Tom Doyle

Tom accepts instructions covering the full spectrum of criminal matters. He regularly prosecutes and defends in both the Magistrates’ Court and the Crown Court and is a Grade 2 prosecutor on the CPS advocate panel.

Since starting on his feet in 2022, Tom has developed a practice incorporating increasingly serious criminal matters, having acted on cases involving violence, dishonesty, sexual offences, drugs offences and public disorder. Tom also has significant experience of defending privately-paying road traffic cases, with an enviable record of succeeding on exceptional hardship arguments in the Magistrates’ Court. Tom has an increasing presence in Crown Courts all across Circuit and readily welcomes such instructions.

Tom prides himself on his down to earth, personable manner, which helps put clients at ease when facing often distressing, emotionally charged situations. His ability to relate to the widest cross sections of society is aided by his employment history, having worked an eclectic variety of jobs prior to coming to the Bar, including in primary healthcare, retail and the arts.

Tom has a significant background in the performing arts, having acted in and directed plays and musicals at amateur and professional level. This has helped Tom seamlessly transition into life at the Bar. He is confident in court, with an ability to communicate sensitive issues with empathy and directness.

Notable Cases

R v T [2024]: Defended a man of previous good character charged with four counts of violent offences. Successfully excluded parts of the prosecution evidence (relying on s.78 of PACE 1984), which led to the Crown offering no evidence on one count. Achieved acquittals on the remaining three counts after trial, the defendant maintaining their spotless criminal record as a result.
R v A [2023]: Prosecuted a sensitive case of high-risk honour-based violence. This was essentially a case of ‘one word against another’, with no independent corroborative evidence supporting the Crown’s case. Successfully obtained a conviction after trial, with the defendant being sentenced to an immediate custodial sentence.
R v S [2023]: Defended a man charged with Possession with Intent to Supply Class B drugs. Successfully persuaded the Crown Court to sentence the defendant to a Community Order despite opposition from the Crown, who argued that the defendant’s culpability fell higher on the sentencing guidelines and that the defendant should instead be given a custodial sentence.
R v B [2023]: Successfully argued exceptional hardship in the Crown Court, having represented a defendant on a successful appeal against sentence.
R v H [2023]: Prosecuted a case of death by careless driving, the defendant being sentenced to a custodial sentence.
R v W [2023]: Prosecuted a sensitive case of controlling & coercive behaviour in an intimate/family relationship. Successfully made pre-trial applications for special measures (which were opposed by the defence), and relied on the case of R v Katira [2020] to diminish the defendant’s previous good character. The court convicted the defendant after trial.

Tom accepts instructions across the entire spectrum of family law, with a particular interest and experience in children matters (both public and private). Tom frequently acts on behalf of both parents, local authorities and Children’s Guardians, conducting a wide variety of different hearings, from interlocutory applications to complex, multi-day fact-finding hearings.

Tom has a particular interest in cases involving allegations of significant harm, which often involve an intersection with criminal law. Tom has experience of cross-examining professional witnesses (including police officers, medical professionals and social workers) as part of his family practice.

Tom has a significant background in the performing arts, having acted in and directed plays and musicals at amateur and professional level. He is confident in court, with an ability to communicate sensitive issues with empathy and directness.

Notable cases

H v P [2023]: Represented a mother in a 4-day finding of fact hearing. Successfully obtained findings against the father of rape, physical violence and controlling & coercive behaviour.
Re. S [2023]: Represented a local authority in a 3-day final hearing, where the court approved the local authority’s care plan for Care & Placement Orders (which was opposed by the parents).
Re. A [2023]: Represented a mother in a 5-day final hearing, successfully persuading the court to endorse further assessment of the mother with the view of potential reunification with her child.
Re. B [2023]: Represented a father in a 6-day composite final hearing dealing with issues of non-accidental injury. Successfully argued that the court cannot make anything beyond a ‘pool finding’ as the preparator of the injuries could not be definitively identified.
H v W [2022]: Represented the father in a 5-day private law fact-finding hearing within the first month of his second six, which saw a Rule 16.4 Guardian appointed due to the complexity of the case. Successfully defended an allegation that the father had repeatedly sexually assaulted the concerned child.
E v E [2022]: Represented the mother in a 5-day private law fact-finding hearing within his second six. Successfully obtained a finding that the father had recklessly caused serious injury to the mother, as well as successfully defending an allegation against the mother of coercive & controlling behaviour.