A Life of Crime: The Memoirs of a High Court Judge: The Memoirs of a High Court Judge

by Harry Ognall

A frank and witty memoir of life at the Bar and on the Bench, from former High Court Judge The Hon. Sir Harry Ognall.

For many years, Harry Ognall enjoyed a formidable reputation as an advocate at the criminal Bar. As counsel, and later as judge, he was involved in numerous high-profile trials, both in Britain and abroad.

Among many cases as a QC, he prosecuted Peter Sutcliffe, the so-called ‘Yorkshire Ripper’. He successfully defended six officers of the Air Force of Zimbabwe at their trial in Harare, where they faced a charge of treasonable sabotage.

As a judge, he presided over the trial of Colin Stagg (the alleged ‘Wimbledon Common murderer’), the trial arising from the Lyme Bay canoe tragedy and the trial for the first time in the United Kingdom of a doctor’s alleged involvement in euthanasia.

Thoughtful and provocative, Sir Harry has advice for the aspiring young advocate, and invests this penetrating memoir with warmth, humour and understanding. His frank portrait of a lifetime in the criminal law offers unique perspectives on some of the most notorious cases of the twentieth century, as well as fascinating insights into a colourful professional life and the burdens and responsibilities that come with the privilege of high judicial office.

Genres: Law, Nonfiction, Biography, True Crime, Audiobook, Crime, Memoir

Audible Audio

Published November 2, 2017

Reviews

[MTK · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but probably only to lawyers.

[Ruthy lavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another compelling read for anyone with an interest in the judicial system, true crime and British law.
This one is more autobiographical but still a fascinating read.

[Victoria Catherine Shaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Life of Crime is the professional autobiography of former High Court Judge The Hon. Sir Harry Ognall. The book details his time working as an advocate, as counsel, and as a judge, looking at some of his most noteworthy and high profile cases.

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A Life of Crime is a short book but one that covers a number of interesting cases of varying degrees of notoriety, including that of Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper, in which Ognall worked for the prosecution. There are also a number of insights into the criminal justice system, and tips for people looking to pursue a career in advocacy. It's a quick and relatively entertaining read that I flew through in a couple of hours.

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While I did enjoy A Life of Crime, I was struck by the lack of personal reflection in this memoir, which read at times almost like a CV or a true crime post. At first I wondered if I had just been spoiled by recent, more candid, publications in the celebrity corner of the genre, such as those by Matthew Perry and Prince Harry, but then I remembered Lady Hale's Spider Woman, which managed to be personal while also maintaining professionalism. Ultimately, I think that, while interesting, this book could have done with a bit more in the way of personality to add to its appeal.

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[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an autobiographical book describing the rise of Harry Ognall through his qualification as a barrister, taking silk and becoming a High Court Judge. He describes a number of cases in which he was involved, including the cases of the Yorkshire Ripper and Colin Stagg, falsely accused of murdering Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common. This narrative is packed with interest and is worth a the read on its own.

Harry Ognall appears to have quite a liberal attitude, he welcomes women and people of black and minority ethnic origin. Having said that, he doesn't appear to recognise his own privilege and unintentionally communicates a sense of entitlement, which is a pity in an otherwise well presented book.

I found this book enjoyable and educational - just a shame about the entitlement!

[Matthew Hickey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although probably more interesting to lawyers or people old enough to recall the events discussed, this is Book is truly short and sweet.

Written in elegant and effective prose, the former High Court Judge’s stroll down memory lane, including reflections from boyhood to retirement, was enjoyable for me.

In particular, his insights into the mind of a working judge under public (particularly media) scrutiny were revealing.

[Abbie Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read this with background knowledge of Law, UK Legal System, and the high-profile cases mentioned. So I really enjoyed this from a Law Graduate point of view, and really enjoyed hearing more about high-profile cases from someone who was present in the court proceedings. I understand that if you don't have an established interest or knowledge of the British Legal System, a lot would go over your head.

[Jenny Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating account of this man’s 40 year career, as a junior barrister, Silk and High Court criminal judge. It is a profession I have great admiration for, and am surprised that people who generally work so hard, also seem to have large families and exotic hobbies to fit in too! This book was well written and I would definitely recommend it.

[Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to follow.

[Steph Ollman]

An interesting account of the life of a high court judge and the various significant cases he was involved with.

[Afreen Alam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! Wish it was longer. I would have liked him to give a little more details about his landmark cases as a lawyer.

[Chloé · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid 3.5, but I’m rounding up because I disagree with other reviews that suggest it’s interesting only to lawyers. Personally I think it’s meant for the general public. It swiftly explains the progression of a school boy, to studying law, taking the bar, becoming a QC prosecutor, and finally a judge. I probably haven’t use the correct terms there but I don’t think it matters - it’s a memoir, not a textbook. The author gives insight into his personal progression from bar to bench (lawyer to judge) using very interesting anecdotes from trials he was involved in - whether those anecdotes are courtroom gaffs, issues with high profile cases or just an unusual turn of events within cases - the book is short, funny, insightful and definitely not overly litigious. This book gave me an enjoyable insight into the world of a high court judge, of which I had absolutely no understanding of before. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about our legal system, but isn’t looking for a lecture. Or basically anyone with general curiosity about something they hadn’t considered before. Finally, I think anyone who enjoys UK true crime podcasts would really enjoy it. I listened to the audiobook and would definitely recommend it.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've ever gone to a talk or lecture by a judge or legal academic -- that is precisely the tone this book takes. Nothing salacious, self-congratulatory, or in breach of the various privacy and confidentiality obligations floating around. I've always thought it a particular skill of judges to be able to recount their careers in such a quaint and non-ostentatious manner. This was a very calming read and one I thoroughly enjoyed.

There were also lovely titbits of advice for the young practitioner. In a judge's typical dry humour:

As a very young man at the bar, I remember being led by a distinguished QC who once said to me of the art of cross-examination, "If you can't poison the atmosphere in the first ten minuets then sit down".

Ognall then set out a transcript of his cross-examination, and indeed those were some masterful questions.

[Susan Elizabeth Petrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Life within the Law

I rattled through this book mostly, I think, to skip the boring bits. The anecdotes made it readable. I am sure that those working on Law will find it useful. Unfortunately I read this straight after Rupert Everett and so perhaps gave it less chance than I would otherwise. This is a pretty dry book only made juicy by the insights and tit bits from famous cases especially the Yorkshire Ripper.

[Kattsbookworld · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 🌟

I really enjoyed listening to this book!
It’s mostly directed at young lawyers or law students and that may be the main reason why I found it so fascinating!
My only problem with this book were some of his personal opinions which I didn’t quite agree with.
I think about rereading it in a couple years to see if it actually helps me some when I’m in the path to become an actual lawyer (still a student for now).

[howsoonisnow · Rating 1 out of 5]

Provides a very limited, glancing overview of this man's career. No insight is given into the palette of experiences (emotional, psychological, social, physical) it takes to be a criminal law barrister and high court judge. Ognall identifies key cases he was involved in, including the Sutcliff serial killer, but does little more than summarise these cases in a manner not any more (in fact significantly less) detailed than one would find from a Wikipedia page. I was looking for personal anecdotes from his lived experiences - a taste of the high pressure, jacked-up adrenalin environment he worked in; an insight into his dealings with these criminals - specifics of his conversations with them. Instead, this book is incredibly glancing. It reads more like a CV than a memoir. It was very short, I read it in a single 2 hour sitting. Ognall wastes a significant portion talking about the law clerks who served him over the years. Honestly, I read this book to learn about a barrister/ judge, not his administrative staff. Enjoyably though, here were a few laugh-out-loud, amusing accounts about larrikin moments with his colleagues, although as usual, he is scant on details. Overall, I've learnt little of what it means to walk in his shoes, and I've not lived vicariously through a criminal barrister, which defeats the purpose of a memoir of this nature.

[Megan Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've given it 3 stars, but it would have been 2.5 stars if I could.

All in all, an interesting rundown of a few legal cases of the 20th century, some notorious, others not. The memoir is occasionally peppered with a few additional insights into the criminal justice culture (i.e. considerations made before parole is granted/denied, personality traits that prove useful for those of the Bar etc), but all in all, considering the types of cases Ognall was involved in, and the generous insights they would surely provide, the book lacks depth at most intervals, and I found it a somewhat unsatisfying read.

Not a bad book, probably good brain food for a train ride or something, where you're consciously attempting to be a little more high-brow than you really are to anyone who's inclined to pass judgement on your taste in books.

[Enid · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting listen. It was a bit difficult to follow in some places, as there were long lists of names and references back to previous actors in the story. And the reader's accent was a bit strong in places and it took me a bit to figure out a few words, and one or two I never did figure from context. It dragged a bit in places, but overall the cases he described were interesting. I think one main thing that would have been a great addition was an intro describing the basic system of the British courts, and the slang terms used to describe the different positions- a new term or a new rank entering into the story could be a bit jarring until I was able to figure out how they all fit into the overall picture.

[paul nevertoolatetostart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t agree that this book is only for lawyers or those training to be so. I’m no lawyer and certainly not clever enough to consider myself able to do their job. However I am working within the judicial system usually responsible for putting offenders in front of the courts.
I enjoyed listening to how barristers and judges view cases and how they view the police and other agencies. K owing some of the officers involved in the arrest of the Yorkshire Ripper, hearing how the barristers viewed the work of my friends is heartfelt. So whether a lawyer or not, it’s a short book so why not give it a go.

[Natalie Awdry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting and easy read about the life of a barrister/judge/QC in the British legal system. Ognall covered some of the UK's most interesting cases and it was really interesting to see the inside story about the cases and the nitty gritty regarding the cases. That being said, while I found it pretty interesting it definitely would have been more interesting for someone studying or interested in the legal system.

[Bystephlou · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short read with some complex language and ideas. Not sure how much I would have understood at some points had I not have studied law.

Justice Ognall talks through some of this most memorable times throughout his career including his involvement in the Peter Sutcliffe case. He also includes a chapter for 'youngsters' in which he gives tips on advocacy.

An interesting read if you are interested in the criminal justice system/studying law.

[John Mulvany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is short and to the point.

I was aware of many of the cases discussed, from the news reporting at the time, and this book gave clarity and insight into those cases.

It also gives an insight into a way of thinking that is appropriate to UK law.

There are a number of enjoyable anecdotes, making the whole package enjoyable and worthwhile.

[James Harding · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read

This is a very enjoyable book.

It gives a very good insight in to the life of a high court judge. Sir Harry Ognall was involved in very famous cases - including the trial of Peter Sutcliffe.

It is very well written and brings lucidity to the nature of jurisprudence.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An episodic memoir of some of this judge’s most memorable and noteworthy judicial moments, from Silk to High Court. I found some of the details of the Peter Sutcliffe case particularly chilling. Ultimately, the memoir was a little too “meandering”, in the author’s own words and lacked cohesion for me.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I probably have a much larger interest than most people in the war stories of a retired silk/High Court judge. Nevertheless, this is a well-told, and interesting account of Harry Ognall’s career. He writes in a winsome and unpretentious way, and gives lots of fun tid-bits about the cases he has worked on. Not overly detailed, which is nice.

[JoJo · Rating 2 out of 5]

For me this book lacked something, something that a good editor could have sorted. I found it flat and full of 'dad joke level' comments that added very little to the descriptions. It reminded me of the sort of book that appeared in the 1950s and maybe that reflects the experience of the author. I sadly learned little and enjoyed less.

[Naomi Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting book about the cases but found it vague how those memories wove into his role as a barrister or judge at times especially the latter. I also listened to this book and found the chosen narration very dull which made the book more difficult to focus on and to make the book more interesting and engaging.

[Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some interesting anecdotes, e.g. prosecuting Peter Sutcliffe, but overall a bit of a dull, rambling account. Includes jokes that only the most snivelling Tories would laugh at. And a quote by Boris Johnson as if it is a good thing.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. There were parts I found slightly confusing but that's really just because I don't have the knowledge about the ins and outs of the high court. The information about cases was really interesting and I liked the fact that he was able to include a variety of cases.

[Natasha Cowles · Rating 3 out of 5]

High court judge, Harry Ognall, recounts his experiences and insight from his time in the UK judicial system.

A little dry at times, but not bad. Some interesting experiences but with a definite use of wording that betrays the age of the author. The recollections of an old man after the end of his career.

[Lucy Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up. I need to stop reading these books, but I'd been doing so because despite myself I find the legal system fascinating. Unfortunately, this one veered too close to sensationalist "true crime" style writing in places, and had a slightly entitled/pompous tone throughout that was a bit off-putting. I found the opening chapters of this memoir to be most enjoyable, perhaps because they take place close to the area of the country where I live so I could more clearly picture the settings. On the whole, though, I've read far more empathetic, nuanced books on the same subject.