Clerking team

Mark Heald
Mark Heald

Senior Clerk - Criminal and Regulatory

Andy Booth

Lead Criminal Clerk

Joe Murphy

Criminal and Regulatory Clerk

Shell Edmonds

Criminal Clerk

Antony Longworth was called to the Bar in 1978 and has practised at the Bar in Manchester since 1979 in courts ranging from Carlisle to Gloucester, Liverpool to Sheffield. He has throughout his career conducted criminal cases for both prosecution and defence.

He was educated at Boteler Grammar School, Warrington and Hertford College Oxford.

Crown Court & appeals

Antony has a keen intellect and is able to read and analyse a case quickly, identify the essential issues and present them effectively and appropriately, whether to a jury, a judge or the Court of Appeal. He is able to grasp and follow the intricacies of serious and complex cases, including large scale fraud and drugs importation and supply. He is well able to tailor his approach to clients, taking time to ensure that he understands all that a client may wish to say and to explain the best approach but being robust and forthright when necessary. He will put and argue his client’s case directly and clearly but will also patient and sensitive when appropriate, particularly when dealing with children or vulnerable adults. He is able to maintain and develop an argument before a judge patiently and courteously but firmly in the interests of his client.

Antony has conducted cases at every level, including cases of murder, manslaughter and serious violence, rape and other forms of sexual offences, including historic sexual abuse, conspiracy to defraud, and conspiracy to import cannabis. He is a skilled and active junior when being led, often being entrusted to argue or conduct specific parts of the case and ensuring that his leader has the benefit of his views and opinions. He is also able to conduct cases alone at the highest level, eg in a 2013 case of Conspiracy to Cause Explosions lasting twelve weeks he properly represented his client in a case in which the Crown were represented by a KC and two juniors and the five co-accused were each represented by two counsel, four having KCs.

Cases

R v Payne and others (2006): Conspiracy to import £25 000 000 worth of cannabis
R v Abdirashid and others (2010): Conspiracy to defraud the UK Citizenship tests. A case requiring detailed cross-examination of the country’s leading civil servants
R v Gregory and others (2010): Multi-handed murder
R v Lawton (2010): Murder/manslaughter
R v Gordon and others (2010): Multi-handed murder
R v Simpson (2011): Historic sexual abuse. Six complainants from four families.
R v Fairclough (2012): Sexual abuse of great grandchild
R v Khan (2012): Rape. Mentally ill defendant
R v Miller (2012): Main defendant in large scale conspiracy to supply class a drugs
R v Shaw (2013): Murder
R v Drewery and others (2013): Conspiracy to cause explosions
R Ezeh (2104): Large scale importation of cocaine
R v Khan (2014): Historic rape of a child
R v Fern (2014): Rape