A Life in Crime

Nothing demonstrates the extraordinary changes in Criminal Law than the experiences of one of MCP's most senior Solicitors, Tim Bartlam.

Tim started his career as an Articled Clerk in 1964. One of his first criminal cases was at Staffordshire Assizes (which would now be the Crown Court). Tim's role was to support Counsel in representing one of two defendants charged with the murder of a man in what would now be called an 'honour killing'.

The wheels of justice moved swiftly in those days as the defendants were arrested in June and by November in that year they stood trial. Both defendants were convicted and following their conviction the Judge handed out the death penalty. The Judge wore a black cap when dispensing sentence and as junior clerk Tim's job was to try to keep the defendant calm knowing that he was to be hung. A date for the hanging was not fixed at that time.

However, Tim's prinicpal received a call from the Home Office urging that an appeal should be made. By the time the appeal had been listed, the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965 had come into force and the defendant was made the subject of a life sentence and lived to tell the tale.

It is highly unlikely that many criminal lawyers still practicing today would have seen such dramatic changes.

For more information please contact Tim Bartlam (01553 778100)