injury after contracting sepsis.
Gang murder and torture – Defended Millar who formed part of a group accused of torturing, sexually assaulting, and murdering 31-year-old Adam Clapham, and torturing and sexually assaulting a second victim.
Represented an intervenor, the Sheffield Children’s (NHS) Foundation Trust, in a major consolidated Fact Finding hearing concerning allegations of FII in care proceedings, in which Poole J. gave guidance as to the application of the relevant Royal College of Surgeons Guidance
Defended Foote on multiple counts of murder and attempted murder arising out of series of shootings in South Yorkshire
Chambers is centrally located within walking distance of the train station, secure car parks and the Courts.
St Pauls Chambers
Park Row House
19-20 Park Row
Leeds
LS1 5JF
For out of hours assistance please call the senior clerk on 07854170429.
The switchboard will open from 08:30 until 17:30
Phone: +44 (0)1132 455 866
Email: [email protected]
CJSM: [email protected]
