Profile
Bryan Cox KC is much sought after, and much of his work consists of defending in high profile cases. The focus of his work in recent years has been defending homicide cases, Care Cases in the Family Court and regulatory law (Health and Safety and Environmental law). In the Family Court he has been instructed on behalf of parents in major cases involving complex medical issues, or serious sexual allegations. The majority of his recent criminal work has been defending defendants charged with homicide – in particular gang killings, and child deaths, especially ‘baby shaking’ cases, sudden infant death, suffocation, drowning and asphyxiation. He has a particular interest in cases involving medical issues, and he has extensive experience conducting ‘baby shaking, cases. He is very familiar with the medical issues in such cases, and has wide experience of cross-examining the leading experts in the relevant fields – including neuropathology, neurosurgery, histopathology, paediatric pathology, paediatric ophthalmology and paediatric radiology.
In the family court, he has considerable experience representing respondents in major fact finding hearings involving allegations of head injury and serious sexual abuse.
He sits as a Recorder, and is authorised to try Crime, including serious sexual offences, and Civil Cases (in the Civil Jurisdiction, he often hears clinical negligence cases).
When a junior, he was appointed to the Attorney Generals ‘A’- List, and appeared in numerous high profile Health and Safety Prosecutions arising from fatalities occurring in train accidents, mining accidents, fires and electrocutions. He also has substantial experience of appearing at Inquests, and has represented parties at a number of inquests arising from deaths on school trips, and in the course of outdoor activities. When a junior, his practice included regular appearances in the Administrative Court conducting applications for judicial review in a wide range of disciplines, including Housing, Education Law and Welfare Law. His broad grounding in regulatory, Environmental and Administrative law has equipped him well to conduct criminal and family cases when medical and technical issues are prominent.
In recent years he has conducted a number of cases involving important human rights issues. Of particular note, he was recently one of 2 leading counsel instructed in Group Litigation to represent 20,000 Kenyan nationals in an action against the Foreign and Colonial Office, arising from human rights abuses by the security forces under the control of the British Government in the 1950’s.
He has recent experience of representing individuals at inquests and disciplinary proceedings
He has wide experience of conducting cases in which medical issues are foremost, and has defended and prosecuted a number of cases where ‘shaken baby syndrome’ has been central, and cases where the cause of death has been in issue. He is very familiar with the medical debate and literature relating to ‘shaken baby syndrome’, including the neuropathology, paediatric neuropathology and the ophthalmic pathology and has cross-examined many of the leading experts in the field. He is well placed to advise in relation to the instruction of suitable experts.
Bryan is the Diversity Mentor on the North Eastern Circuit and a member of Amnesty. For many years before taking silk he was the bar representative on the management committee of the Harehills and Chapeltown Law Centre in Leeds.
In recent years he has lectured widely on a variety of topics including Disclosure, Public Interest Immunity, Freedom of Information, Hearsay, Abuse of Process., and Loss of Control (defence to murder).
He is the author of “The Law relating to Special Educational Needs” published by Croom Helm (1989)
Call
1980
Silk
2005
Recorder
2000
Associations
Criminal Bar Association