Free Hybrid Seminar – Orgreave: A Long Road to Truth Justice and Accountability

The Government’s announcement of a Public Inquiry into the events at Orgreave in 1984 and its aftermath has been described as both historic and momentous.

In this seminar, speakers will explore the events that took place at Orgreave, examine the enduring impact on those involved, and reflect on the campaign for justice that has spanned over four decades. Drawing on the lived experiences of campaigners and legal perspectives, the discussion will consider what a meaningful and effective public inquiry should entail, and how it can best serve the interests of truth, justice and public confidence.

Speakers

Pete Weatherby KC, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers North
Pete Weatherby KC predominately practises in Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds and Liverpool. He undertakes the full range of criminal defence work, as well as actions against the police and general prisoners’ rights law. He is also a tenant of Garden Court North, Manchester. He is particularly interested in cases with a civil liberties dimension, or political, prison law or mental health aspects. He has an increasingly appellate practice and has appeared in a number of miscarriage cases in recent years.

Marguerite Russell, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Marguerite Russell has a wide-ranging criminal practice and is regularly instructed to lead in complex criminal cases. She has built up considerable expertise in all current areas of expert evidence such as DNA, cell-site, firearms, computer systems, handwriting, psychiatric evaluations, drug trace evidence. She has acted as Leading Junior in a significant number of high profile trials. The range of her defence work includes murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, wounding with intent, riot, and serious frauds, including multi million pound internet and carousel frauds and bribery and offences under the Modern Slavery Act, as well as major drug cases of importation and supply.

Thalia Maragh, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Thalia’s practice at the English Bar has been predominantly defending in serious crimes and acting for bereaved families in Article 2 inquests. She has a growing international practice. Thalia acts for bereaved families in Article 2 inquests and is a leading junior in Inquests and Public Inquiries. She is currently instructed on behalf of Covid Bereaved Families for Justice UK (CBFFJ UK) in the Covid-19 Public Inquiry over several modules. She represented the families in the Hillsborough Inquests, the bereaved, survivors and residents in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry (in phases 1 and 2), a person of interest in the Public Inquiry into the Manchester Arena Bombings and survivors of sexual abuse in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA).

Jodie Blackstock, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Jodie is a public law and human rights specialist, with extensive experience in justice system reform through policy, research and strategic litigation. Jodie’s particular interest is in challenging, through judicial review and civil actions, criminal justice system actors for violations of fair trial standards, abuse and death in custody. She is particularly concerned for the effective participation rights of adults with disabilities and children accused of crime.

Paul Heron, Solicitor, Public Law Interest Centre
Paul is a solicitor and the founder of the Public Interest Law Centre. His main practice areas are public law and public inquiries. He currently represents several core participants in the Undercover Policing Inquiry, including a former Labour MP, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), and the Stop the War Coalition. He also represented the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) and United Voices of the World (UVW), trade unions organising cleaners, porters, and carers in the NHS, in the Covid-19 Public Inquiry. As a teenager, Paul was active in the Labour Party Young Socialists and supported the miners during the 1984–85 strike, frequently visiting Bold Colliery on Merseyside in solidarity.

Reserve your in-person or online ticket
In-person tickets are limited by the venue’s capacity. After you have completed the form, we will be back in touch to confirm whether a place is available at the event.

If you have booked an online ticket, we will send joining details to all those who have signed up on the day of the event. If you have not received the link by 2pm on 11th November, and it is not in your junk inbox, please email webinars@gclaw.co.uk.