Patrick Cassidy (Deputy Head of Chambers)

Regulatory & Inquests

Top Ranked in Legal 500 2012-2021
Peer barristers praise Kenworthy's Chambers' 'unflappable' Patrick Cassidy for his hard work and empathetic nature which is 'no doubt a reassuring presence for clients in difficult cases'. Cassidy is a highly experienced practitioner, particularly in Article 2 inquiries. He is a go-to for death in custody cases, prisoners who kill while on license, as well as failures in medical treatment of patients in care homes and hospitals.

Patrick Cassidy has a developed speciality in representing properly interested persons in Inquests arising out of default in a number of public sector settings namely Police, Prisons, and the Education sector. He is familiar in the high emotional temperature of inquests and the presence of a jury whether by reason of Article 2 issues or by application of Section 7 of the Coroners and justice Act 2009.

Senior Managers requiring protective advice and representation particularly when there is a potential conflict with their organisation that is emerging as well as families who require a thorough and wholehearted search for the truth are his particularly niche.

His health and safety pedigree extends over numerous defence trials involving Gross Negligence Manslaughter cases and Misconduct in a Public Office. He established with Salford university in 2007 a ground breaking 4 day Health and Safety Course and has lectured extensively on the subject including a lecture to the local govt Association annual conference on Corporate Manslaughter.

Patrick appears in the Legal 500 2018 as a tier 1 Inquest practitioner in the North West and also appears in Chambers and Partners as recommended in Crime.

He accepts direct access instructions.

Notable Cases:

Sandwell and Dudley Coroners Court (2019) - Two week Article 2 Inquest in to death of nurse Lisa Skidmore. Case of national importance. Probation and Police offender managers criticised. Transforming rehabilitation criticised. National systemic failures unearthed. Representing senior Probation officer managing murderer released into community after serving IPP for Rape.

Doncaster Coroners Court (2019) - Two week Article 2 Inquest in relation to failures of system to properly observe vulnerable prisoner who committed suicide, Coroner in pfd report asks for greater training for officers in relation to their observation duties. Case of national importance in terms of observation of vulnerable prisoners.

Stockport Coroners Court (2019) - One week representing family dealing with failures of care home managing vulnerable patient with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. PFD on the lack of guidance of observation systems applicable to epileptics in care homes referred to NICE. Coroner found observation systems at the home to be fundamentally flawed.

Stockport Coroners Court (2019) - Jury inquest into death from Scaffold fall 8 day hearing into death in fall from height of roofer. Sub-contractor/principal contractor argument as to causation. Representing sub-contractor.

Nottingham Inquest (2017) - 3 week non-jury inquest into death of an 8 year old at the hands of her step parent. Multiple agencies involved and represented. Representing Assistant head separately from school. My client Head of Safeguarding and allegations that school did not report to Social Care the nature and extent of bruising found on regular basis. Judgement finds client exonerated and Head teacher referred to teaching council for inter alia safeguarding failure.

Preston Inquest (2017) - 2 week Article 2 jury prison suicide of young short term prisoner with history of depression. Client Prison officer who had asserted that he had asked Governor to move prisoner from wing the evening before his suicide placing him in conflict with the prison case.

Wakefield Inquest (2017) - 2 week jury inquest representing Prison Officer who had failed to regularly monitor a prisoner on an ACCT whilst in segregation. Relied upon rule against self-incrimination upon advice.

Leicester Inquest (2017) - 3 day non-jury Representing Teacher in Hospital school whose pupil had autism and was refusing to attend. Depressive symptoms. Questions over the effectiveness of inter-agency work between CAMHS and school before suicide at home.

Manchester Inquest (2016) - Advising parents whose only son committed suicide at University upon the adequacy of pastoral and medical care.

ACCT Regime Advice (2016) - Advised Prison officers Association upon new proposals from NOMS to reorganise ACCT regime.

Stockport Inquest (2016) - 1 week Representing family of war veteran murdered in his own flat after Police had permitted murderer (not known to them as the assailant at that stage) to enter house after an initial assault had occasioned their presence. Left him with deceased to wait for ambulance .Thereafter brutally attacked by murderer. Submissions on the applicability of Article 2 to the inquest rejected.

Liverpool Inquest (2015) - 3 week jury Inquest involving suicide of teacher in prison after allegations of child abuse had been made. Prison officer represented in conflict with prison case.

Burnley Inquest (2015) - Non jury one day represented family wanting to challenge the cessation of police investigations on an overdose of heroin death of teenager with special educational needs. Coroner after submissions sends case back to Police after examination of partner who was a drug addict to investigate possible manslaughter.

St Pancras Inquest (2015) - 7 day jury inquest in to death of prisoner in Pentonville prison. Conflict between officers of differing ranks as to sequence of events on ACCT document.

Airedale hospital Trust Inquiry (2014) - representing former Chief Executive after the multiple deaths of patients due to the activities of senior nurse on night duty

Rochdale Inquest (2011) - Jury inquest 5 weeks into restraint death at secure hospital. Representing staff member who had been one of a number in a struggle with patient shortly before death through asphyxiation.

Manchester Inquest (2007) - 2 week jury inquest representing ambulance man who refused to take patient who had overdosed on a drug he shouldn't have been prescribed and assaulted the ambulance men before collapsing at the scene and taken to hospital by the police. Dead upon arrival at Hospital. Doctor who proscribed referred to CPS for Prosecution review.

Reported Cases

Notable Cases - Crime:

• R v Maughan (2016) - Death by Dangerous Driving Case in Sheffield Crown Court - Press coverage
• R v J (2016) - Firearms case where a 75 year old man, formerly the Secretary of a local gun club faces imprisonment for the possession of firearms stored at his home without appropriate licences.
• M -Inquest into a suicide of a prisoner at HMP Wymott where he the prisoner had written a note of his intention to kill himself after notice of a transfer of wing was to go ahead .
• 2015 Preston CC. R v Dal and others 13 week trial.Acquitted of murder
• 2015 Manchester R v Mcgloughlin and others Importation of Class A
• Noah Smith (2014) : 2 week, article 2 Inquest into a death at HMP Pentonville Prison
• R v Percy [2012] : Misconduct in a Public Office
• R v Stapley [2012] : Misconduct in a Public Office
• R v H [2012] : Complainant Sex Case
• R v McGee [2012] : Gross Negligence Manslaughter Allegation
• Robin Hood Public House Murder [2010] : 5-week Murder Trial
• R and Smith [2010] : £100M Importation of cocaine; 6-week multi-handed trial
• R v Ellis [2010] : Knife Murder; 2-week trial
• R v Summerfield [2010] : Head Teacher, Health & Safety Trial
• R v Holland [2010] : Multi-handed massive importations of cannabis and cocaine; 6-week trial
• R v F [2010] : Child Cruelty by two adoptive parents on two young girls; 2-week trial
• R v B [2010] : Historic familial sexual abuse trial made by younger brothers against older brother; 2-week trial
• R v Broughton [2009] : Murder of a 17-year old drug supplier by an addict.  Attack with knife and hammer.
• Operation Vermont [2009] : 6-week multi-handed Murder
• R v Michael Smales [2009] : Murder allegation.  Husband who was in a psychotic state was accused of killing his wife by beating her with a paving slab.
• R v Soon [2009] : Confiscation proceedings
• Operation Moruga [2009] : Police operation into allegations of Gooch Gang.  Possession of firearms with intent to endanger life
• R v Decieco & Others [2009] : Conspiracy to Rob, including the attempted robbery of cash vans
• R v Ansell Reid [2008] : Attempted Murder; allegation of pouring petrol over ex-partner and trying to set her alight
• R v Tarik Khalik & Others [2008] : Kidnap and Blackmail; 3-month retrial on kidnap and blackmail
• R and LS Edwards [2007] : Operation Corkscrew; Gangland, firearms and ammunition
• R and T Khaliq [2007] : 8-week Kidnap and Robbery Trial
• R v Ellis [2007] : Leading Junior Counsel in this 17-complainant historic sexual abuse case
• R v Noonan & Others [2006] : Deerbolt Prison Mutiny
• R and Haughton and Savage [2006] : Attempted Murder
• R and S Grainger [2005] : Attempted Murder x 4 and Armed Robbery
• R and G McKay & Others [2005] : Possession of Mach 10 sub-machine gun
• R v Adetoro, Dixon & Dennis : Rochdale shooting case
• R v Aru : Gross Negligence Manslaughter trial of Nurse accused of killing child patient
• R v Weaver : Gross Negligence Manslaughter trial of diving teacher accused of killing student diver
• R v Ellis : Gross Negligence Manslaughter trial of teacher accused of killing pupil
• R v Flannery, Noonan & Others : Gangland Murder; 5-handed Murder Trial and gangland shooting at the Penny Black Public House, Manchester
• Gooch, Doddington and Pit Bull : Gang trials in conspiracy to possess firearms with intent
• R v Wroe and Others : The larget importation of firearms into the UK

Notable Cases - Court of Appeal:

• Carlos Sanchez [2010] : Death by Dangerous Driving; reduction from 4 to 2 years
• Sajid Shah [2004] : Successful appeal against Murder conviction
• R v Siddiqi & Others EWCA Crim 1119 : Burnley riot, sentence reduced from 2 years to 14 months
• R v Bendris Cr. App R(S) Benefit Fraud : 15 months reduced to 10
• R v Brizzi Cr. App R(S) Possession of Firearm : Sentence reduced from 4 years to 2.5 years

Notable Cases - Inquests & Inquiries:

• Lisa Skidmore (2019) The two-week Article 2 inquest with jury into the death of Lisa Skidmore who was brutally murdered in her home by a convicted sex offender who had been released on license. The family of the deceased claimed the Police and the Probation Service missed opportunities for recall. Press Coverage.
• Shannay Walker (2016) Instruction in the inquest of Shannay Walker aged 8 who died of her non accidental injuries in Nottingham. Press Coverage
• Christopher Fields (2016) - Inquest at Stockport Coroner's Court on behalf of the family regarding the potential prevention of the Murder of a former servicemen. Press coverage
• Global Construction limited (2015) : Building company allowing access to friend of owner who climbed into unsafe house under construction, fell and suffered catastrophic injuries. Fined 50k plus costs of 8k.
• Noah Smith (2014) : 2 week, article 2 Inquest into a death at HMP Pentonville Prison
• Hilda Merrill [2009] : Nurse injected 4 times appropriate dose of Diamorphine into an elderly patient
• Airedale Hospital Trust [2009] : Inquiry into the deaths of patients at the hand of a Nurse accused of injecting them with opiates.  Representing Senior Manager.
• Gas explosion at British Sugar Factory [2008] : Multi-party Inquest into a gas boiler explosion at the British Sugar Factory in Allscott
• Ayub [2008] : Inquest into the death of a mental patient whilst in custody
• O'Donahue [2007] : Inquest into death in police/ambulance custody.  Article 2 engaged.

Publications

• Criminal Bar Association
• Member of the pilot Victim Advocacy Project in Murder and Manslaughter cases.