MARK SAVILL

Call 1993     Inner Temple
Call to the Bar of Northern Ireland 2006

Crime


Business crime and regulatory


Public Inquiries


savill@deanscourt.co.uk

‘One of the first names you call in a crisis’
– Chambers UK, 2006
‘Highly rated’
– Chambers UK, 2007
‘Displays maturity beyond his years’
– Chambers UK, 2008
‘A criminal practitioner of undoubted merit.’
– Chambers UK, 2009
'A very smooth performer'
- Chambers UK 2010
'very though and conscientious.'
- Legal 500, 2010

Individual

Appointments

Junior of the Northern Circuit 1995
Hon. Secretary to the Northern Circuit 2002-2005
Attorney-General’s B Panel 2003 to present 
Part-time Judge of the First Tier Tribunal (Mental Health) 2004 to present 
List of Defence Counsel for The Special Tribunal for Lebanon

Education

Eton College and Durham University (BA)


Areas of Practice

Criminal and Public Inquiry practitioner


Professional Associations

Criminal Bar Association
Health and Safety Lawyers Association


Notable Cases

R -v- Brian Peter Smith [1997] QB 836 CA
Defence counsel in authority on misjoinder

R -v- A.M. and others [1998] 1 WLR 363 CA
Defence counsel in guideline authority, delivered by the Lord Chief Justice, in sentencing young offenders

R -v- Brian Roper and others [1998]
Junior counsel for only defendant to be acquitted in the Dillon Hull shooting in Bolton. Eight year old child of drug dealer killed in crossfire

R -v- Paul McAllister [2000]
Defence counsel in two month Barrow drugs, arrest and caution policy, voir dire. All evidence excluded under section 78 PACE

R -v- Mark Crompton and others [2000]
Defence counsel in corrupt police vehicle examiners, Bolton car ringing case: Crown drop two month case on day of trial, after submissions on disclosure

R -v- Awan and others [2000]
Junior counsel for Crown in multi-million pound, year long Customs and Excise diversion fraud

HSE -v- Deva Mills [2000]
Defence counsel in explosion in cereal factory case, involving near decapitation

R -v- Coughlan and others [2001]
Junior defence counsel in inter-prison drug smuggling, phone tapping, case

R -v- Villiers and others [2002] C.L.R. 421
Junior counsel for Crown. Participating informant authority

R -v- Hanratty [2003]
Defence counsel in Rochdale race hate bombing of a takeaway

R -v- McGrath [2003]
Defence counsel in multi-count, multi-victim historic rape and indecent assault case

R -v- Bates [2003]
Junior counsel for defence in multi-million pound engine number grinding operation, arising out of corrupt Bolton police vehicle examiners

R -v- Paul Ince [2003]
Road traffic matters

R -v- Jennings and others [2003]
Junior counsel for Crown in multi-million pound cigarette importation conspiracy

R -v- Billington and others [2003]
Junior defence counsel in Bolton chimney explosion case. Double corporate manslaughter

M56 Multiple Fatality Crash [2003]
Advised Britannia Hotels regarding possible manslaughter/HSE charges arising out of multiple fatality motorway crash

Fleetwood Sand Yachting Fatality [2003/2004]
Advised Local Authority regarding possible manslaughter charges, and disclosure applications following the death of a walker after a collision with a sand yacht

HSE -v- Manchester County Fire Service [2004]
Junior counsel for the fire service in Crown Court prosecution following drowning of a fire fighter attempting a rescue in a lake. Acquitted

R -v- Peacock [2004]
Defence counsel in gross neglect manslaughter

R -v- Hough and others [2004]
Defence counsel in Bolton/Manchester United football riot

R -v- Matthews and others [2004]
Counsel for head of diving school, charged with Health and Safety Act offences, following diving fatality

R -v- Barrow Council [2004]
Junior counsel for the council in multiple manslaughter prosecution arising from a Legionnaire’s disease outbreak

R -v- The University of Salford [2006]
Counsel for the University, charges resulting from impaling of staff member on a car park barrier

From 2004 to the present day Mark has been instructed by the Treasury Solicitor as First Junior Counsel to the Rosemary Nelson Inquiry.  The inquiry was set up by the Government to inquire into allegations of state collusion in the murder of the prominent solicitor Rosemary Nelson in Northern Ireland in 1999 and the way in which the investigation of her murder was conducted.  Throughout this time Mark has been based in London, Belfast and Armagh and in order to fulfil this role he has undergone security vetting to the highest level (‘DV’).  He is well accustomed to working within and managing a team, as well as dealing with novel issues of law and procedure, marshalling and analysing very large quantities of both sensitive and non-sensitive material (including intelligence product arising from terrorism), handling witnesses in open and closed hearings and issues of witness anonymity.