Martin Downs has appeared in a widely reported case where a young male was made a ward of Court and prevented from going to Syria to preserve his life.
Mr Justice Hayden said that, the actions of Brighton and Hove City Council had been at “an extraordinary level of intervention”, saying: “It has kept him alive”.
He was instructed by Natasha Watson, Principal Solicitor at Orbis Law on behalf of Brighton and Hove City Council.
Martin Downs appeared in the first cases where the Courts were asked to make civil orders to prevent children and young people being taken to Syria in 2015 and has appeared in about twenty such hearings subsequently. Martin Downs has also written widely on the subject.
David Evans QC, Marina Wheeler QC, Matthew Hill and Matt Flinn have also acted recently in a series of cases about issues arising from Family Division proceedings including disclosure to the Police and Intelligence Services.
Angus McCullough QC has appeared in many of these cases instructed as a special advocate.
Marina Wheeler QC has been interviewed on BBC Radio and written widely elsewhere on the legal issues thrown up by these cases
