Graham Swanwick
Sir Graham Russell Swanwick,
Biography
Early life and legal career
Swanwick was the son of Eric Drayton Swanwick, a solicitor, and Margery Eleanor (née Norton), of Whittington House,
Returning to the Bar after the war, Swanwick moved from common law to criminal and civil work. He practised from 1 King's Bench Walk (later 36 Bedford Row), of which he became the head. Swanwick was appointed a
In 1962, he led the prosecution against James Hanratty, nicknamed the 'A6 murderer'. The trial ran for 21 days, the longest criminal trial in English legal history up to that time. Hanratty was convicted of murder and hanged. Swanwick remained convinced of Hanratty's guilt when doubt arose as to whether he was guilty. In 2002, the Court of Appeal ruled that his guilt was beyond doubt due to DNA evidence.
Among his other notable cases, in 1964 Swanwick defended John Denby Wheater, a solicitor involved in the Great Train Robbery. In 1965, he appeared for barrister Michael Worsley against his former client, the wrestler Norbert Rondel: the case reaffirmed the principle that barristers were immune from an action for negligence from a client.
Judicial career
Swanwick was appointed to the
In 1976, he tried 14 prison officers charged with assaulting the Birmingham Six in prison; they were acquitted by the jury. In 1977, he tried the so-called "Epping Torso murder case", in which London criminals Reginald Dudley and Robert Maynard were convicted of the murders of Billy Moseley and Micky Cornwall. Dudley and Maynard's convictions were quashed in 2002.
Family
Swanwick married Helen Barbara Reid in 1933; they had two sons before divorcing in 1945. In 1952, he married Mrs Audrey Celia Parkinson, daughter of H. C. Hextall, of Ford, Ashurst, Steyning, Sussex; she died in 1987. David Swanwick, “Swany,” United States and World Extreme Skiing Champion is his grandson. [1]
References
- ^ Debrett's People of Today, Debrett's Peerage Ltd, 2003, p. 1916
- "Sir Graham Swanwick", The Daily Telegraph, 26 June 2003
- James Morton, "Sir Graham Swanwick", The Guardian, 3 July 2003
- "Sir Graham Swanwick", The Times, 4 July 2003