Bryan Cox QC

Homicide

Bryan regularly defends and prosecutes major cases of homicide and organised crime. In recent years he has represented a number of juveniles and vulnerable individuals charged with homicide. He has wide experience of conducting cases in which medical issues are foremost, and has defended and prosecuted a number of cases where ‘shaken baby syndrome’ has been an issue, and cases where the cause of death has been the central issue. He is very familiar with the medical debate and literature relating to ‘shaken baby syndrome’, including the neuropathology, pediatric neuropathology and the ophthalmic pathology and has cross-examined many of the leading experts in the field.

Homicide Cases

R -v- M
Defended youths involved in “gang attacks” in which there were difficult issues of joint enterprise.  Scientific issues concerning blood distribution.

R -v- Newton
Defended man charges with murder of prostitute.  Complex scientific issues concerning rate of body decomposition.

R -v- AM
Defended Somalian who had limited language charges with contract killing.  Difficult client requiring sensitive handling.

R -v- Cook
Prosecuted teenager charged with murder of young child whilst babysitting.  Complex medical issues including medical evidence relating to “Shaking injuries”.

R -v- B
Defended 18 year old charged with murder arising from a group attack on a mentally disabled victim. Difficult medical issues as to causation of neurological injuries.  Issues relating to blood distribution.

R -v- Hardacre
Defended man charged with sexual abuse and drowning baby in bath.  Medical issues relating to causation of bruises and anal injury and complex issues as to length of time that child must have been held under water.

R -v- Hutchinson
Prosecuted defendant charged with murder of 7 week baby.  Complex medical issues. Case based almost entirely on medical evidence relating to the “triad” and skull fracture.

R -v- F
Young person charged with murder of sister’s boyfriend.  Loss of control by reason of boyfriends abuse of sister.

R -v- Beesley
Defended novel case in which prosecution sought to argue for unlawful act manslaughter where defendant had committed section 4 public order offence.

R -v- Daniel
Defended in high-profile contract killing. Cut throat defence.  Issues of joint enterprise, medical and blood distribution.

R -v- N
Defended 16 year old charged with murder of relative.  Diminished responsibility.  Contested medical evidence re: diminished responsibility.

R -v- R
Defended 14 year old charged with 3 counts of murder by setting fire to occupied house.  Complex psychiatric issues.

R -v- O Malley
High-profile strangulation case.  Medical Issues.

R -v- Lu Yao Jai
Defended in high profile “2 bodies in 2 suitcases” case.  Cut throat defence.

R -v- N
Prosecuted high profile case in which defendant murdered the 2 mont old baby of the woman he met on an internet dating site.  Complex medical issues concerning neurological damage to baby.

R -v- Grant and Others
Prosecuted a major high profile multi-handed murder case.  Issues included joint enterprise. 

R -v- Ahmed and Others
Prosecuted a number of defendants charged with planned turf war shooting.  Cell site, ballistic and facial mapping evidence.

R -v- Graham
Defended man alleged to have killed his wife during the 1980’s when she ‘disappeared’.

R -v- Moorhead
Manslaughter, medical issue as to whether cause of death was the injury caused in course of robbery, or paracetamol poisoning in hospital.  Contested medical evidence on cause of organ failure.

R -v- Gatewell
Murder where cell site and DNA evidence critical.

R -v- Cato
17 year old charged with multiple shooting in context of turf war (cellist/DNA evidence).

R -v- MJ
Defending parent inched shaking case with complex medical issues concerning ‘the triad’, and histopathology concerning bone fractures.  Cross examined leading experts.

Serious Sexual Assault

Before taking Silk Bryan conducted a considerable number of cases involving sexual allegations, especially historic allegations.  As a Recorder Bryan is qualified to sit on cases requiring a Class 2 Serious Sexual Offences ticket.   Bryan is a particular go-to Silk for cases of this nature because of his experience on medical evidence and his cross-examination techniques.

Complex Care Proceedings

Bryan is an expert on complex medical evidence. In particular, cases involving brain injury and historic fractures. His cross-examination techniques have been finely tuned over many years of handling complex homicide trials.  The cross over into care work was always a natural fit and Bryan has undertaken a number of care proceedings pertaining to child welfare issues.  Bryan is very familiar with the medical debate and literature relating to ‘shaken baby syndrome’, including the neuropathology, paediatric neuropathology and the ophthalmic pathology.  He has cross-examined many of the leading experts in the field.  Bryan is also instructed on the private law finding of fact hearings.

Fraud Law

Bryan is consistently recommended in the legal directories. The recommendations show that he is “highly rated for serious crime”, a “great choice for homicide, fraud or money laundering”.  He has an “enviable track record”, he is resourceful and commits himself whole-heartedly to his cases.

Fraud Law Cases

Defended a solicitor charged with mortgage fraud.

Defended in large scale fraud concerning the evasion of VAT on ‘tied oils’

Defended in first General Election fraud in the UK.  A high profile prosecution in which a parliamentary candidate was prosecuted.

Defended in major carousel fraud (car importation).  This was a massive VAT fraud prosecuted by the SFO.  115,000 pages prosecution evidence, a case of considerable complexity.

Health & Safety 

A number of the commendations in the legal directories refer specifically to Bryan’s skill conducting health and safety cases, for example, he has been described as “outstanding” and “very very good”.
He has prosecuted and defended numerous high profile health and safety cases. As junior counsel he was appointed to the Attorney Generals “A” list. He has a wide experience of representing public bodies and corporate clients in relation to health and safety and environmental cases.

Bryan has wide experience prosecuting and defending cases arising from fatalities in quarries, train derailments, electrocution and construction site incidents. Before taking silk Bryan was list ‘A’ counsel for the Attorney General. He regularly prosecutes high profile health and safety cases. Both as a junior and in silk he has defended public bodies and commercial organisations in relation to health and safety prosecutions.

Environmental Crime

Bryan has experience of river pollution prosecutions brought by the Environmental Agency. Recently instructed to represent a major international company in relation to a prosecution arising from a massive acid spillage.

Gross Negligence Manslaughter

Bryan has extensive experience when representing individuals and public bodies at Inquests. In recent years he has represented teachers at high-profile inquests concerning deaths of school pupils in the course of outdoor activities and school trips. He is particularly noted for his work on drowning cases, having appeared in a number of cases arising from drowning in pools and in the course of school trips/outdoor activities.

Inquests

Bryan has considerable experience of appearing at inquests on behalf of individuals and public bodies.  He has, for example, appeared at a number of inquests concerning deaths of children during school outdoor activities, and on school trips.