Jazz-playing Birmingham judge and barrister retires

Dec 29 2009 by Ross McCarthy, Birmingham Mail

A JAZZ playing judge will have more time to perfect his trumpet playing – after hanging up his wig and gown following 55 years at the Bar.

Warm tributes were paid to judge and barrister Brian Escott-Cox – a regular on the Birmingham court scene – as he retired following more than half a century in the legal profession.

Colleague Rex Tedd QC told Birmingham Crown Court Mr Escott-Cox was a “legend” on the court circuit and was also known as a skilful jazz trumpeter.

Mr Justice Treacy said: “He took to the Bar and built up a formidable criminal practice in Warwick, Coventry and Birmingham while his reputation spread much further afield.”

He said Mr Escott-Cox moved to Chambers in London and became a QC in 1974, although the majority of his work was in the Midlands.

Over the next three decades, he appeared in most of the major cases in the region.

And he prosecuted in the first successful conviction using DNA fingerprinting.

Mr Escott-Cox, who was educated at Oriel College, Oxford, also served for many years as a Recorder and as a Deputy High Court Judge.

Mr Justice Treacy said Mr Escott-Cox was known for his wit and humour, apart from his skill as an advocate. And Mr Tedd said: “He is a legend on the circuit and much further afield. He is one of the finest jury advocates in the modern era.

“We bid him a fond farewell and wish him a happy and long retirement.”

Mr Escott-Cox said being at the Bar had always been a “wonderful profession to belong to.”

His most notable cases included the prosecution of Colin Pitchfork, the first criminal convicted of murder based on DNA fingerprint evidence and the first to be caught after a mass DNA screening.

Pitchfork raped and murdered two girls in Leicestershire and was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1988 after admitting both killings.

Mr Escott-Cox also prosecuted in the case of Sara Thornton.

She was cleared of the murder of her husband but convicted of his manslaughter.

The case became a cause celebre for women’s groups concerning domestic violence because Thornton said her husband Malcolm had beaten her up regularly before the killing.