Masters of the Bench

John is a native of Birmingham where he attended King Edward VI Grammar School, Aston, followed by an open exhibition to Lincoln College, Oxford where he read Modern History. He became interested in criminal justice when doing voluntary work with ex-prisoners as a student. 

He was called to the Bar in 1976, and practised in crime on the South-Eastern Circuit in chambers at 5 King’s Bench Walk. He was appointed an Assistant Recorder in 1996, a Recorder in 2000 and a Circuit Judge at Blackfriars Crown Court in 2005. He became the Resident Judge at Blackfriars in 2014, and chairs the Central London Crime Leadership Group.

Since 1996 he has been on the management committee of the Barristers’ Benevolent Association and subsequently a Trustee and Director.

He is engaged in the Inn’s Marshalling Scheme and in the advocacy training of pupils. He lives in South London with his wife, whom he met when they were pupils in Queen Elizabeth Building. He has two adult children, neither in the law, they being a veterinary surgeon and a schoolmaster.