Barrister Profile

Main Areas of Practice

Administrative Law or Judicial Review
Criminal Law
Defamation Law or Privacy Law
Personal Injury

Biography

Stephen was appointed as a senior counsel after 10 years of practice at the Bar. In that time, he has specialised in representing victims of terrorism through civil actions, inquests and public inquiries. Stephen is presently instructed as senior counsel in the lead case in the Dublin/Monaghan bombings litigation. He is also instructed to represent many victims of the Omagh bombing at the upcoming public inquiry.

Other notable cases include:

• Appearing for dozens of victims of the notorious Glenanne Gang.

• Appearing for the family of Kieran Doherty, the man who was killed by dissident republicans. This murder led to the report by Lord Carlisle into the role played by the Security Service.

• Representing the family of Colleen McMurray, the police constable killed in an IRA mortar bomb attack.

• Sean Graham’s Bookmakers case - appeared for multiple families who lost loved ones in this act of mass murder.

• Loughinisland - instructed for the family of a deceased victim of the mass murder of innocent civilians who were killed whilst watching a football match.

• The Ballymurphy massacre – instructed for a family of a deceased victim.

• McGurk’s Bar bombing – appearing for the family of a deceased victim of this terrorist bombing.

• Appearing for a victim of the Killen army checkpoint bombing by the IRA, which involved the role played by the intelligence services and preventability issues.

During his career Stephen has also appeared in a number of serious criminal trials for murder, fraud, and offences under the terrorism legislation. During this time,he has been instructed in several high-profile cases, including appearing as Paddy Jackson’s barrister when the Irish international rugby player was acquitted of sexual offences. Stephen also appears in many complex fraud cases and was instructed for the lead defendant in the largest ever fraud prosecution in the jurisdiction.

Stephen also has a successful appellate practice where he is regularly instructed to appear in the Court of Appeal, which often involves appeals against wrongful convictions for murder and other serious offences. As part of Stephen’s appellate practice, he has appeared in several cases that have resulted in the convictions being overturned, including miscarriages of justice that occurred over 25 years ago.

As well as his work in criminal law matters, Stephen has been instructed in many areas of the civil law. Stephen litigates public law matters and human rights violations by way of judicial review and in civil claims. In the context of judicial review proceedings, Stephen has successfully appeared at all levels in the jurisdiction.

Stephen was instructed to represent Fine Point Films and journalist Trevor Birney in a judicial review challenge arising from the arrest of the high-profile journalist in connection with the documentary, ’No Stone Unturned’. Winning this case was a significant victory in terms of protecting the freedom of the press. Stephen has also appeared for Mr Birney in the Investigatory Powers Tribunal in London.

Stephen is called to the Bar of Ireland and he has been instructed in a number of cases at appellate level in that jurisdiction.

In common with other barristers at the Bar, Stephen is instructed on the basis of a cab rank rule, in that he represents all members of the public, regardless of religious beliefs, political views or sexual orientation.