Mark Newby

Partner

I have been fortunate to have been involved in putting right a large number of miscarriage of justice cases, many of which have been nationally reported. I strongly believe in standing up for those who have suffered an injustice. I have also brought a number of cases challenging the Government and current cases include a challenge before the European Court of Human Rights

I am recognised as a specialist in defending false allegations with a particular interest in complex institutional care home enquiries and false memory cases

I work with many national support organisations such as FASO , FACT and BFMS .

I contributed to ” Hope for the Innocent” a critique of the Criminal Cases Review Commission, other articles in periodicals and the 2009 Major Conference on Historic Cases.

I have been supporter of the Round Table for 20 Years, rising to national secretary of this movement which promotes Community social and business interaction. I held this post for 5 years in total during which the face of Round Table changed.

I currently act as Secretary to the Round Table Trust a Charitable body which funds young people on community service projects around the world .

  • I am a Past President of Doncaster & District Law Society 
  • I am a Council Member at the  Law Society representing Yorkshire .
  • I am the Past Chair of the Scrutiny , Performance & Review Committee at the Law Society
  • I sit on the Law Societys Criminal Law Committee , representing the Law Society on the Forensic Science Reform Board and the Court of Appeal Criminal Division User Committee.
  • I am Co-Chair of the Crime Contracts Consultative Group with the Legal Aid Agency. Also, I write Criminal Law and Practice Manuals for Cilex: Criminal Litigation Edition 2 2025.

When I am not practising the law, I also publicly speak to the media and professionally on justice issues, miscarriage, police conduct and investigations. I teach and lecture on Criminal Justice issues , Police Station and Court practice , LAA Funding Issues and Criminal Appeal Practice . I write extensively on these issues.

Notable Cases

  • R v Sheikh [ 2004 ] – Historical Allegations Conviction quashed
  • R v Grierson [2005 ] – CCRC Referral Historic Cases – Law on Delay Clarfied
  • R v Lay [ 2005 ] – CCRC Referral Consecutive sentences to an extended sentence [ Acted as Counsel ]
  • R v Robson [ 2006 ] – Substantial Historic Case [ Acted as Junior Counsel ]
  • R v Sheikh [ 2006 ] – Key decision on Historic Cases
  • R v Wake [ 2008 ] – CCRC Referral on issue of alternative indictments
  • R v Joynson [ 2008 ] – Historic Care Home Case conviction quashed
  • R v Lawless [ 2009 ] – Murder conviciton quashed on basis of fresh expert evidence
  • R v H [ 2010 ] – Law on doli incopax confirmed for historic cases
  • R v B [ 2010 ] – Historic Allegations quashed
  • R v France [ 2010 ]  – Sexual Offences quashed due to fresh evidence
  • R V S [ 2010 ] – IPP quashed
  • R v L [ 2012 ] – Historic Convictions quashed due to misdirections on complaint evidence
  • R v S , B , C & R  [ 2012 ] – Sexual Offences quashed on fresh gynaecological evidence undermining original evidence of abuse
  • Ali , Dennis , George , Lawless & Tunbridge v Secretary of State for Justice [ 2012 ]  – The only succesful challenge to the Govt of Ian Lawless was navigated by Mark Newby as his Solicitor .
  • R v Nealon [ 2013 ] – Conviction quashed on Fresh Evidence showing DNA on Clothing related to unknown male and not appellant .
  • R v Lawless [ 2015 ] – Posession with Intent to Supply CCRC Referral
  • R v RH [ 2018 ] Court of Appeal Northern Ireland CCRC Referral ( we did the CCRC work leading to the referral and passed to colleagues to deal with the hearing in Northern Ireland )
  • R v CH [ 2021 ] – Fresh Evidence Case quashing convictions based on text messages required a 5 Year extension of time
  • North Wales Inquiry Cases – Acquittals in 5 out of 6 Cases instructed in Operation Pallail .
  • Supreme Court Hearings in relation to the Miscarriage of Justice Compensation Scheme and a now pending application before the European Court of Human Rights
  • Past Judicial Review Proceedings and a current ccrc application for Jeremy Bamber
  • A full case load of Complex Litigation and Family Law Work including Chancery and Court of Protection Work

Appointments

  • Past Chair Law Society Scrutiny, Performance and Review Committee
  • Trustee of Round Table Childrens Wish
  • Co-Chair of Criminal Contracts Consultative Group (CCCG )
  • Member of Law Society Criminal Law Committee
  • Member of the Law Society governing council – Yorkshire Constituency
  • Member of the Court of Appeal User Committee
  • CCRC Stakeholders Group
  • Member of the Forensic Science Reform Board
  • Honorary Secretary of the Round Table Charitable Trust
  • Acting Chair of the Millennium Trust
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