Mark Wyeth
KC
BA (Hons), LL.M. (Commercial Law), MCI(Arb)
Bencher of the Inner Temple
Called to the Bar – 1983
Appointed Queen’s Counsel – 2009
Mark is a highly experienced, versatile and persuasive advocate who is recognised as a leader in several fields of complex law.
As a jury advocate, Mark is a high-profile leader in the fields of murder and manslaughter cases, especially those involving young defendants. Many of his cases have been the subject of BBC dramatisations or front-page news.
Trained as a commercial Barrister and Arbitrator he has specialisms in international commercial arbitration and in intellectual property law in addition to High Court work.
Mark is also recognised as a leader in the area of consumer law and fraud prosecuting and defending in the most important Trading Standards and intellectual property fraud-related cases.
Examples of leading Murder/Manslaughter cases
2017 saw Mark defending in the very high profile ‘bike boy’ case [R –v- X] at the Central Criminal Court (‘Old Bailey’) in which he secured an acquittal for manslaughter for his client and as a result of which case the law in this area went under Government Review and was ultimately reformed recently. Mark was a consultee on that Government review and was interviewed extensively in the media concerning the legal issues in the aftermath of the verdict including several with the BBC and Sky News.
2018 saw Mark defending in R v X & others – one of the first ‘County Lines’ inter-drug gang murders. This case included detailed submissions concerning the admissibility of ‘drill rap’ evidence and other strands of prosecution material.
2019 – ‘The Responsible Child’ broadcast – a BBC dramatisation about a real murder trial in which Mark defended a 14-year-old boy charged with murder. Mark secured his client’s acquittal of murder. Mark declined to be interviewed about the case by mainstream media save for one article in one of the quality newspapers.
2020 – The ‘Covid 19’ case. Mark appeared as lead counsel for the defence in a lengthy multi-defendant murder trial before the Central Criminal Court. This case started before the pandemic caused the suspension of nearly all criminal trials. The case was resumed after a month’s break but with stringent measures to safeguard all participants in the trial process including Court staff. The case was successfully concluded in a fair and proper manner. Mark’s client was acquitted of all charges. Numerous members of WTC appeared in this case and aided not only their clients but contributed positively to the process helping form future policy and practical guidance for all future trials threatened by the pandemic.
Examples of high-profile High Court civil work and arbitrations
Mark is a recognised Trade Mark Counsel and from 2014 to 2017 represented Peter Hook, bass player with Joy Division and New Order, in a successful derivative claim in the Chancery Division against the other members of New Order.
2019 – Mark appears for the respondent in a multi-million dollar international commercial arbitration involving mineral licenses in Africa.
Examples of leading Trading Standards cases
2017 - Mark secured the acquittal of the client he represented in the high-profile prosecution ‘Operation Cleo’ – an NTSC case involving alleged multi-million-pound fraud on the Revenue via alleged ‘look alike’ websites.
2020 – Mark prosecuted ‘Operation Gleam’ for Trading Standards imprisoning a gang manufacturing and selling dangerous and adulterated teeth whitening toothpaste in a country-wide fraud detected at the Royal Welsh Show. This case became the subject of a recently broadcast BBC documentary.
Selected Appointments
1995 – Visiting Professor of Law, College of Law, University of Iowa
2009 – Queen’s Counsel
2010 – Chairman of the Disciplinary Appeals Committee, C.I.P.F.A.
2010 – Serious Fraud Office, Panel of Appointed Silks.
2014 – Bencher of the Inner Temple
2020 – Public Access Registered Barrister
An accredited lecturer with –
The Bar Council, The Law Society, The American Bar Association