Al-Sweady Public Inquiry

Sir Thayne Forbes, Inquiry Chairman

Sir Thayne Forbes was called to the bar in 1966 and appointed Queen's Counsel in 1984. He was made Official Referee in 1990 and in 1993 he became a High Court Judge assigned to the Queen's Bench Division. As Presiding Judge of the Northern Circuit he conducted the trial of Dr Harold Shipman on 15 separate counts of murder. From 2001 to 2004 he was the Judge in charge of the Technology and Construction Court. He then chaired a working group on Judicial Welfare and Support and, from 2006, chaired the Judges' Council's Standing Committee on the same subject. He retired as a High Court Judge in January 2009 but at the Lord Chief Justice's request he continued to chair the Standing Committee with particular responsibility for judicial welfare in England and Wales. He retired from this position in December 2009. Sir Thayne was appointed to chair the Al-Sweady Inquiry by the Secretary of State for Defence on 25 November 2009.

Lee Hughes CBE, Secretary to the Inquiry

Lee Hughes is a Senior Civil Servant in the Ministry of Justice. He was Secretary to the Hutton Inquiry and to the Inquests into the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Al Fayed. He has a background in legislation, as the lead official on the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. He was appointed CBE in 2004 and is currently Secretary to both the Baha Mousa and Al-Sweady public inquiries.

Read more about the Inquiry Secretariat here.

Jillian Glass, Solicitor to the Inquiry

Jillian Glass is a senior government lawyer from the Treasury Solicitor’s Department. She was the Solicitor to the Lord Justice’s Clerk, Lord Gill’s Inquiry into the escape of LPG and explosion at the ICL Glasgow Plastics Factory and to Lord Penrose’s Inquiry into the collapse of Equitable Life.  Jillian has experience of companies’ investigation, insolvency, competition and other regulatory work.  She commenced her career in private practice with an emphasis on private international and succession law. Prior to joining the Treasury Solicitor Jillian worked at the Serious Fraud Office leading the investigation and prosecution of a number of international serious fraud cases.  She has experience in policy work relating to prospective legislation.

Jonathan Acton Davis QC, Lead Counsel to the Inquiry

Jonathan Acton Davis is a member of Atkin Chambers. He was called to the Bar in 1977 and was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1996. Jonathan is a bencher of the Inner Temple, was made Assistant Recorder in 1997 and a Recorder in 2000 authorised for civil and criminal matters. He was appointed Deputy High Court Judge in 2008. He specialises in domestic and international litigation and arbitration including acting as an adjudicator. Jonathan has been involved in many significant cases in the construction, energy and civil engineering sectors and recently acted for the UK Government in mediation and trials arising from the foot and mouth outbreak.

Jason Beer, Junior Counsel to the Inquiry

Jason Beer is a member of 5 Essex Court. He was called to the Bar in 1992 and is a Recorder on the South Eastern Circuit. He has appeared and advised in several major public inquiries, including the Stephen Lawrence, Hutton, Baha Mousa and two Northern Ireland inquiries). Jason has represented parties in various significant judicial reviews and inquests. As Junior Counsel to the Crown, Common Law (A Panel) Jason also appears for Her Majesty's Government in public law, immigration and asylum and malfeasance claims.

Emma Gargitter, Second Junior Counsel to the Inquiry

Emma Gargitter is a member of 18 Red Lion Court. She was called to the Bar in 2003. Her practice encompasses a range of criminal and quasi criminal matters. In 2007-08 Emma was instructed by the Crown Prosecution Service as second junior counsel for the Crown in a series of trials connected with the 21st July 2005 London bomb-plot. More recently, as a member of both the Attorney General's C List and the Serious Fraud Office's List C, Emma has advised on and appeared in cases concerning serious fraud and money laundering.