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 in Crime and Child Care law, who has been consistently highly commended in the legal directories as a leading silk in Crime and Regulatory Law.
In 2018 the The Legal 500 short listed him as Circuit Silk of the Year. Before taking Silk, he specialised in Crime, Regulatory law and Judicial Review, and since taking silk he has focussed on defending in high profile cases of homicide in the Crown Court, and representing parents in child care cases in the Family Court.
He has recently represented an intervenor, the Sheffield Children’s (NHS) Foundation Trust, in a major consolidated Fact Finding concerning allegations of FII in care proceedings, in which the High Court has given guidance in relation to FII cases and the application if the Royal College of Surgeons Guidance.
Since taking silk in 2006, many of his criminal and care cases have been those in which medical issues have been foremost, for example cases of child suffocation, strangulation and poisoning. He has wide experience of appearing in cases concerning ‘shaken baby syndrome’, and he 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 applicable fields of neuropathology, paediatric neuropathology, ophthalmic pathology, histopathology and paediatric radiology. His expertise in medical cases places him in demand both in the Criminal and Child Care jurisdictions. In Care Proceedings he frequently represents parents in major fact finding and welfare hearings, especially those concerning allegations of head injury and, serious sexual abuse, and allegations of factitious or induced illness. He is experienced in dealing with clients who are vulnerable whether by reason of age or neuro-diversity, such as autism spectrum disorder. He is familiar with the learning in these areas.
Before taking silk, his practice included Crime, Judicial Review and Regulatory Crime. He was appointed to the Attorney General’s ‘A’ List, and he often prosecuted and defended in major high profile cases arising from fatalities in train derailment, chemical explosions, and industrial accidents. He often represented public bodies and major corporations in Health & Safety prosecutions and chemical spillages, and he was instructed on behalf of teaching staff in relation to fatalities in schools and during outdoor activities; he has appeared at a number of high-profile inquests such as the ‘Stainforth Beck’ inquest when 2 children died during school river walking activities. Before taking silk, he was very experienced in defending serious sexual allegations and he is very familiar with the issues that arise in such cases such as abuse of process, disclosure and public interest immunity.
He sits as a Recorder, and is authorised to try Crime, including serious sexual offences, and Civil Cases. He has an interest in Human Rights, and was recently instructed in the class action brought by 20,000 Kenyans against the Foreign and Colonial Office in respect of abuses committed by the security forces during the Kenyan Emergency during the 1950’s
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 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.
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.
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
Care proceedings fact finding concerning serious allegations of group vaginal rape.
Defended Foote on multiple counts of murder and attempted murder arising out of series of shootings in South Yorkshire
Care proceedings – Fact finding hearing concerning child with head injuries – ‘baby shaking’
Care proceedings – Fact finding and welfare hearing – successful representation of autistic mother to retain care of her daughter.
Care proceedings – fact finding with jurisdictional issues including Brussells ll and habitual residence.
Represented mother in major sexual abuse fact finding.
Defended Earnshaw (17 years old at the time) charged with brutal murder of security guard
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]
