Christopher Donnellan KC has extensive experience in defending and prosecuting serious crime including murder, manslaughter, and death by driving. He has particular expertise in health and safety cases involving death in the workplace and transport industry.

He co-authored the response of the Bar to the Corporate Manslaughter Bill, and gave evidence to the House of Commons Committee. Described as having “an excellent brain and bedside manner”. He has acted in complex, high profile cases of child abuse and historical sexual offences. He also has extensive experience in fraud, corruption, money laundering and confiscation.

Key cases & testimonials

DEFENCE CASES

R –v- Qayyum (Isleworth 2015) – Defence of man charged with murder of elderly mother in law. She died from a large number of serious wounds inflicted with large bladed cutting implement. Acquitted of murder, convicted of unlawful act manslaughter.

R –v- Kevin Goss Crown Court at Sheffield (2014) – Health and Safety / Corporate Manslaughter. Defence of a Maintenance Manager employed by Sterecycle (Rotherham) Ltd., a company operating a waste recycling plant. Company charged with Corporate Manslaughter following the death of an autoclave operator, and serious injury to another

PROSECUTION CASES

R –v- Price and Price (2015) – Causing or allowing death ; prosecution of mother and grandmother in relation to death of 7 month old baby that died from dehydration, together with charges of child cruelty. Issue over cause of death.

R –v- Turner (2016) – Murder: prosecution of man who drove his van into and over the victim after short argument in the street. Defence was accident followed by panic after vision impaired by spray in face. Conviction.

Operation Mushroom – Large scale corruption by West Midlands and East Midlands Co-operative Society executives receiving bribes from wholesale supplier. Convictions followed by extensive Confiscation proceedings.

 

A fine cross-examiner who knows his cases inside out and is like a dog with a bone. Chambers & Partners 2023
Christopher is well prepared, all over the detail and meticulous. He is tactically astute.Legal 500 2022
Calm and persuasive, he's particularly good on road traffic death cases, which represent quite a technical area of criminal law. He's been on reported cases, and has a strong technical understanding of how motor vehicles work. Chambers & Partners 2021
Exactly what one would expect and hope for in a senior prosecutor.Legal 500 - 2020

Further information

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