Alex Ryle

Year of Call: 2022

“Confident, principled and compassionate… with the patience and expertise of someone who has been practising for many years.”

Solicitor Client

“I don’t think I could have had anyone better on the day to represent me. He was fantastic.”

Lay Client

“Unflappable. A natural advocate both persuasive and effective, with an ease in Court indicative of skill well beyond his year of call.”

Solicitor Client

Contact

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Alex has a diverse criminal defence practice.  His meticulous preparation, forensic eye for detail and calm authority have rapidly made him a sought-after advocate.

Coming to the Bar from the arts, he is persuasive and imaginative, coupling a deep legal understanding with creative flair and an instinct for narrative.

He is a natural communicator, able to reassure, advise and support the most vulnerable of clients.

Criminal Defence

Overview

Alex is tenacious, meticulously prepared and a natural storyteller. Delivering impassioned jury speeches, Alex excels at communicating his client's voice through complex legal arguments.  Coupling a deep understanding of the law with a creative imagination, he often advances novel arguments, analogies and analysis to the Court.  He consistently achieves outstanding results for his clients and is noted for his excellent client care.

Notable Cases

R v RC  [Wood Green CC]
Acquittal after trial on an allegation of s.139 Bladed Article in public.  Successful legal argument that forgetfulness alongside another element could amount to ‘good reason’.  Long retirement resulting in discharge of the hung jury.  Persuaded the Crown to abandon retrial on the day.

R v RM [Snaresbrook CC]
Sentencing on 10 counts of attempted grooming and attempted sexual communications with multiple child decoys over a 9-month period.  Persuaded the Recorder to suspend 2 years’ custody for 2 years.

R v IS [Wood Green CC]
Sentencing for numerous offences placing IS in breach of two separate Suspended Sentence Orders. The Court was persuaded to allow both orders to continue [with a £1 fine and additional unpaid work respectively] and to impose a third Suspended Sentence in respect of the new offences.

R v TF and OFR [Luton CC]
Bladed articles in public. TF and OFR attacked a Range Rover with machetes. TF turned 18 between commission and conviction. Extensive written submissions citing the Youth Sentencing Guidelines, the Equal Treatment Bench Book and R v Ghafoor.  The Court was persuaded to suspend both sentences, with TF receiving 6 months and OFR 10 months.

R v KS [Isleworth CC]
Attempted robbery of a lone female victim at a bus-stop at 4am, only prevented by the chance passing of a police patrol.  From a starting-point of 4 years’ immediate custody, the Court was persuaded to sentence to 2 years’ custody, suspended for 18 months.

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Alex Ryle

Notable Cases & News

Background

Alex came to the Bar after a successful career in film and television, working principally as a Director of Photography on feature films and television commercials across the world.  For over 15 years, he taught filmmaking at an international level, including at the National Film and Television School.  He undertook pupillage at another leading criminal law chambers and was named joint winner of the annual Inner Temple Pupils’ Advocacy competition.  He joined the Garden Court Chambers Crime Team in June 2024.

Awards

Inner Temple Pupil Advocacy Prize – Joint Winner 2023

Education

MA Cinematography, NFTS / Royal College of Art
GDL, University of Law, Distinction
Bar Course, ICCA, Merit

Professional Memberships

Criminal Bar Association
JUSTICE

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