Paul Watson QC
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Personal Profile
Both at the junior Bar and since taking silk in 2002, Paul Watson has had a balanced practice involving both prosecution and defence work. He has prosecuted numerous serious cases involving sexual (often historical) and violent crime as well as fraud and general crime. As a junior he defended many complex and difficult cases including acting as junior counsel for the defence of a nurse charged with altering the life support machine settings of patients in her care (her conviction was recently overturned in the Court of Appeal, where he appeared on her behalf in a reference from the Criminal Cases Review Commission), a police officer charged in relation to an alleged large scale fraud arising out of the government's scheme to compensate handgun owners required to hand in their guns pursuant to the Firearms Act 1997, one of the defendants in the so called "Donnygate" corruption trial in 2003, and defended in many other serious criminal trials.
Since taking silk he has continued to both prosecute and defend. He has acted for the Crown in several murders (ranging from child murders to contract killings) . For the defence he has been involved in several "high profile" cases ranging from fraud to homicide.
He recently appeared in a lengthy "high profile" inquest on behalf of two police officers who had shot dead a psychotic male who was in possession of three swords, and approaching a petrol station forecourt.
Professional Associations
Criminal Bar Association
Publications
Contributor to the recently published standard work on forensic neuropathology (Whitwell – Forensic Neuropathology (Arnold) 2005) arising from his particular experience of trials involving this area of forensic medicine.
Appointments
Recorder - 1997 - (Represented JSB on international ‘Grotius’ project comparing the treatment of scientific evidence in common law and European jurisdictions – Paris 1998.)
Areas of Expertise:
Email: clerk@stjohnsbuildings.co.uk
Telephone: 0114 273 8651
Crime
Case Examples
R –v- Pooley and others (Southwark) 2010
Prosecuting police officers (and others) in fraud (arising from 7/7 investigation) by officers of Anti-Terrorism Command
R –v – El Harti (Sheffield) 2010
Prosecution of insane defendant charged with attempt murder of police officers.
R –v- Brown (Leeds ) 2010
Defending man accused of the murder of two young jockeys by arson.
R –v- Broomfield and others (Sheffield) 2010
Prosecuting four defendants alleged to be gang members for a ‘drive by’ shooting with semi-automatic weapons.
R –v- Crossley (Bradford) 2009
Defending in one of the first prosecutions for causing death by careless driving
R v Chattoo & other (Sheffield) 2009
Prosecution of 5 Sheffield gang members for shooting of teenager in broad daylight. Long and complex trial involving extensive telephone analysis and circumstantial evidence.
R –v- Goodwin (Sheffield) 2009
Defending in alleged domestic murder.
R –v- Mendez and others (Sheffield) 2009
Prosecuting 7 defendants in 3 month trial arising from murder of young boy outside a party in Sheffield. Also representing the Crown in the Court of Appeal in one of the leading cases on ‘joint enterprise’ (R –v- Mendez and others [2010] )
R –v- Mc Manus (Sheffield) 2009
Defending in murder by female defendant of her female partner.
R –v- Dyer (Hull) 2008
Defending lengthy complex murder in which defendant alleged that true murderer was one of the prosecution witnesses.
R –v- Roddis (Leeds) 2008
Defending alleged terrorist on charges of preparing for acts of terrorism. One of the first prosecutions brought under the new provisions of the Terrorism Act 2006.
R -v- Hirst (Sheffield) 2008
Representing stepfather in alleged domestic murder. One of the first prosecutions brought using the provisions of the Domestic Violence Act 2004
Inquest: Officers C and D Humberside 2008
Representing two firearms officers at the lengthy inquest into the shooting of an individual in a roadside incident in Humberside.
R v Gladstein & others (Harrow) 2008
Prosecuting multi-handed mortgage fraud.
R v Askham (Sheffield) 2007
Prosecuting murder/manslaughter where death resulted a considerable time after the alleged fatal blow. Medical/causation issues.
R –v- Bushell Oxford (2007)
Defending alleged double attempt murder
R v Stringer (Sheffield) 2007
Defending 15 year old boy on charge of murder, by arson, of his older brother.
R v Taylor (Hull) 2007
Defending in lengthy multi handed ‘cut throat’ murder
R v Mulligan (Leeds) 2007
Defending in apparently motiveless murder.
R v Hutchison (Leeds) 2007
Defending murder allegation against Defendant charged with shooting his best friend.