Profile
Work Department
Position
During his career as Silk; Peter has been instructed in lengthy, complex, joint-enterprise murder and manslaughter cases for the Prosecution and Defence.
He has prosecuted and defended in multi-defendant international and domestic conspiracy cases. He has appeared in homicide cases involving loss of self-control, self-defence, abnormality of mental functioning, and cases involving complex medical-causation issues. He has defended regularly in multi defendant cases involving “cut – throat”defences.
He is very well versed in the analysis and presentation of complex telephone evidence and able to challenge attribution and other evidence relating to the seizure and alleged use of electronic devices.
Peter has defended in lengthy complex cases involving spousal and other familial homicide and in many “one punch manslaughter” cases.
In November 2016 Peter was leading counsel for the Crown in his fifth multi-defendant joint enterprise murder by shooting. He has prosecuted and defended in numerous joint enterprise knife-crime homicides. Additionally, in February 2017 Peter was leading Counsel for the Prosecution in a multi defendant motor – manslaughter “cash for crash” case.
In March 2017, Peter defended in a case involving the murder and serious serial physical abuse of a baby aged four and a half months. This involved the assimilation of, and challenge to, highly complex pathological, neuropathological and histo-pathological evidence. In April 2017, Peter defended in a murder case involving loss of self-control involving complex psychiatric issues.
In addition to the forgoing, he is instructed regularly by the defence in a range of cases on a privately paid basis. He has successfully defended clients from the professions.
Peter has recently returned from a month in Nigeria, having been invited by the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office to advise Nigeria’s elite advocates on the investigation and presentation of counter-terrorism cases. Peter continues this specialist training for elite Prosecutors and Judges in Tanzania and Somaliland.
Career
Call 1991, Silk 2011
Memberships
Education
1986
Newcastle University, LLB (Hons)
1989
University of Bradford, MBA
Content supplied by Park Square Barristers Ltd.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The senior clerk, Andrew Thornton, is a good clerk and always so helpful.'
- 'The clerks are very helpful, responsive, and willing to go out of their way to assist. An absolute delight to work with - with Andrew Thornton being a star individual to deal with.'
- 'Dan Fougler is always helpful and responds immediately.'
- 'Andrew Thornton is an excellent clerk who is very efficient and returns emails promptly.'
- 'Park Square Barristers has strength in depth and numbers, with counsel at all levels with experience across the criminal spectrum.'
- 'Park Square Barristers is a large set, full of excellent talent such that it would reassure anyone seeking to instruct someone that their case was in good hands.'
- 'Park Square Barristers is the go-to set for crime with strong barristers at all levels of call.'
- 'Park Square Barristers is well organised and has a range of capable counsel to support criminal casework at different stages.'