James Newton-Price KC

James practises across the spectrum of criminal offences, including murder, manslaughter, rape, robbery, serious violence, child cruelty, causing death by dangerous driving, drugs offences, money laundering and fraud.

Since taking silk in 2018, James has appeared in a series of high profile murder trials, including the prosecution of a couple for the death of their 17 day old baby, the successful defence of a man charged with murder arising from an assault 11 years previously, and the defence of a man charged with the murder and rape of a 13 year old girl in Southampton.

James has established a reputation for the defence and prosecution of sexual offences cases, including historic allegations – where he has appeared in numerous trials for cases concerning rape and child sexual abuse. The Legal 500 directory names James Newton-Price as a leading criminal barrister on the western circuit for his expertise in rape and sexual abuse cases.

In addition, James prosecutes and defends in large multi-defendant conspiracy cases involving allegations of theft, fraud and money laundering, which can include the presentation of complex mobile telephone and forensic scientific evidence. He possesses the ability to present and explain detailed evidence in easily understandable formats.

Selected Cases

R v Rolfe

Secured the acquittal of his client on charges of murder and manslaughter following a 3 week trial at Winchester Crown Court. The case concerned issues of joint enterprise and the liability of the defendant who was alleged to have supplied the knife in the fatal stabbing of a drug dealer during an alleged robbery.

R v Z

Prosecution of a troubled 15 year old schoolgirl, who was obsessed with serial killers and the Columbine high school shootings, for the attempted murder of her best friend in a school stabbing. The case attracted national publicity because of the way in the teenage defendant had planned the murder by her online research.

R v Sutherland

Defence of man charged with murder and manslaughter after the trial of complex causation issues (victim died 11 years after original assault). The defendant was acquitted following the pathologist’s concession in cross-examination that the cause of death was not certain. The trial also raised issues of loss of control and diminished responsibility.

R v Davis & Davies

Prosecution of a mother and her partner for causing or allowing the death of their 24 day old baby. The trial involved complex medical issues in relation to the causation of brain injuries and multiple bone fractures to a child. The defendants were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment following a trial which attracted national media coverage.

R v Nicholson

Defence of young man charged with the murder and rape of a 13 year old girl. This was a high profile trial involving Facebook messaging, bad character evidence, sophisticated GPS tracking of the defendant, forensic evidence relating to fibres, and CCTV imagery. The client was acquitted of multiple sexual offences.

R v Mohammad Arshad

Prosecution of a police officer for the rape and sexual abuse of 12 teenage girls following a 6 week trial. The Defendant groomed his victims via Facebook and other social media. The Defendant was sentenced to 15 years and the case attracted national publicity.

R v B

The successful defence of a young student charged with the rape of another student in her bed, relying on the unusual defence of automatism: “sexsomnia” or sexual intercourse during sleep.

R v Calloo

The successful defence of a young man charged with a serious intruder rape in a jury trial before the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands.

R v Last, Loveridge & Smith

Leading counsel for the Prosecution in a major six week trial of a gang of violent armed robbers, who were convicted of cash-in-transit robberies of banks and numerous other offences, stealing over £500,000.

R v Hancock & Others

A murder in which two Londoners were hired and paid to beat up a Portsmouth man and killed him in the attack. The case included complex issues of joint enterprise, identification by CCTV imagery and DNA evidence.