Stuart Rafferty QC

Year of Call: 1975

Silk: 2009

Specialist practice areas: Serious Crime, Criminal/Civil Fraud, Serious Sexual Offences

A specialist practitioner for twenty seven years and a member of these chambers since 1992 Stuart, by common consent, is "one of the most consistently adept performers and safest pair of hands at the Criminal Bar".  His areas of expertise are manifold, and he is in great demand both to prosecute and defend in cases of:

• murder and attempted murder;
• manslaughter (both unlawful act and gross negligence);
• serial rape and child sex abuse; and
• serious fraud (including defence of members of the legal profession).

Cases in which he has appeared in Silk include:

R-v-Majid Hussain and others: The successful prosecution of ten accused for a high profile attempted murder and violent disorder.

R-v-Pearson: The successful defence of a mentally ill, albeit fit to plead, accused for the attempted murder of an on-duty police officer.

R-v-Owens and others: The successful prosecution of three accused for attempted murder and violent disorder.

R-v-Anthony Stewart and others: The successful defence of one of nine defendants indicted for murder and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm. Anthony Stewart was named first on the indictment, and submissions made on his behalf at the conclusion of the prosecution case, adopted by leading counsel for the co-accused, resulted in the count of murder being withdrawn from the jury.

Stuart has been a Recorder of the Crown Court since 2001.

What little free time remains to him is occupied by his family, gardening, walking, music, the theatre, good food, fine wines and convivial company.