Introduction:
Tim joined the Bar in 1974 and thereafter practised as a Junior in Birmingham until taking Silk in 1993. Tim has appeared in many complex and serious trials in the West Midlands and South East and has been at the very forefront of many of the leading cases involving gun crime in the West Midlands. He also played a central part as Leading Counsel in the recent evolution of the law of evidence on key witness protection issues such as anonymity and special protection measures advising the police in the Midlands on overall policy.
What people say:
“In 2018 I worked with Timothy Raggatt QC on two long and difficult cases. The dedication and hard work carried out by Mr Raggatt was outstanding. I hope to work with Mr Raggatt again in the very near future”. Solicitor – Thames Valley.
“I would definitely instruct TRQC again. I thought he was a class above”.
Solicitor – West Midlands.
Practise:
Tim practises in all areas of criminal law but particularly murder, serious fraud, drug related offences, arson and serious sexual offences as well as those matters involving regulatory aspects. His practise is geographically country wide and is prepared to work abroad where jurisdiction allows. He accepts instructions and briefs on a private and publicly funded basis. For privately funded matters, Tim offers a transparent and commercial approach to fee negotiation through his clerks, often working to a fixed / capped fee providing certainty of costs for clients.
Serious Sexual Offences:
Tim has a successful track record on rape and other sexual offences cases. Those cases include many “date” and “marital” cases where he has an exceptional record in successfully defending such allegations. For reasons of preserving client confidentiality and to protect the innocent defendants’ identity we do not feel it to be appropriate to list these cases by name in a document such as this but will supply all relevant details to future clients on request on suitable conditions as to the preservation of this aspect of the privacy of past acquitted clients in such cases.
Specialist Knowledge:
Through the cases that Tim has conducted over his many years of practise of which 25 have been as a leading Silk he has built up an extensive specialist knowledge in mobile phone technology and cell site analysis; DNA techniques and analysis; medical issues related to the homicide of young children and also has particularly extensive expertise in all matters of pathology and in cases where there are issues surrounding and arising from mental health disorders.
Cases Through the Bars Public Access cheme:
Tim is authorised to undertake Public Access work in his practise areas. Each case has to be assessed to ensure that it meets the criteria of the scheme and that it is in the best interest of the client to proceed on that basis.
For more information about the Public Access Scheme click the link below.
https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/d830a0_99f7944505e24436a6247be51948752c.pdf?index=true
Judicial Experience:
Tim is also authorised to try all Serious Sexual Offences in his capacity as a Recorder which he has held since 1991. He also deals with Appeals from the magistrates as well as Civil cases at all County Court levels.
Professional Teaching / Training:
Tim, together with the late Mr Justice Wakerley and the late Mr Justice James Hunt when they were the Leaders of the Midland Circuit, was centrally instrumental in the introduction of Advocacy Training courses for the Bar on the Midland and Oxford Circuit between 1991 and !998. He organised and taught on them up until 1998. The training he has helped develop in the UK is based upon the techniques of the distinguished Australian Professor George Hempel. Timothy was one of those originally trained by Professor Hempel himself when this form of training began in the early 1990s.
Since 1998 he has continued to train advocates and advocacy trainers on a regular basis on behalf of the Inner Temple as a senior member of the Inns Advocacy Training Committee and has delivered Advocacy Training to both the Judiciary and Advocates in Singapore and at the International Criminal Court at The Hague.
Appointments:
1972 Called to the Bar.
1972-1974 Tutor in criminal procedure and the law of evidence – Inns of Court School of Law
1991-to date Recorder of the Crown Court (Crime/Civil & Serious Sexual Offences)
1992-1998 Director of Advocacy Training – Midland Circuit
1993 Appointed Queens Counsel
1999 Bencher of the Inner Temple
2001-May 2020 Head of Chambers, 4 King’s Bench Walk
Professional Courses:
Human Rights Act 1998
Sexual Offences Act 2003
Proceeds of Crime Act 2002
Vulnerable witnesses
Expert Witnesses
Criminal Justice Act 2003
Forensic Accounting
International Criminal Court
Criminal Procedure Rules
Serious Sexual Offences (JSB)
Other Professional memberships:
Inner Temple
Midland Circuit
Criminal Bar Association
South Eastern Circuit
Leisure Activities:
Golf, Scuba Diving, Bridge
