St Edmund Chambers The Chambers of Cathy McCulloch, Direct Access Barrister

If you are here but suspect that Barristers are fatcats who are on the take rather than working to keep the innocent free and the rest of us safe from the guilty, try this one #legalaidhero tweet

Cathy McCulloch is unavailable for defence work where the legal aid certificate is dated 01.07.15 or thereafter. With effect from Wednesday 16 July 2015 she is not accepting returns.

Any who may think the fight against the Government’s Legal Aid agenda is about fat-cat self interest should read this article from today’s Guardian

Cathy McCulloch is unavailable for defence work where the legal aid certificate is dated 01.07.15 or thereafter. She will review her availability when the results of the CBA Ballot are announced.

Any practitioner or probation officer will tell you that taking drugs into a prison guarantees a custodial sentence. Not necessarily so: last week an unprecedented suspended sentence order was the result of thorough research and effective mitigation both written and oral.

You can see more examples of Cathy’s research and advocacy here.

One would have thought that sibling rape is one of the worst examples of breach of trust.
The case of ZBT ruled that this is not the case. Cathy McCulloch’s client received a sentence of 6 years (half what would normally have been expected).

You can see more examples of Cathy’s research and advocacy here.

The British Justice system is in danger of total collapse, but the major parties are all ignoring the fundamental threats facing Justice and Law and Order. Why is there No Justice in the General Election?

On Tuesday, 21st April 2015 at 20.00hrs at East Anglian Chambers (5 Museum Street, Ipswich IP1 1HQ) local legal professionals including Barristers, Solicitors, Police Officers and others will put this question to Jane Basham, Labour Candidate for South Suffolk.

The event is being chaired by Simon Spence QC, a leading criminal silk. Simon practises mainly in East Anglia, where he has prosecuted and defended many high profile murder cases including Steve Wright, the killer of 5 young women in Ipswich in 2006.

COME AND HELP PUT JUSTICE ON THE ELECTION MAP!

RSVP TO vra@stedmund.co.uk

In a recent GBH case, CCTV of the scene in a nightclub appeared at first viewing to show clearly that the defendant had entered the room, and after a few seconds ran at the complainant and assaulted him.

The defendant insisted he was innocent, so Cathy McCulloch reviewed the footage frame-by-frame. This detailed analysis revealed that a third party had come from the back of the room, rushed past the defendant, and committed the assault.

The sequence was then enhanced to highlight the movements of complainant, defendant and assailant, and played in court to great effect during XX of the complainant. The jury returned a Not Guilty soon after they had requested the enhanced video to assist their deliberations.

Cases of Interest updated, including

R v ED Reading Crown Court 2015 GBH
Not Guilty after full trial. CCTV appeared at first sight to prove guilt. Detailed analysis by Counsel showed otherwise; video enhanced and used to conclusive effect in court during XX of complainant.

In a Robing Room the other day I was working unashamedly to get my fellow Barristers to join the CBA and to vote in the forthcoming elections. One senior member of the Bar asked me if I was feisty and would I fight the common cause. I asked what he thought was “the common cause”. He just looked at me and said “I am too young to retire and too old to learn a new career. And why should I, I am good at and love the one I am in”. I made a promise then that I both could, and would be feisty for the cause. I am not a quitter and have been told by many that my Tenacity for my client has won through. I have had clients state that the law is a passion for me which is applied with force and efficacy. If elected, I shall bring the same doggedness to the CBA Exec.

My late father, a Chancery Barrister of 53 years standing, once told me that so long as there were people living there would be a need for compassionate brains to represent them within the legal system. That is as true today as it was in his day. Tomorrow, it may suddenly be far harder than it is now for those most in need to get access to “compassionate brains” rather than a system driven by cost accountants and profit alone, not by client need.

These are times for the Bar which demand both wisdom and extraordinary courage. During my police service in the 1980s I saw the Miners Strike and the death of Kevin Blakelock. I saw families being turned against families. I was witness to people being arrested for merely having a principle. I watched one of my colleagues die after diving off Brighton Pier to assist a drowning child. Today, we all know the criminal justice system is collapsing. Without action within weeks, it will be too late, and the damage which will swiftly follow will take generations to repair. Justice as we have known it in our lifetimes will be history. The Criminal Bar will be history.

What is your cause? Is it merely to keep working? Or is it to save this wonderful, traditional profession, this vocation, which if we are honest, is unlike any other? My cause is to help save it from the very brink and guide it forward. To fight through the current changes. To debate, argue and sort issues out so we can represent ourselves in the battles ahead with the same passion that we have in the Court Room. To do all that is possible to ensure there remains a Vocation as a Barrister for our successors to pursue in the future.

On my way to the practicing Bar, I have been a Solicitor and Solicitor Advocate. I know from both sides how the two professions depend on each other. I opposed “The Deal”. I will support action to heal the rift which ensued between us and our Solicitor colleagues. I will support the reintroduction of “No Returns”, even though some Solicitors’ firms will continue with their contract bids.

Our current fight with the Ministry is existential. If we fail to move the MOJ’s agenda from one of destroying lawyers to one of holistic reform to the CJS, all discussion of matters such as warned lists, poor VHCC management, unpaid hearings and unexpensed travel will remain moot.

Beyond what I have said above, I do not offer a grand and cunning plan which will thwart our opponents. There is only one firm commitment I can make at this point – to listen and act in a collegiate manner. I will seek at all times to respect others on the CBA Exec, CBA staff, fellow Barristers, and others fighting to save the Criminal Justice System. This time we will stand together until we win. United we may prevail, disunited we will each fall.

What do I ask of you who read this?

1. First of all, Vote. Read all the manifestos, and pick the people whom you believe will best represent our profession.
2. Support the Executive when the elections are over.
3. Be active in your input to the CBA Executive.
4. Be active in support of any action which is decided upon.
5. Work with the Solicitorial Profession, closely and compassionately. Without solicitors supporting us in our vocations, we will be extinct.

Cathy McCulloch
St Edmund Chambers
www.stedmund.co.uk