Barrister Profile

Main Areas of Practice

Administrative Law or Judicial Review
Criminal Law
Human Rights
Personal Injury

Biography

Mark specialises in Crime, Judicial Review and Litigation.

Some of the more recent cases that Mark has been instructed in include:

• A 10-defendant terrorism case which involved a prolonged program of covert Mi5 surveillance and expert voice recognition evidence.
• Defendant acquitted of multiple counts of sexual and violent assault in the Crown Court.
• A successful judicial review challenge to a decision of the Northern Ireland Prison Service refusing compassionate temporary release, grounded in Article 8 ECHR.
• A judicial review challenge to the Department of Infrastructure regarding a proposed goldmine development, grounded in Articles 2, 3 and 8 ECHR.
• A judicial review challenge to a decision of the Northern Ireland Prison Service regarding the treatment of prisoners during the pandemic, grounded in Articles 6, 8 and 14 ECHR.
• High Court injunction proceedings acting for a professional football club seeking control of a website domain name.
• Mark has also acted for both Plaintiffs and Defendants in a range of personal injury matters.

Otherwise, before practising as a barrister, Mark competed internationally as an amateur boxer representing both Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Qualifications

2014: BSc (Hons) Business Studies with First Class Honours, University of Ulster

2017: Masters in Law, Queen’s University Belfast

2018: Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Legal Studies at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies, Queen’s University Belfast

2019: Appointed to the Attorney General for Northern Ireland’s Junior Counsel Panel

Experience

Mark has appeared in the following sample of cases:

CRIME

R v CW [2020] NICC:CW charged with multiple terrorism offences – covert Mi5 surveillance – expert voice recognition evidence in issue.

R v GW [2020] NICC: GW charged with multiple counts of sexual and violent assault - acquitted on all counts.

PPS v DMC [2020]: Aggravated taking and driving away – DNA evidence in issue – DNA transfer issue – PPS case ultimately withdrawn.

PPS v FH [2019]: FH charged with making off without payment - identification in issue - cross examination of police regarding alleged identification using CCTV footage - FH found not guilty.

PPS v AM [2019]: AM charged with assault - self defence argument raised - 3 prosecution witnesses v single defendant witness - AM found not guilty.

JUDICIAL REVIEW

PD Emergency Application for Judicial Review [2020] NIQB: Prison law case – prisoner refused in application for compassionate temporary release – challenge grounded in Article 8 ECHR – ultimately successful on grounds of rationality – decision quashed.

JA Emergency Application for Judicial Review [2020] NIQB: Prison law case concerning a prisoner’s access to their legal representatives - multiple grounds of challenge - ECHR compliance of quarantined prisoner policy also in issue - new prisoners during the pandemic being an ‘other status’ under article 14 ECHR argued.

CR Emergency Application for Judicial Review [2019] NIQB: Return of an asylum seeker to Albania - appearing for the Applicant - order for removal stayed.

LITIGATION

CMK v Ltd [2021]: Road traffic action – acting for the Plaintiff – multiple Defendant witnesses v single Plaintiff – Plaintiff’s claim granted in full.

CFC v Ltd [2020]: Injunction proceedings – acting for a professional football club – control of a website domain name in issue.

HK v CB [2020]: Road traffic action - acting for the Defendant - liability and quantum in issue - multiple Plaintiff witnesses against a single Defendant witness - case dismissed after contested hearing.

CMC v Ltd [2020]: Road traffic action - acting for the Defendant - liability and quantum in issue - case dismissed after contested hearing.

MOB v MC [2019]: Personal injury claim - acting for the Defendant - ‘fundamentally dishonest’ Plaintiff argued - thorough cross examination of Plaintiff on basis of medical records - case dismissed after contested hearing.