Murder Defence Barrister

Martin represents individuals charged with the most serious homicide offences, including murder, manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter, death by dangerous or careless driving and infanticide.

An experienced murder defence barrister who is recognised in the legal directories as a leading advocate in this field, he can handle even most complex and sensitive cases - terrorism-related killings, gangland executions, multi-handed murders, joint enterprise prosecutions, baby-shaking allegations, familial homicides and sexually motivated murders.

Martin is also highly experienced in corporate manslaughter cases and prosecutions involving alleged reckless conduct. These cases demand forensic precision, strategic clarity and courtroom authority of the highest level.

Martin acts for a wide and diverse range of individuals accused of homicide. Many of his clients are not career criminals and may never have had contact with the criminal justice system before. Parents, professionals, business owners, and individuals from all backgrounds may suddenly find themselves facing the most serious allegation imaginable.

He is particularly experienced in representing vulnerable defendants, including those suffering from severe mental illness or personality disorders. Martin has specialist knowledge of the systems and procedures at the UK’s high-security psychiatric hospitals and is known for his ability to handle demanding cases and clients with sensitivity, authority and unwavering commitment.

The first priority is to ensure the client feels supported, informed and confident throughout the process. Being charged with murder places individuals under extraordinary psychological strain, and effective representation depends on trust, communication and preparation. As an experienced murder barrister, Martin examines every possible defence strategy in detail. He takes time to explain each option clearly - including the risks and advantages - so the client fully understands the plan of action.

In court, Martin is a powerful and persuasive jury advocate. Measured and empathetic where appropriate, he is robust and fearless when required. His skill in cross-examining expert witnesses has been central to many successful outcomes in murder and manslaughter trials.

Modern murder prosecutions rely heavily on complex forensic and technical evidence, an area where Martin is exceptionally equipped to challenge. His cases frequently involve detailed expert evidence across a wide range of disciplines, requiring rigorous preparation and strategic analysis – including pathology and paediatric pathology, neuropathology, psychiatry and psychology.

DNA evidence is also frequently central to modern murder prosecutions, such as ballistics, blood pattern analysis, toxicology and cell site data. Martin’s ability to identify weaknesses in forensic evidence is a key strength of his defence work.

He is also able to analyse and cast doubt on EncroChat material, CCTV interpretation, computer and digital forensics, ANPR data, handwriting analysis, accident reconstruction, gait analysis and social media evidence.

As an experienced murder defence barrister, Martin can be instructed in Court of Appeal cases for murder, manslaughter and joint enterprise killings. He also has substantial experience in appeals arising from cases involving the deaths of children and infants, where the legal and evidential issues are particularly complex.

Guidance is available from the very outset of proceedings right through to the appeal stage. Martin focuses on providing expert legal insight, compelling advocacy and exceptional representation in even the most challenging cases.

Joint enterprise and joint liability cases are among the most challenging murder defence cases, particularly where multiple defendants seek to blame one another. In these cases, the greatest threat often comes from co-defendants rather than the prosecution itself.

Martin has extensive experience defending allegations where the prosecution asserts collective responsibility despite only one individual allegedly using a weapon. These cases require careful strategic planning, detailed legal argument and decisive courtroom advocacy.

In his many years as murder barrister, Martin has successfully deployed complex legal challenges in joint enterprise cases to dismantle the prosecution’s case and avoid guilty verdicts where the evidence does not support collective liability.