Charles Goodwin was a young man from Salford who met and then raped his first female victim on a night...
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Overview
Matthew Curtis joined Nine Chambers in 2020 and quickly established himself on the Northern Circuit. He is ranked as a leading junior in the Legal 500 UK Bar.
“Matthew is always well-prepared and has a strong grasp of the law and procedure. He is able to engage well with all types of client. He is a popular choice with clients who are impressed by his knowledge of their case and his excellent skills as an advocate. He is also able to deal with complex and unusual areas of the law including undertaking judicial reviews in the High Court.” Legal 500 UK Bar, 2022
“Matthew is an exceptional barrister: meticulously prepared; immaculately presented; considerate to client and witnesses alike; careful in his approach and always diligent in his work. He is a delight to have before a judge and is reliable and always courteous. He stands out above his contemporaries.” Legal 500 UK Bar, 2023
Matthew was called to the Bar in 2006. Over the next 15 years he developed a busy criminal practice from Chambers in Chester. He was instructed in serious cases for the defence and prosecution. Matthew quickly established himself at Nine taking on serious and complicated cases. He impressed instructing solicitors with his proactive approach and dedication to their cases.
Matthew has been a pupil supervisor and always had a keen interest in advocacy and advocacy training. He is an accredited advocacy trainer. In 2022, he became a member of faculty at BPP University, training the next generation of lawyers. He was appointed Head of Law in 2023 and a Fellow of Advance HE in 2025. From September 2025, he will be in full time practice.
Outside law, Matthew’s main interests are his family (and dog), karate and skiing.
Awards
Criminal
Matthew’s core areas of expertise are serious organised crime, rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO), homicide, and cases involving young and vulnerable defendants.
Matthew is regularly instructed in serious defence work and has acted as a led and leading junior in several multi-handed, complex, and high-profile cases.
Matthew is a level 4 prosecutor and on the RASSO panel. He is also accredited to undertake work in the Youth Court.
Notable Cases
Conspiracies (drugs supply offences and organised crime)
- R v Lee Weston and others (Operation Firecracker) – Preston, April 2021
Prosecuted three defendants at trial for offences of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and modern slavery. The ‘Hippo line’ was operated by a 17-year-old found to have been a victim of modern slavery himself.
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/teenagers-young-15-caught-up-21132252
- R v Ryan Hamid and other (Operation Blue Elixir) – Mold, September 2021
Prosecuted a seven-handed ‘county lines’ class A drugs conspiracy (Liverpool to North Wales). Four defendants pleaded guilty and the remaining three were all convicted of conspiracies at trial.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/county-lines-drugs-gang-flooded-19082181
- R v Steven Cowell and others (Operation Samurai) – Liverpool, January 2019
Instructed by Strain & Co to defend a man previously convicted of drugs supply in a conspiracy to supply class A drugs from Merseyside and Cheshire into North Wales.
- R v Craig Eagles (Operation Tyke) – Chester, August 2018
Leading junior in a ‘county line’ class A drugs conspiracy. All defendants charged were sentenced for involvement in the transport and supply of heroin and cocaine from Liverpool to Congleton.
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/police-smashed-drugs-gang-flooded-15022310
- R v Larry Morrison and others (Operation Zonal) – Caernarfon, June 2018
Prosecuted a convicted murderer who conspired with a fellow prisoner and four others to recruit men from London to blackmail a businessman.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/murderer-masterminded-100000-blackmail-plot-14906930
- R v Mark Vaughan Jones and others (Operation Yonside) – Caernarfon, March 2015
Instructed by Martin & Strain to defend a close associate of the lead organiser in a conspiracy to supply cocaine from Liverpool and Manchester into North Wales. Acquitted of all charges after a 6-week trial.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/former-professional-rugby-player-denies-8731235
Murder and attempted murder
- R v Mickel Liburd and others – Manchester, October 2021
Instructed with Jaime Hamilton KC on the murder of a 17-year-old in Salford. Worked as part of an experienced police team. Responded to requests about telecommunications and police intelligence in an expert team.
- R v Sabir Abdulkadir and others – Bolton June 2021
Prosecuted a multi-handed attempted murder, arising out of a shooting in the early hours of the morning on a street in Bolton. The evidence included contested attribution of mobile telephones, cell-site evidence with an expert, forensic (including firearms and ballistic evidence) and CCTV sequencing.
- R v Halliwell and Symes – Chester, February 2021
Led by David Elias KC (having been instructed as junior counsel alone) in an attempted murder in which a teenager from Manchester attacked a male with a hammer.
- R v Michael Rawlinson – Chester, June 2020
Prosecuted a man originally charged with attempted murder.
https://www.runcornandwidnesworld.co.uk/news/18528587.man-beat-sister-in-law-children-hid-bed/
- R v Paul Jordan – Caernarfon, May 2018
Instructed to defend by Tudur Owen, Roberts, Glynne & Co (led by Gordon Cole KC) to represent man tried for murder.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/paul-jordan-gets-minimum-14-14687754
- R v Melanie Smith (Operation Direct) – Mold, April 2013
Led by Ian Murphy KC prosecuted a woman who set fire to a neighbouring flat in Prestatyn killing five people in the same family. She denied any involvement and painted herself as a victim. She was found guilty of murder and threatening to damage the property of another.
http://news.sky.com/story/prestatyn-fire-downstairs-neighbour-guilty-10447135
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-22294592
Offences involving death or serious harm
- R v Ryan Weston – Caernarfon, January 2020
Instructed to provide pre-charge advice and subsequently prosecuted a man for the supply of drugs to his girlfriend who later died. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/hollie-connis-death-ryan-weston-17565264
- R v Jake Waterhouse – Mold, October 2019
Instructed by Strain & Co to defend a Manchester man who admitted causing the death of a woman while driving dangerously on a campsite in Gwynedd.
https://metro.co.uk/2019/10/22/drink-driver-killed-woman-tent-slept-jailed-eight-years-10963465/
- R v Liam Rosney – Mold, December 2018
Prosecuted the man who caused the death of Carol Boardman. Using collision investigators and other experts we proved the defendant had been using his telephone before he entered a roundabout and drove over the victim, who had fallen off her bicycle.
- R v Christopher Williams – Chester Crown Court, July 2017
Prosecuted a lorry driver for causing the death of a man by dangerous driving.
Rape and serious sexual offences
- R v Charles Goodwin – Liverpool, January 2022
Prosecuted a young man from Salford accused of multiple allegations of rape and assault committed at student accommodation in Manchester and Liverpool. The defendant was convicted and sentenced to an extended sentence of 17 years’ imprisonment.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-60825046
- R v Omar Alam – Manchester, July 2021
Prosecuted a man from Oldham for kidnap and kidnap with intent to commit a sexual offence. Evidence of the facts of a 2005 previous conviction for rape was adduced at trial, following a successful bad character application. The defendant was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.
- R v Ali Rauf – Manchester Minshull Street, May 2021
Prosecuted a man from Bury, represented by a KC, for sexual assault of a 17-year-old female. Involved sensitive and third-party material relating to the complainant and her friend. The defendant absconded after the jury retired but before they returned a guilty verdict.
- R v Edward Hughes-Jones – Mold, August 2020
Prosecuted a millionaire alleged with historic sexual offences against two complainants. The defendant was represented by John Cooper KC.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/millionaire-cleared-carrying-out-historic-18838100
- R v Carl Martin – Mold, March 2020
Prosecuted a popular pub landlord from Llanrwst who was convicted of 15 counts relating to sexual abuse of four complainants over nearly three decades.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/llanrwst-pub-landlord-jailed-24-18369661
Young and vulnerable individuals
- R v Adam Millington – Mold, December 2019
Instructed by Quality Solicitors GMA Hopley, Pierce & Bird to defend a man accused of possessing a firearm with intent, sexual assaults and attempted robbery. Seven children gave evidence and were cross-examined under the then new s.28 procedure. He was acquitted of all charges.
- R v Jack Williams – Mold, November 2016
Instructed by JW Hughes & Co to defend a young man who admitted kidnapping, raping and inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent on a stranger.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-37939618
- R v Sion Llewelyn Jones – Caernarfon, March 2015
Instructed by Tudur Owen, Roberts, Glynne & Co to defend an autistic man who caused grievous bodily harm to a teaching assistant.
Education
BA Jurisprudence, Keble College, University of Oxford
PGCLT (Higher Education), BPP University
Keble Advanced Advocacy Course
PGDL (Bar Vocational Course), Manchester Metropolitan University
Accreditations
CPS General Crime Panel – Level 4
CPS RASSO (Rape and Serious Sexual Offences) Panel
Youth Court Accredited
Pupil Supervisor
Advocacy Trainer with the Northern Circuit
Associations
Criminal Bar Association
Fellow Advance HE
