Keir Starmer

Keir Starmer

Keir Starmer QC is a barrister at [http://www.doughtystreet.co.uk Doughty Street Chambers] in England and Wales. He is due to become Director of Public Prosecutions and head of the Crown Prosecution Service in November 2008. [ [http://www.thelawyer.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=133949 The Lawyer.com] ] Although he has prosecuted cases for the CPS during his career, he is mainly known as a defence lawyer. [ [http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article4397189.ece Times online, 26 July 2008] ]

Biography

Starmer was educated at Leeds University and St Edmund Hall, Oxford. He was called to the bar in 1987, became a queen's counsel in 2002, and is currently joint head of his chambers.

Acting in several appeals to the Privy Council for defendants who had been sentenced to death in Caribbean countries, his legal submissions led to the abolition of the mandatory death penalty in those countries. He has recently worked with lawyers in African countries towards the same end. In 2005 he persuaded the House of Lords that evidence obtained by torture should be inadmissible in court. In 2007 he represented two alleged terrorists in a case in the House of Lords in which he successfully challenged their control orders on human rights grounds. He has also acted in 15 other cases in the House of Lords since 1999, including two cases about the conduct of British soldiers in Iraq, and representing David Shayler in his appeal against conviction for breaching the Official Secrets Act. He gave free legal advice to the defendants in the "McLibel" case, [ [http://www.mclibel.com/interviews/starmer_keir.html McLibel.com] ] and was interviewed twice - ten years apart - in Franny Armstrong's 2005 documentary, "McLibel".

He is a human rights advisor to the Northern Ireland Policing Board and the Association of Chief Police Officers. He is a member of the Foreign Secretary's Death Penalty Advisory Panel. In 2007 he was named "QC of the Year." [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/01/humanrights.law?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews The Guardian] ]

On 25 July 2008 the Attorney-General named him as the next head of the CPS, to take over from Ken Macdonald on 1 November 2008. Macdonald, himself a former defence lawyer, welcomed Starmer's appointment.

He is the author of several books about criminal law and human rights. [ [http://www.borders.co.uk/by/keir-starmer/449967/ Borders] ]

He is married with one child.

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Death of Ian Tomlinson — Ian Tomlinson redirects here. For the Australian athlete, see Ian Tomlinson (athlete). Death of Ian Tomlinson Ian Tomlinson remonstrates with police after being pushed to the ground, minutes before he died. Date 1 April 2009 ( …   Wikipedia

  • Crown Prosecution Service — (Welsh: Gwasanaeth Erlyn y Goron) Non ministerial government department overview Formed 1986 (1986) Jurisdiction England and Wales …   Wikipedia

  • Rachel Nickell murder case — Rachel Nickell, born 23 November 1968, was the victim of a sexual assault and murder on Wimbledon Common on 15 July 1992. She was stabbed 49 times. The case became the subject of the notorious prosecution of Colin Stagg, who was acquitted. On 28… …   Wikipedia

  • Murder of Rachel Nickell — Rachel Nickell Born Rachel Jane Nickell 23 November 1968(1968 11 23) Died 15 July 1992(1992 07 15) (aged 23) Wimbledon Common, London, UK Cause of death …   Wikipedia

  • Munir Hussain and victims' rights — Munir Hussain is a British businessman and community leader.[1] He was jailed for 30 months following an attack on a burglar who had broken into his home and threatened him and his family. This caused controversy because the law was perceived by… …   Wikipedia

  • News of the World phone hacking scandal investigations — The News of the World phone hacking scandal investigations followed the revelations in 2005 of voicemail interception on behalf of News of the World. Despite wider evidence of wrongdoing, the News of the World royal phone hacking scandal appeared …   Wikipedia

  • Supreme Court of Cameroon — The Supreme Court (French Cour Suprême ) is the highest judicial body in Cameroon. As defined in Article V of the Constitution of Cameroon, the Supreme Court is above the courts of appeal and the tribunals. It is nominally independent of the… …   Wikipedia

  • Director of Public Prosecutions — The Director of Public Prosecutions is the officer charged with the prosecution of criminal offences in several criminal jurisdictions around the world. The title is used mainly in jurisdictions that are or have been members of the Commonwealth… …   Wikipedia

  • Civil rights movement — See also: Protests of 1968 and African American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968) The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it… …   Wikipedia

  • Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office — RCPO redirects here. For the military airport with that ICAO code, see Hsinchu Air Base. The Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office (RCPO) was a non departmental public body created under the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 as an… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”