James Haskell > Chambers of Anna Vigars KC > Bristol, England > Barrister Profile

James Haskell

0117 930 9000 james.haskell@guildhallchambers.co.uk

Work Department

Crime; regulatory and professional discipline.

Position

James is a specialist criminal advocate who prosecutes and defends in a wide range of criminal cases. He is consistently ranked in Chambers UK as a ‘leading junior’. He is regularly instructed to prosecute and defend in cases involving serious sexual offences. James successfully defended only the second person in British legal history to be charged with exposing his daughter to Female Genital Mutilation. James is a Grade 4 CPS Prosecutor. He acts as Independent Counsel for reviewing material which might attract Legal Professional Privilege. He also represents professionals during disciplinary proceedings.

Career

Called 2004.

James has consistently been recommended in Chambers UK for his criminal expertise since he debuted in 2010 as the ‘up-and-coming’ junior on the Western Circuit. James is instructed to advise on disclosure in serious and complex cases and to advise on material which might attract Legal Professional Privilege. James is regularly instructed to prosecute and defend in cases involving serious sexual offences. He successfully defended only the second person in British legal history to be charged with exposing his daughter to Female Genital Mutilation. James has experience of representing serving prisoners before Parole Boards and representing the police in relation to the variation or discharge of Sexual Harm Prevention Orders. He also appears in Insurance backed criminal proceedings ranging from driving without due care and attention to proceedings arising from serious road traffic accidents.

Recent Cases

R v Chugg & Swannick (2022)
Junior Counsel for the Prosecution. Both defendants were successfully convicted of murder.

R v Beale (2022)
Successfully prosecuted the defendant for Misconduct in a Public Office. She was a serving Offender Manager for Wiltshire Constabulary.

R v Sawyers & B (2022)
Junior Counsel for the Prosecution. A complex case in which Sawyers was successfully convicted of manslaughter and B was convicted of s.18 GBH.

Memberships

• Criminal Bar Association
• Western Circuit

Education

University of the West of England, Bristol (2003 LLB Law (Hons) first class); 2004 Bar Vocational Course (very competent); 2005-2006 pupillage Guildhall Chambers.