James Haskell

Call 2004

‘James is unflappable and has excellent judgement. A strong courtroom performer who cross-examines well.’

For enquiries please contact

Lucy Northeast
Practice Director - Crime & Sports
0117 930 9000
Click here to email

Grant Bidwell
Practice Manager - Crime
0117 930 9000
Click here to email

Shannon Cregg
Assistant Practice Manager - Crime
0117 930 9000
Click here to email

‘James is unflappable and has excellent judgement. A strong courtroom performer who cross-examines well.’


Legal 500 UK 2023

"James is very hard-working and good on paper. He is a thorough and persuasive advocate."


Chambers & Partners UK 2023

"James is a very diligent and purposeful advocate. Judges and juries appreciate his measured courtroom style."


Legal 500 2022

"A thoughtful and polished advocate, confident without arrogance, with conspicuously good judgement."


Legal 500 2021

"He presents evidence very logically. His advocacy is focused and realistic, and he is fearless in court."


Chambers & Partners 2021

  • CPS (Grade 4) Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Panel Advocate

  • BVC, UWE Bristol
  • LLB Hons, UWE Bristol

  • Criminal Bar Association
  • Western Circuit

James Haskell is a specialist Crime advocate who prosecutes and defends in a wide range of criminal cases. He is consistently ranked in Chambers & Partners as a ‘leading junior’.

He is regularly instructed to prosecute and defend in the most serious cases, including murder and serious sexual offences. James successfully defended only the second person in British legal history to be charged with exposing his daughter to Female Genital Mutilation.

James is a Grade 4 CPS Prosecutor. He acts as Independent Counsel for reviewing material which might attract Legal Professional Privilege. He also represents professionals during disciplinary proceedings.

Expertise

James has experience of representing serving prisoners before Parole Boards and representing the police in relation to the variation or discharge of Sexual Harm Prevention Orders. He also appears in Insurance backed criminal proceedings ranging from driving without due care and attention to proceedings arising from serious and fatal road traffic accidents.

Featured Crime cases


R v Osment (2023)

Junior Counsel for the prosecution. This was a case prosecuted by the complex case unit and involved an UCO. The defendant was convicted of murder.


R v Chugg & Swannick (2022)

Junior Counsel for the Prosecution. Both defendants were successfully convicted of murder.


R v Beale (2022)

Successfully prosecuted the defendant for Misconduct in a Public Office. She was a serving Offender Manager for Wiltshire Constabulary.


R v Sawyers & B (2022)

Junior Counsel for the Prosecution. A complex case in which Sawyers was successfully convicted of manslaughter and B was convicted of s.18 GBH.


R v Jackson (2021)

Junior Counsel for the prosecution. The defendant was successfully convicted of murder.


R v C (2021)

Successfully defended a police officer charged with misconduct in a public office. Junior counsel led by Ray Tully QC.


R v Chalachew (2020)

Junior counsel for the Crown. Successfully prosecuted a defendant charged with multiple offences of rape against four vulnerable complainants. The Defendant was sentenced to an Extended Sentence of 28 years.


R v R (2020)

Successfully prosecuted a youth who was charged with rape and assault by penetration of two four year old complainants.


R v Fisher (2019)

Successfully defended a young man charged with rape.


R v Keen (2019)

Successfully prosecuted this defendant who had committed multiple historic sexual offences against members of his family over a period of 30 years (sentenced to 23 years impisonment).


R v D (2018)

Successfully defended only the second person in British legal history to be charged with an offence of FGM. This case was prosecuted by a Queen’s Counsel. James successfully argued that the Defendant had ‘no case to answer’ at the end of the prosecution case.


R v Nur (2018)

Successfully defended a young male charged with rape.


R v Parveaz (2017) EWCA Crim 873; [2017] Crim LR 891

Appeared for the Respondent in the POCA proceedings following an appeal by the Prosecution (this case is referenced in paragraphs 5B-297, 5B-299 and 5B-301 in Archbold 2019).


R v Ngoc Tran & others (2017)

Junior counsel for the Prosecution in relation to a multi-handed conspiracy to produce cannabis.


R v Matawlu (2017)

Prosecuted the Fijian International Rugby player who was charged with sexual assault.


R v Lester (2016)

Junior counsel for the Crown (successfully prosecuted the defendant for 58 offences including false imprisonment, rape of a child under 13 and making indecent images and received a life sentence).


R v Khan & others (2016)

Junior counsel for the Crown – multi-handed Class A drugs conspiracy.


R v Whitter (2016)

Defendant successfully prosecuted for rape.


R v Lewthwaite (2015)

Successfully defended a 19 year old defendant charged with rape.

James is regularly instructed in regulatory criminal matters. He successfully defended the first ever prosecution by Avon Fire and Rescue under section 32 Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

James often represents professionals during disciplinary hearings. He has represented nurses who appear before the Nursing and Midwifery Council and James has also represented police officers alleged to have breached the standards of professional behaviour under the relevant Misconduct Regulations.

James also has experience of appearing at Coroners’ Inquests.

Featured Regulatory & Discipline cases


Inquest into the death of CW (2019)

Represented the Royal Shakespeare Company who were an ‘interested party’ in the death of a young man who had jumped into a river when evading police.


Chief Constable Avon & Somerset Constabulary v PC P (2019)

Represented a police officer facing allegations of gross misconduct (acting dishonestly).


NMC v Raybould (2015)

Represented a nurse alleged to have neglected a patient who subsequently died.


NMC v Saunders (2013)

Representing a nurse alleged to have stolen medication for her own use.


NMC v Nyama (2013)

Representing a nurse at a disciplinary hearing & successfully opposing an interim suspension order.


NMC v Bridgman (2012)

Representing a nurse at a disciplinary hearing & successfully opposing an interim conditions of practice order.


Avon Fire & Rescue v Warren (2010)

Successfully defended.

Related insights

22/01/2024 | Event: 22/01/2024

For enquiries please contact

Lucy Northeast
Practice Director - Crime & Sports
0117 930 9000
Click here to email

Grant Bidwell
Practice Manager - Crime
0117 930 9000
Click here to email

Shannon Cregg
Assistant Practice Manager - Crime
0117 930 9000
Click here to email

‘James is unflappable and has excellent judgement. A strong courtroom performer who cross-examines well.’


Legal 500 UK 2023

"James is very hard-working and good on paper. He is a thorough and persuasive advocate."


Chambers & Partners UK 2023

"James is a very diligent and purposeful advocate. Judges and juries appreciate his measured courtroom style."


Legal 500 2022

"A thoughtful and polished advocate, confident without arrogance, with conspicuously good judgement."


Legal 500 2021

"He presents evidence very logically. His advocacy is focused and realistic, and he is fearless in court."


Chambers & Partners 2021

  • CPS (Grade 4) Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Panel Advocate

  • BVC, UWE Bristol
  • LLB Hons, UWE Bristol

  • Criminal Bar Association
  • Western Circuit

For help or advice please call 0117 930 9000 or complete the form below.

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