Courtenay Griffiths

Courtenay Delsdue McVay Griffiths KC (10 October 1955 – 23 June 2025) was a Jamaican-born British barrister, who defended in some high-profile cases. He was a member of Wyeth Thomas Chambers. Called to the bar in 1980, Griffiths was among the first black lawyers to take silk, being made then-Queen's Counsel in 1998.

Early life Born in Kingston, Jamaica on 10 October 1955, the second youngest child of a carpenter father, Educated at Bablake School, he graduated in 1979 with an LLB (Hons) from the London School of Economics.

Career Griffiths pursued a law career after his father told him stories about Norman Manley QC, the first Prime Minister of Jamaica. Griffiths was called to the bar in 1980. and Leeds Metropolitan University. In 2008, he gave the annual Norman Manley Lecture at the Norman Manley Law School, University of the West Indies, which aims to highlight issues of national and international public concern.

On 16 March 2021, while representing Claudia Webbe, Griffiths was taken to hospital by ambulance.

Notable cases Brighton hotel bombing Harrods bombing 1996 Docklands bombing Risley Prison riot Dartmoor Prison riot R v Silcott & others - the Keith Blakelock murder trial which arose out of the Broadwater Farm Estate riot Goswell v Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis - for a while, this case recorded the highest award of damages made by a jury against a police force Charles Taylor trial in The Hague, 2007–2012

Personal life and death Griffiths was married to Angela, and had one daughter and three sons. and was a trustee of the Bernie Grant Trust.