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Appointments:
Recorder
Member of the Criminal Bar Association
VHCC Panel member
'A good all round silk' and wins recognition for his 'great client communication' -(Chambers and Partners UK Guide to the Legal Profession, 2012)
'Achieved phenomenal success since taking silk. Observers believe he has great things ahead of him since he is highly capable and absolutely loved by both jury and the bench' - (Chambers and Partners UK Guide to the Legal Profession, 2010)
"The one I would call if in trouble" - (Chambers and Partners, 2009)
"A tough advocate who prepares well"
"A top quality advocate who has a wide criminal caseload rangin from serious violent crime to fraud"
"Trusted to show unwavering commitment"
Practice
Prior to taking silk in 2008, Shaun was regarded as one of the leading juniors on the Midland Circuit. He is an advocacy trainer for Gray’s Inn, and lectures Advanced Criminal Law on the Nottingham Bar Vocational Course where he has been an external examiner. He has also been an external examiner to the college of law.
Shaun both defends and prosecutes in a number of high profile and serious cases which include the following:
- Murder and attempted murder
- Manslaughter (both unlawful act and gross negligence)
- High value conspiracy to supply drugs cases
Shaun is a Door Tenant at Bank House Chambers and is a regular on the North East and Midlands circuits, instructed on high profile cases and acting as a leading silk to junior members of Chambers.
Notable and Reported Cases
R v McKeown (2012) - Defence counsel acting on behalf of a man accused of murder after a man was found with serious stab wounds.
Newspaper Report
R v FA (2011) - Defence counsel acting on behalf of a woman accused of murdering her two children and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to a third child, by deliberately setting fire to their house and leaving two children inside whilst she jumped to her own safety. The Defendant was found not guilty after trial.
Newspaper Report
R v JP (2011) - Defence counsel acting on behalf of a woman of good character accused of killing her premature baby by shaking. The Defendant was found not guilty after trial.
Newspaper Report
R v Fearon & others (2010) - Defence counsel in a multi handed murder and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm against a background of drug related gang crime.
Newspaper Report
R v Horncastle & others (2009) - A house of Lords case resulting in the definitive ruling as to use of the hearsay provisions of the 2003 Criminal Justice Act in respect of witnesses who are unavailable either because they are dead or because they are in fear.
Supreme Court Judgement
R v K & others (2009) - Defence counsel acting on behalf of a polish migrant worker accused of kicking a colleague to death. A formal not guilty verdict was directed by the Judge part way through the trial.
Newspaper Report
R v Carr (2009) - Defence counsel acting on behalf of an 83 year old former schoolteacher who had Alzheimer's and who had killed his wife whilst she was sleeping.
R v Campbell (2009) - Defence counsel acting on behalf of an alleged gang leader who was accused of assisting in the hiding of the killer of a schoolboy.
R v Heiss (2009) - Prosecution counsel where the Defendant was a German national, who became obsessed with his victim's girlfriend via the internet and visited the UK in order to kill him by stabbing him to death. The Defendant became known as the 'internet killer'.
R v Woodcock (2009) - Defence counsel on behalf of a man accused of being involved in the planned murder of his daughters' father-in-law.
R v Argyle (2008) - Prosecution counsel where the Defendant stabbed his lover's husband to death with a screwdriver.
R v Taylor - Defence counsel acting on behalf of a 15 year old schoolboy accused of murder by kicking of an alcoholic sleeping on a bench outside hospital.
R v Woodward - Defence counsel acting on behalf of a man accused of the random killing of a man who had made homophobic comments to a schoolboy playing in a local park.
R v Lasas & others - Prosecution counsel on a multi handed murder case, where the Defendants were accused of killing a work colleague.
Personal
in any spare time that he has left you can find Shaun cooking, gardening, watching bands and suffering in his lifelong support of Sheffield Wednesday.
s.smith.qc@bankhousechambers.co.uk
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