“He’s a brilliant advocate.” “He’s tenacious, a pleasure to work with and always committed to achieving the best results.” Chambers and Partners 2022
Having started out as a criminal practitioner, Matt continues to accept instructions in some criminal cases. He has a specialist criminal appeals practice and
has been involved in a number of leading cases, including R v Hunter [2015] 2 Cr App R 9, the leading case on good character directions and R v Edwards [2018] 4 WLR, the leading case on the making of hybrids orders under the Mental Health Act. Matt has particular and substantial experience of appeals with a mental health angle, most recently in R v Crerand [2022] EWCA Crim 962, in which a life sentence was substituted with a hospital order.
Matt has acted in a number of Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) referrals and judicial review challenges to CCRC decisions. He is instructed on behalf of miscarriage of justice victim Victor Nealon in his challenge to the miscarriage of justice compensation scheme, which is the currently before the European Court on Human Rights.
Matt also appears in cases with a civil or public law angle, bringing his experience in those areas to matters such as stalking protection orders, gang injunctions, and applications to be removed from the sex offender notification requirements (the register). He acted for the claimant in a successful challenge to a refusal to remove him from the notification requirements: R (NE) v Birmingham Magistrates’ Court [2015] 1 WLR 4771.
Matt has particular and specialist experience in cases involving a criminal and public law crossover. He appeared in R (Gibson) v Secretary of State for Justice [2018] 1 WLR 629 – a successful Supreme Court challenge to the way in which repayments against confiscation orders are deducted from a default sentence.
Matt is ranked as a band one leading junior in the UK Legal 500and Chambers and Partners. His day-to-day practice is split between inquests and civil claims, usually involving actions against public authorities. He in a recognised leading junior in administrative and public law, and has particular expertise in civil liberties cases, and those with a criminal law angle. He has acted as leading junior in the criminal and civil divisions of the Court of Appeal, and has appeared in cases before the Supreme Court, and the European Court of Human Rights.
Contact Matt’s clerks
Andrew Thornton on 0113 213 5202
