Michael Turner KC

Year of Call: 1981 | Year of Silk: 2002

"A respected defence counsel who is punchy and combative in court."

Chambers UK, 2021 (Crime)

"A proper devil's advocate."

Legal 500 UK

"Dedicated, incredibly hard-working and robust in court."

Chambers UK 2017

"He defends in murder and protest cases."

Legal 500 2017

"His work ranges from baby-shaking deaths to protest matters."

Legal 500 2016

Contact

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Michael Turner KC has been described by his peers "as a barrister who can secure a result no others could". He has a reputation for extreme hard work, extraordinary commitment to a case and for his inventiveness and tenacity.

He is a hugely experienced trial and appellate advocate. In addition to pursuing his own first instance cases to appeal he is sought after on referrals from the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

Criminal Defence

Overview

Michael specialises in complex and difficult criminal cases ranging from multi-million pound fraud to multiple murder. His ability to master intricate and diffuse scientific expertise has been amply demonstrated in his success in a number of recent cases of alleged "baby shaking".

He has appeared in the English and Northern Irish Court of Appeal in some of their biggest cases both as a silk and a junior. He has been brought into in civil cases where difficult and robust cross-examination has been required.

Notable Cases

Past notable cases can be viewed below. Click here to see a list of recent notable cases.

First instance

R v Carter & Cox (Guildford Crown Court – alleged child abuse – widely reported in the media)

R v Miah (CCC alleged baby shaking murder)

R v Shripka (CCC alleged baby shaking murder)

R v Lindo (Bristol CC multiple murder and attempted murder)

R v Joof (Leicester CC Alleged gang associated murder)

R v Jovetic (CCC Pink Panther Diamond robbery and attempted murder)

R v Labastide (CCC Alleged gang associated murder)

R v Richmond (CCC Alleged gang associated murder)

R v Santharatnam (CCC Alleged gang associated murder)

R v Esprit (CCC Alleged gang associated murder)

R v Vujovic (CCC Murder and kidnap)

R v Mehmet Goren (CCC alleged honour killing of daughter)

R v Al-alas & Wray (ground-breaking allegation of child murder, which has led to a wider appreciation of rickets in both the criminal and family courts)

R v Graham (allegation of triple murder arising out of the Birmingham riots)

R v Akbar CCC (murder)

R v Sivanesam CCC (murder)

R v Yiannakas (VAT fraud and confiscation)

Divisional Court

Connolly v Dale [1996] 1 Cr App R 200DC (only known case of a police officer being found to be in contempt for seeking to prevent a solicitor from interviewing witnesses prior to the police conduct of an identification parade)

Privy Council

R v Marvin Murphy Case No. 40701 (Appeal from Bahamas, instructed as leading counsel)

Contact Michael

Criminal Appeals

Overview

Court of Appeal

R v Fulton (appeal from Northern Irelands longest running murder trial involving multiple terrorist offences)

R v Jeremy Bamber (appeal against wrongful conviction on multiple murder)

R v Hagans(West Midlands Serious Crime Squad)

R v Wilson (West Midlands Serious Crime Squad)

R v Browning (M 50 Murder)

R v Hickery and others (murder of Carl Bridgewater)

R v Twitchell (murder confession arising from torture by the West Midlands serious crime squad)

R v Hoshan and others (the Iraqi Hijack case)

R v Brown (West Midlands Serious Crime Squad)

R v Joof(gang related murder appeal on grounds of non-disclosure)

R v Santharatnam (appeal on grounds of non-disclosure)

Contact Michael

Michael Turner KC

Notable Cases & News

Background

Michael was brought up in the law centre movement working at both North Kensington Law centre and Harlesden Advice centre before coming to the Bar. Those early experiences of assisting both individuals and communities to secure the justice denied them fuelled a passion in Michael to fight against injustice in whatever form and he has always sought Chambers with a similar ethos. Michael was a tenant at both Cloisters (the chambers of John Platts-Mills KC, David Turner-Samuels KC and Laura Cox KC), and 14 Tooks Court (the chambers of Michael Mansfield KC), before joining Garden Court Chambers in July 2003.

Michael's passion for justice has led him to become a leading advocate for the Bar. He is a former Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, having been elected as its vice-chair in 2011. His strident views on behalf of those reliant on the publicly funded Bar have received considerable press coverage.

His pursuit of justice does not end with the Bar and he has supported just community campaigns in Dorset, a county close to his heart. Michael was a keen and successful sportsman in his youth playing both rugby, tennis and squash at county level. In later years he coached both rugby and tennis only recently hanging up his boots as a rugby coach. He is an avid Arsenal supporter and passionate family man with three successful children. Michael is a founder member and co-ordinator of the Edward Quist-Arcton Trust, which provides an annual scholarship for black South African lawyers.

Professional Memberships

  • Criminal Bar Association

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