Chambers & Partners 2012 - Leading Junior, Administrative and Public Law (The Regions)
Legal 500 2011 - Regional Bar - Northern Circuit (Crime)
Chambers & Partners 2011 - Leading Junior, Civil Liberties (Northern)
Legal 500 2010
Chambers & Partners 2010 - Leading junior in Administrative and Public Law
Chambers & Partners 2009 - Leading junior in Administrative and Public Law
Chambers & Partners 2009
Legal 500 2008
Legal 500 2006
Pete practices mainly in human rights, public, prison, inquest and criminal law, and is a regular commentator on such matters in the media. He was a founding member of Chambers and is also a tenant at our fraternal set; Garden Court Chambers, London, although practicing solely from GCN. He has appeared in a number of landmark cases including; R v Brockhill Prison, ex parte Evans (No 2) [2000] 3WLR 843 (false imprisonment), Ezeh & Connors v UK, [2004] 39 EHRR 1 (Article 6; prison adjudications), and; R (on the application of Middleton) v Sec of State Home Dept [2004] 2 AC 182. (Article 2; custody death Inquests). Pete appeared in the leading IPP case; R (James) v Secretary of State for Justice [2009] 2 WLR 1149 (systemic breach of public law duty to provide measures by which IPP prisoners can demonstrate they are no longer dangerous by the time their minimum term expires, and violation of Article 5), which is currently before the ECtHR, and in; R (Noone) v Secretary of State for Justice [2010] UKSC (an important case rectifying the way in which thousands of prison sentences are calculated).
Pete also specialises in international human rights, international and EU law including extradition, cases involving miscarriages of justice, protest cases, and he has a particular expertise in statutory interpretation. He regularly appears in the High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and Court of Human Rights. Much of his practice is high-profile, and he has undertaken leading briefs at all levels including the Supreme Court. Pete represented Reggie Kray (on parole matters), Robert Brown (who served 26 years of a life sentence for a murder he did not commit before the conviction was quashed), and Michael Shields (the football fan wrongly convicted of attempted murder in Bulgaria, who was pardoned in 2009). Pete also represented the family of Jessie James, a 15 year old brutally gunned down in Manchester in 2006, at the Inquest into his death.
Human rights
Pete regularly advises on all aspects of human rights law and has appeared in many important HR cases domestically and in the Court of Human Rights. His most notable cases have been; Middleton (Article 2), Ezeh and Connors (Article 6) and JF and Thompson [2010] (Article 8; declaration of incompatibility).
International law
Pete’s international law work includes such matters as a proposal for new Prison Law provisions for the Maldives government, and he has written a report for the Bar Human Rights Committee on the deteriorating Human Rights situation in Bahrain following a trial observation in July 2010; more . He has appeared in the Petitions Committee of the European Parliament arguing that the Bulgarian state should honour its commitments to due process under the EU Treaty, in respect to miscarriages of justice, and he has advised the NI Human Rights Commission in respect to the right to life and the carrying of ‘Personal Protection Weapons’.
Prison law
Pete regularly deals with judicial review and Court of Human Rights applications regarding release dates, parole, adjudications, and prison conditions. He has represented Claimants in a number of leading release-date, false imprisonment, adjudication and IPP cases. He also undertakes civil actions against the Ministry of Justice, amongst other actions, for breach of Article 5, assault, negligence and misfeasance. Pete also does some first instance prison work including difficult adjudications and lifer panels. He has appeared at all levels in prison law; Adjudications, Lifer panels, High Court, Court of Appeal, House of Lords and Supreme Court, and Court of Human Rights. Pete has written and presented a number of prison law courses, and currently leads the GCN 5-day prison law course aimed at solicitors, which is run two or three times a year and is regularly oversubscribed. He also regularly teaches on judicial review and public law.
Criminal law
Pete has a thriving appellate practice including cases involving miscarriages of justice, and cases involving the legality of sentences. He appeared in R v Robert Brown [2002] (murder conviction quashed after 26 years imprisonment, and thereafter for the compensation claim), and represented Michael Shields the football fan who was wrongly convicted of attempted murder in Bulgaria and in 2009 became the only person ever to receive a UK pardon in respect of a foreign conviction. He has been involved in a number of Criminal Cases Review Commission referrals.
At first instance Pete appears predominantly in the Crown Courts at Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Preston and Sheffield. He undertakes a full range of defence work, from murder to serious fraud, and from drug trafficking to Gbh. Pete is particularly interested in cases involving civil liberties, political, prison law, extradition, mental health, international or human rights issues.
Pete also has a substantial High Court criminal practice including appeals by way of Case Stated and judicial review.
Civil actions against the police
Pete has considerable experience in actions against the Ministry of Justice and the police for assault and negligence, wrongful arrest and false imprisonment, malicious prosecution and misfeasance in public office. He has particular experience of cases involving civil liberties, prison, political, extradition, terrorism charges, mental health and human rights issues.
In recent times Pete has run a number of judicial reviews and civil actions instructed by Trade Unions, relating to the retention of DNA, fingerprints, photographs and PNC records relating to wrongly arrested suspects; often teachers and fire fighters against whom workplace allegations are made.
Inquests
Pete appears in high profile inquests following controversial deaths and has also represented families of prisoners at inquests since he was called to the bar in 1992. He was instructed for the family in the inquest into the death of Jessie James (an innocent 15 year old boy who was shot dead in a public park), and he appeared in the Abergele cyclists inquest [2007] (four members of the North Wales Cycle Club killed on the A547 by a skidding car). He is often instructed by Trade Unions in this area of work, particularly in work related deaths.
Pete undertakes judicial review of inquest decisions and rulings, and appeared for the family at the Public Inquiry into the death of Bernard ‘Sonny’ Lodge (a prisoner who died at HMP Manchester in 1998), set up following a defective Inquest, and which reported in late 2009. Pete also appeared at all stages of the Middleton case; the landmark case relating to Article 2 and inquest jury verdicts.
Civil Liberties and Human Rights - Northern (2012) "Pete Weatherby is a top-drawer practitioner who is singled out for the "commitment and tenacity" he displays in his well-established practice covering a broad range of complex civil liberties cases. Recent noteworthy successes include a case which held that forcing sex offenders to remain on the register for life without a mechanism for review was a breach of their human rights." Chambers & Partners 2012 more
Administrative and Public Law - The Regions (2012) " "Rising star" Pete Weatherby of Garden Court North is said by sources to be "strongly committed to the interface between human rights and prison law." He recently achieved success in two Supreme Court cases, one that declared sex offender indefinite notification requirements to be incompatible with the ECHR and another that dealt with prison sentencing. He "inspires confidence with his incisive intelligence." " Chambers & Partners 2012 more
Crime - Northern (2012) "... Pete Weatherby of Garden Court North, who is a criminal, public law and civil liberties expert. His is a name synonymous with "serious cases," according to sources, and he has a strong appellate practice. Weatherby advised on a Supreme Court challenge to sex offender registration requirements." Chambers & Partners 2012 more
Regional Bar - Northern Circuit - Crime (2011) "There are heavyweight juniors and there is’ Pete Weatherby : he is ‘extremely strong on technical aspects of the law’." Legal 500 2011 more
Civil Liberties - Northern (2011) " Pete Weatherby remains a sought-after civil liberties guru, particularly in the area of prison law, where he has significant experience in civil actions, Imprisonment for Public Protection cases, false imprisonment, judicial review and ECHR applications." Chambers & Partners 2011 more
Administrative and Public Law - Northern (2011) "Within its ranks lies the “committed and knowledgeable” Pete Weatherby , a barrister who “wears his expertise lightly and stands out as a public law star.” He frequently appears in High Court judicial reviews at the interface of criminal and public law, in ECHR applications and Human Rights Act claims. Recent highlights for him include acting in the high-profile judicial review relating to the Justice Secretary’s decision concerning his power to pardon an individual convicted abroad." Chambers & Partners 2011 more
Administrative and Public Law - London Bar (2011) "They further praise Pete Weatherby of Garden Court North, who is renowned for his public law expertise, particularly in relation to civil liberties and prison law. Weatherby is an "exceptional practitioner who is committed, knowledgeable and at the top of the tree." His high-profile case list includes the Michael Shields judicial review, the House of Lords case of R (James) as to whether the government was in breach of its public law duty to indeterminate sentence prisoners, and R (Noone) v Governor of Drake Hall Prison, a matter looking at the proper construction of home detention curfew eligibility." Chambers & Partners 2011 more
Crime - Northern (2011) "Also here, Pete Weatherby has a very high-profile practice, particularly in prison law, and also an established reputation in general crime. He was recently involved in the public inquiry into the death of Sonny Lodge, who died in prison custody in 1998." Chambers & Partners 2011 more
Regional Bar - Northern Circuit - Crime (2010) "Pete Weatherby is ‘exceptionally able and very easy to work with’" Legal 500 2010 more
Civil liberties : Northern (2010) "Outside of the capital, Pete Weatherby is recognised as one of the top choices for civil liberties. His caseload on human rights, prisons, inquests and criminal law. His recent highlights include the leading case on IPP (indeterminate sentence for public protection) prisoners." Chambers & Partners 2010 more
Administrative and public law : National (2010) "At Garden Court North, Pete Weatherby is a leading junior practising human rights, prison, inquest, criminal and public law. He has a tremendous level of expertise in his specialist areas and is in constant demand." Chambers & Partners 2010 more
Crime : Northern (2010) " Pete Weatherby ......... has a mixed practice of serious crime and prison law. He is expert in civil liberties, human rights and miscarriage of justice matters." Chambers & Partners 2010 more
Regional Bar - Northern Circuit - Crime (2009) “Garden Court North Chambers’ 'committed and extremely clever' Pete Weatherby recently appeared in the leading imprisonment for public protection case; Secretary of State for Justice v Walker and James.” Legal 500 2009 more
Leading Junior in Administrative and Public Law : National (2009): Based in Manchester, Pete Weatherby of Garden Court North has "unrivalled knowledge of administrative and public law in the North" and specialist expertise in prison law. "He's a junior with virtually the same level of knowledge and experience as a silk," peers say. Clients find him "prompt, proactive and very personable." more
Leading Junior in Civil Liberties: Northern (2009) "Specialising in prison law, Pete Weatherby is "a brilliant lawyer who has taken on some important cases." He is counsel for Michael Shields, the football fan serving a sentence for the attempted murder of a barman in Bulgaria in 2005." more
Leading Junior in Crime: Northern (2009): Pete Weatherby has a specialist criminal practice; he acts mainly in cases which have civil liberties or human rights points involved, as well as in miscarriage of justice and High Court and Court of Appeal cases. Clients agree that "he is extremely academic, has a good way with clients and can really argue his point in court, no matter how tough it gets." more
Regional Bar - Northern Circuit - Crime (2008) "Garden Court North Chambers' 'very clever' Pete Weatherby continues to score victories in prison ...law cases with unerring regularity; Weatherby ...succeeded on appeal against the Ministry of Justice in the case of James." Legal 500 2008 more
Leading Junior in Civil Liberties: Northern (2008): "Pete Weatherby also receives praise. Solicitors observe that 'he applies his mind to a problem and really gets stuck in'. He appeared in R (Lunn) v Governor of HMP Moorland, a case that raised the question of whether the lawfulness of a person's continued detention was to be determined by reference to the terms of the order of the court directing his imprisonment or by the sentence handed down by the judge." (Chambers & Partners 2008) more
Regional Bar - Northern Circuit - Crime (2007) "Garden Court North Chambers' 'exceptional' Pete Weatherby, with a formidable reputation in police and prison law, appeared for the appellant in the high-profile R (Lunn) v Governor of HMP Moorland" UK Legal 500 2007 edition
Leading Junior in Human Rights: Northern (2007): "Highly regarded Pete Weatherby's primary areas of practice are prison, criminal and inquest law. After appearing in the Middleton inquest, he has seen a huge development in his inquiry practice generally. On the prison law side, he has been involved in some cutting-edge judicial reviews, particularly with respect to fair trial, privacy and liberty and prohibition from torture issues. He appeared recently in R (Lunn) v Governor of HMP Moorland and R (R) v Manchester City Youth Court. Other notable cases include Keith Rose v DPP, a public indecency case, and Sierny v DPP." Chambers & Partners 2007 more
Regional Bar - Northern Circuit - Crime "Garden Court North's judicial review expert Pete Weatherby has an 'exceptional legal mind' and 'is instructed where there are difficult or uncertain points'." UK Legal 500 2006 edition.
Leading Junior in Human Rights: Northern (2006): "Interviewees single out Pete Weatherby. Practising in crime, prison law and inquest work, he is 'terrific' and is increasingly receiving instructions from solicitors in the region and beyond. Recent highlights include appearing before the House of Lords in Middleton, concerning the applicability of Article 2 to inquests into death in custody" Chambers & Partners 2006. more
Leading Junior in Human Rights: Northern (2005): "Pete Weatherby has a broad criminal defence practice, the mainstay of which is civil liberties expertise. He is particularly respected for his dealings in cases with a prison law or mental health element" Chambers & Partners 2005, p1626.
Also a tenant at Two Garden Court , London, but has always practised from Manchester.Executive Member of the Bar Human Rights Committee > more A member of the Equality and Human Rights Commission's (EHRC) Preferred Counsel Panel > more Member of Mancheter Prison Law Practitioners Group (MPLPG)
Has also written and teaches a 5-day prison law course several times a year and regularly writes and delivers courses on all aspects of human rights, prison and public law, judicial review and aspects of criminal law.
Bar Human Rights CommitteeLibertyInquest Lawyers Group