Mary McKeone

"Mary McKeone’s practice spans all areas of serious crime.”

UK Legal 500 2011

"Mary McKeone is a ‘very combative trial advocate’".

UK Legal 500 2010

Practice

Criminal Law

Leading criminal defence practitioner with considerable experience in serious violent and sexual offences. Undertakes the full range of work including murder, manslaughter, GBH and 'gangland' cases, large scale drug conspiracies, large scale public order offences, conspiracy to incite criminal damage, serious fraud and offences under the Immigration Acts. Has also appeared in a number of high profile cases including an IRA conspiracy to cause explosions in 1997 and the recent case of Hannah McIntyre, the teacher cleared of having sex with a pupil (2010) .

Notable cases:

• R v Kathryn Roach (Bolton Crown Court 2011) - teacher charged with sending sexually explicit text messages to a school boy - suspended sentence news coverage (Manchester Evening News) news coverage (BBC)
• R v M (Sheffield Crown Court, 2011) - rape - allegations of sexual abuse by three of defendant's five daughters - acquittal of all seventeen counts on the indictment.
• Represented Hannah McIntyre, a Classics teacher at Merchant Taylor School in Liverpool, who was charged with having sexual intercourse with a pupil who at the time was 16 years old (2010) > news story
• R v Troiano (Warrington Crown Court, 2010) - teacher found not guilty of allegations of causing or enticing sexual activity with 16 year old in a classroom > local media coverage
• Junior counsel representing a juvenile who was charged with three murders and one attempted murder (2009)
• Defending community police officer charged with misconduct (2009)
• Appeal in relation to credit on demand (2009)
• A five-handed case involving three armed robberies (2009)
• Rapes and sexual assaults, some of which have involved a number of teachers (ongoing)
• Judicial review (prison law adjudication) (2009)
• Firearms with mental health issues (2008)
• 17 year old charged alongside her mother with conspiracy to import 7kg of cocaine (2006)
• Appeared for girlfriend charged with perverting the course of justice in Narel Sharpe murder case (2006) news coverage
• Leading defence junior in lengthy money laundering trial (several £million) (2005)
• Leading junior in kidnapping and false imprisonment case (2004)
• Represented a member of "Pitt Bull crew" for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life - 3 month trial and subsequent gangland murder trial (2002)

Prison Law

Particularly interested in cases which uphold prisoners rights and challenge accepted principles. Over the past eighteen months has developed her prison law practice substantially particularly in the area of parole board hearings and judicial review. Undertakes all aspects of prison law including adjudications, Parole Board hearings and Lifer Panels and judicial review relating to prison law.

Civil actions against the police

Very experienced criminal practitioner who has had a longstanding interest in cases with a human rights or civil liberty dimension, recently extended her practice to include all areas of civil actions against the police which complement her criminal practice. Particular interest in cases involving false imprisonment, malicious prosecution and wrongful arrest.

Recommendations

Leading junior in crime (2011) "Mary McKeone’s practice spans all areas of serious crime.” UK Legal 500 2011 more

Leading junior in crime (2010) described as "a ‘very combative trial advocate’". UK Legal 500 2010 edition more

Other Activities

Has worked on a voluntary basis for the Irish Council of Civil Liberties and the Irish Commission for Prisoners Overseas. Prepared a preliminary report for the Irish Law Society on the use of Public Defenders. Has also been a member of the Management Committee of British Irish Rights Watch, (a nongovernmental human rights organisation and registered charity, which monitors the human rights dimension of the conflict and peace process in Northern Ireland). Represented BIRW at the United Nations Commission for Human Rights, in Geneva.

Also a tenant at Garden Court Chambers , London, and has been since 1990. However, since moving to Manchester practices mainly in the North West.

Background and Personal profile

Worked at Liberty as a Research Assistant.