John McNally

Over the years John has acted with leading Counsel and sometimes alone to defend in dozens of homicide cases. He and is experienced in handling cases involving complex medical and scientific evidence.

Notable Murder & Manslaughter cases

R v Misra

medical manslaughter- at first instance and in Court of Appeal (where the legal scope of the offence was determined). Forensic issues at trial included the medical response to c difficile as opposed to s. aureus infection.

R v Z (2021)

‘shaken baby’ murder and associated GBH on another child by reason of catastrophic brain injury

R v X (and others) (2022)

multi-handed murder said to be an organised ‘hit’ (client acquitted).

R v M (2021)

manslaughter case where defendant declined to attend his trial which proceeded in absence. Acquitted.

R v XY (2022)

allegation client was concerned with others in causing 5 deaths in a care setting. Following submissions the lay client was not properly charged within the terms of relevant legislation, the Crown revised the case against others and dropped the case against the lay client. Others await trial.

R v C

allegation of matricide. Defence was based on incidence of epilepsy. Defendant acquitted by reason of insanity.

R v Z

client accused of attempted murder of child by smoke inhalation.

R v Knight

attempted murder by poisoning using anti-freeze said to be administered in alcoholic drinks. Forensic issues focused upon the nephrology of anti-freeze ingestion and the similarity of the victim’s presentation to conditions such as Guillain-Barre syndrome.