Mark Newby

Principal Member and Higher Court Advocate

I am a Solicitor Advocate and have been practising as a solicitor since 1993. My areas of practice are :

  • Miscarriages of Justice
  • Criminal Law - Historic Abuse Cases - Advocacy and Representation
  • Civil Litigation with a special interest in complex cases
  • Family Law
  • Judicial Review
  • Prison Law


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 cses 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 .

  • 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 convicitons based on text messages required a 5 Year extension of time
  • North Wales Inquiry Cases - Acquittals in all 5 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 
  • 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

On going work in cases across the UK . 

My work with My collegue Mark Barlow of Garden Court North Chambers Manchester is featured extensively in Chapter 26 of the new Edition of Rook and Ward on Sexual Offences. 

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 current 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 Criminal Justice Board Sub Group on Forensic Science , the Court of Appeal Criminal Division User Committee and the CCRC Stakeholders Group

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

Mark Newby - Awards and accreditations

  • Conveyancing Quality
  • Criminal Defence Service
  • Criminal Litigation
  • Lexcel - Solicitor
  • SAHCA

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