John Benson KC

Prosecution

R v R [2025] (Reading Crown Court) Murder. D formed irrational view that his wife was having an affair (denied). D stabbed her to death after an argument concerning her alleged infidelity. Psychiatric evidence obtained by D and P concluded that D was suffering from severe mental illness amounting to abnormality of mental functioning. Plea to manslaughter on ground of diminished responsibility accepted. Hospital Order with restriction order imposed.

R v B [2025] (Liverpool Crown Court) murder. D drove his car at deceased in road outside a property where a party was taking place to which both parties had been invited. Convicted after trial.

R v W [2025] (Manchester Crown Court) RASSO. In late 60s early 70s D worked on family farm to which 2 complainants were visitors. Subsequently D obtained employment working with children in care. Serious sexual abuse involving 5 victims in total over a number of years. Convicted after trial.

R v B and S [2024] (Oxford Crown Court) murder. Both defendants charged with murder of a man they had arranged to meet to buy an expensive watch. Ds travelled from Midlands to Oxford. Victim and two friends ran off with watch when purporting to examine it. Chased by Ds who stabbed deceased (murder) and one of friends (attempt murder). Convicted after trial. Third man left UK and travelled to Dubai to avoid arrest.

R v R [2024] (Wolverhampton Crown Court) RASSO/Coercive. Victim subjected to rape, violence and coercive behaviour over a number of years. D denied all allegations alleging fabricated. Convicted after trial.

R v C [2024] (Liverpool Crown Court) murder. D stabbed a male acquaintance in her home. No independent witnesses but persuasive forensic evidence. Self-defence and loss of control raised. Judge declined to leave loss of control to jury. Convicted after trial. On appeal against Judge’s decision (Centre for Women’s Justice representing D) CoA dismissed appeal: [2024] EWCA Crim 1400

R v S [2023] (Chester Crown Court) murder. D and deceased were both HGV drivers working from a distribution centre in Cheshire. An argument in the compound resulted in violence in which deceased suffered neck compression resulting in death. D said self-defence. Issues of causation and intent. Acquitted after trial.

R v M [2023] (Liverpool Crown Court) murder. D punched deceased once possibly twice after argument in street late at night. Deceased suffered traumatic brain injury from which he died. P accepted manslaughter.

R v O’S [2014, appeal pending] (Liverpool Crown Court) murder. D stabbed her male partner in their home. Issues of self-defence and loss of control. Convicted after trial. Appeal in 2026 founded on new expert evidence relating to psychological condition affecting gravity of qualifying trigger. Judgment reserved.

Defending

R v M (Croydon Crown Court, 2024): Represented defendant at trial. D a serving police constable, charged with 14 counts of rape, two of kidnapping and breach of Non-molestation Order. Two complainants- one under 16 years of age. Court ordered joinder of counts. Unsurprisingly case attracted considerable publicity. Defence so far as first complainant was that allegations untrue and never took place. So far as second complainant was concerned all sexual activity was consensual.

R v LR (Central Criminal Court, 2023): Represented one of 3 defendants charged with murder of young woman following lengthy period of abusive and ‘dehumanising’ behaviour. Huge number of messages relevant to issues downloaded from mobile. Additional count of preventing her lawful burial. Cut throat defence. Case involved challenging issues concerning evidence of young children who had witnessed the events leading up to death. Victim found in advanced state of decomposition so pathologist opinion on what injuries had been sustained and how inflicted was problematic. Defendants advanced descriptions of what they alleged other defendants had done to victim so cross-examination of expert to corroborate client’s case was necessary and to demonstrate mechanism of injuries.

R v C (Liverpool Crown Court, 2023): Represented P at trial of defendant charged with murder by stabbing of male acquaintance. Issues of self-defence, loss of control and diminished responsibility. D asserted no recollection of the incident. Psychiatric and Psychological experts called by P and D.

R v R (Southwark Crown Court, 2023): Represented appellant on his appeal against conviction by justices of a sexual assault. Complainant a well-known media personality. Assault alleged at an awards evening where complainant was compere and announced winners of awards.

R v S (Cardiff Crown Court, 2023): Represented defendant charged with murder of girlfriend. P alleged death caused by deep gynaecological penetrating injury. Pathologist struggled to identify fatal injury so P relied on other experts in specialist fields. Cross-examination necessary to test opinions on nature of injury and causal connection to death.

R v K (Inner London Crown Court, 2022): Represented defendant charged with murder of acquaintance by stabbing in communal doorway of D’s flat. D and victim were both Latvian nationals. Interpreters required for Latvian witnesses and D. Incident followed a visit by D and victim and others known to victim at a club where CCTV showed interactions between them. P called witnesses to say that D made a mobile call to one of victim’s friends at the club threatened to kill the victim. The fact and timing of this call denied. D asserted that on his return home he was attacked by victim and others and acted in self-defence. Behaviour of those involved partly captured on CCTV. A very challenging case. Bad character application (resisted) so far as d concerned.

R v G-C (Maidstone Crown Court, 2021): Represented one of 4 defendants charged with the murder of a young man in Brighton. The deceased wandered into a large house in the town centre occupied by squatters where a New Years Eve party was taking place. He was beaten and thrown naked over an external balustrade to a floor below. P’s case was essentially founded on the results of painstaking forensic investigation that identified the deceased’s blood in various locations within the building. Footwear marks attributed to the defendants were found in the same areas. The four defendants were living in the squat at the relevant time. Evidentially complex and made more challenging by a cut-throat dimension to the defences.

R v Bolland (Chester Crown Court, 2020): Defendant indicted for brutal murder of girlfriend. Issues of fitness to plead involving expert psychiatric evidence. Jury trial proceeded on issue of whether D committed the act. Hospital Order with restriction made;

R v Ahmed (Liverpool Crown Court, 2020): Defendant charged with murder of an acquaintance and s18 wounding of a family member. Trial. Issues of self-defence and diminished responsibility;

In the past has appeared for the defence in many high profile cases including:

R v Grobelaar: corruption allegation against former Liverpool FC goalkeeper;

R v Cunliffe & Ors: murder of Mr Gary Newlove in Warrington;

Defended one of the lead defendants in large-scale fraud involving construction of the Millennium Dome.

N v P Birmingham High Court 2025 Catastrophic TBI. Multi-million pound settlement.

B v M and Wand Stockport NHS Foundation Trust 2024 (Charcot foot amputation)

C v L Amputation of leg. 2024 multi-million pound settlement.

O (Deceased) v Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospital NHS Trust Birmingham High Court 2023 (asbestosis/lung cancer). Liability issue.

F v Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust 2000. Surgical negligence. Substantial damages settlement.

• • Regular contributor at Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence Conferences.
  • Chaired AvMA Conference 2015.
  • Recently given talks on bad character and the cut-throat defence.
  • Hobbies & interests
  • Liverpool Football Club
  • Wine
  • Walking
  • Gardening
  • Italy

• •  Recorder of the Crown and County Courts 1998

“A great all-round silk”. Legal 500, 2020

“Extremely approachable and very thorough.” Legal 500, 2016

• • Criminal Bar Association
  • Personal Injury Bar Association