Matthew Butt KC

Practice Areas

A leading KC practicing in inquests and inquiries, police, criminal and extradition law.

Matthew has particular expertise in cases relating to terrorism, national security and firearms tactics.

He was instructed in the Manchester Arena, Grenfell Tower and Jermaine Baker public Inquiries and the inquests arising out of the Fishmongers Hall, London Bridge and Palace of Westminster terrorist attacks. He is currently instructed in the inquests into the deaths of Chris Kaba and Matt Ratana and in the Undercover Policing Inquiry.

An expert in international criminal law, Matthew successfully acted for Colonel Kumar Lama when he was tried at the Old Bailey for war crimes allegedly committed during the Nepalese civil war and is regularly instructed on behalf of requested persons in extradition requests.

Matthew also acts in domestic criminal matters. He has recently successfully represented a counter terrorism specialist firearms officer who was prosecuted for shooting an armed robber during a dangerous police operation and successfully defended in numerous murder trials .

He is regularly instructed to represent accused officers and police forces in high profile police disciplinary hearings including hearings arising out of the deaths of Sean Rigg and Henry Hicks.

Matthew is instructed in all matters connected with licensed activities, including gambling, alcohol, regulated entertainment, street trading, firearms and taxis before licensing committees and on appeal to the Magistrates’ Court, the Administrative Court and the Court of Appeal.

Career

Career Call, 2002, Recorder of the Crown Court 2015, Bencher (Gray’s Inn) 2017, KC 2020, Deputy High Court Judge 2021