An Audience with Michael Mansfield - Review

Briefs, But Perfectly Formed
By Christian Robertshaw

Michael Mansfield is an undoubtedly talented lawyer, but could he keep the Opera House entertained for an evening?

In a poll of Britain’s most famous lawyers, Rumpole of the Bailey would probably come top. In a poll of lawyers that really exist, Michael Mansfield QC would be first - revered and reviled in equal measure.

Having been involved with cases including the Lockerbie bombing, the Jill Dando and Stephen Lawrence murders and Bloody Sunday enquiries, Michael isn’t afraid of high-profile cases.

In his 40 years in the legal profession, he feels he has the interesting ability to be viewed as both a champion of civil liberties and a 'champagne socialist' (by the Daily Mail and others on the right wing).

As I believe the Daily Mail is one of Jersey’s most popular newspapers, I was intrigued to find out how he would come across to our pretty conservative island audience – and whether the evening would be a lecture on the drier complexities of law or an after dinner speech. The answer to the latter was, I think, a little of both.

Global criminal justice systems’ reliance on DNA evidence and fingerprinting is something that has, potentially, enormous repercussions, but their infallibility isn’t accepted by Mr. Mansfield.

He briefly took us into the case of the Birmingham Six, where one the prosecution’s mainstays were the traces of explosive discovered on the accused.

It was only once it was found that other innocuous items, like the backs of playing cards, could contain the same elements as those found in the test used that questions really started to be asked. It still took 2 appeals and many years before the men had their convictions quashed though.

That media-dogged case led to a discussion about the behaviour of the media in the case of missing toddler Madeleine McCann.

The "Maddy Case" (even Mr. Mansfield isn’t above tabloid-like terminology), had, in his opinion, led to a trial-by-media environment where even leader columns were giving their opinions - and stating them as fact.

What followed were Michael Mansfield’s examples of how ordinary people can be victimised for just making strongly held views known. 2 short film excerpts, one showing 1980s striking miners travelling to a demonstration, the other a coach of Iraq war protestors in 2003.

Both were described as being consistently harassed by police – the miners, up to 4 or 5 times a day. The 2003 protestors were searched for items that could cause harm and police were reported to want to stop the coach because the items found were scissors, paper masks and toy soldiers!

I still don't know how Jersey as a whole would take to Michael Mansfield QC, but an Opera House which, not surprisingly but still disappointingly, was only slightly more than half full, was very appreciative.

The man on view is certainly no champagne socialist, but one who conveys a passion for liberty and for speaking up for those who have no voice. He came across as a likeable, trustworthy lawyer – and, I believe, that’s the whole truth.