From Crime to Crime: Harold Shipman to Operation Midland - 17 cases that shocked the world

by Richard Henriques

'If Henriques were a fictional character, he would be a celebrity, the kind of dashing, hawkish QC who turns up in Agatha Christie novels and is recognised by everybody... There is an undeniable, lawyerly authenticity about Henriques's book. He takes us meticulously through his cases... It is fascinating to read.' - Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times

Sir Richard Henriques has been centre stage in some of the most high-profile and notorious cases of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. After taking silk in 1986, over the course of the next 14 years he appeared in no fewer than 106 murder trials, including prosecuting Harold Shipman, Britain's most prolific serial killer, and the killers of James Bulger. In 2000 he was appointed to the High Court Bench and tried the transatlantic airline plot, the Morecambe Bay cockle pickers, the killing of Jean Charles de Menezes, and many other cases. He sat in the Court of Appeal on the appeals of Barry George, then convicted of murdering Jill Dando, and Jeremy Bamber, the White House Farm killer.

In From Crime to Crime he not only recreates some of his most famous cases but also includes his trenchant views on the state of the British judicial system; how it works - or doesn't - and the current threats to the rule of law that affect us all.

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

336 pages, Hardcover

Published June 4, 2020

Reviews

[Ruthy lavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must-read for fans of true crime and the judicial system.
The first half of the book is admittedly better than the second, but it is concise, well written and fascinating to hear about these famous cases from the perspective of the barrister.

[Christopher McKeon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worth reading for the gripping account of the Harold Shipman trial alone, for which Henriques was the lead for the prosecution. It’s a clear and compelling description of Shipman’s evil.
The account of the James Bulger murder trial is also moving, but with those exceptions several of the cases in this book seem rather dry.
However, my main concern is with the final chapter on Operation Midland, the misguided, badly handled and frankly disastrous investigation of alleged child sexual abuse based on the claims made by Carl Beech, now revealed to be a fantasist.
Henriques led the review of Midland and is, rightly, scathing. However, his complaints about the investigation of Lord Bramell are worrying - they seem to hinge on the fact that Bramall was a highly decorated and very senior army officer and therefore couldn’t possibly have done the things he was accused of.
In this case, of course, that is correct. But in how many cases have serious allegations been disbelieved because the accused was highly respected? Henriques might want to cast his mind back to how Shipman got away with his crimes for so long, and the outpouring of statements from his patients defending him when reports of his murders first surfaced.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just wish it were longer. Richard Henriques writes beautifully. Logical, calm and measured approach to cases that caught the public attention at the time. I found it a soothing read in these sensationalist times.

[Kenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was given this as a gift, and so no expectations. Hernriques is an eminent judge, who presided over some of the most horrific cases in the UK in recent years - from the murder of Jamie Bulger to Harold Shipman. The book is his take on it. It's written in a fairly judicial manner - it often comes across quite dry and impersonal - good qualities in a judge, less rewarding in a writer. For all his eminent cases, the chapters often feel like they could be a journalist's summation of the case - sadly it feels like the human and Henriques own thoughts and experience is pushed either to the periphery or completely absent.

It may be, like many a court judgement, there is much comment between the lines - but it's a popular rather than scholarly account and I didn't feel like I had a much deeper understanding of Henriques compared to the famous cases he was involved in at the end.

[Becky Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

So bloody interesting. Henriquez was a QC and a judge and here he's written down some of his most interesting cases. Every single word was interesting and he gives some very valuable advice to the government about the inner workings of the law, which I hope they will heed. A solid 5 stars.

[Louise Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was extremely informative and interesting. Reading about all the different cases and verdicts was enlightening and disturbing at times. For anyone interested in the Law I would definitely recommend it.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A previous review stated that this book got progressively more boring.

That's not something I agree with. I admit that this isn't a book for bedtime reading, and yes, it was a little dry in places.

But given the subject matter, it wasn't destined to be a summer blockbuster that you lay in the garden reading.

If you're interested in the legal system, then this book gives a brief overview of some of the nastier cases (the James Bulger trial and the Harold Shipman trial) from the prosecution's view point - without being sensational.

It also covered the tragedy of the Morecambe Bay cockle pickers, and the procedural failings that led to the killing of Jean Charles de Menezes and the complete disregard for the defendants in the Operation Midland from the other side of the bench - the Judge's viewpoint.

It also gave solutions for the current status of the legal system - properly thought through that our current crop of idiots (sorry - politicians) could do with taking into consideration.

[William Connelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very accessible book on the law and the legal process. The author is a former prosecutor and High Court judge and gives a real insight into cases on which he has worked. I found the Jamie Bulger case especially interesting and explains the reasons why both accused were tried as adults and the reality of the crime behind the headlines. His inquiry into the corruption of Operation Midland is jaw dropping at the level of police deception and manipulation and personal bias. He makes constructive suggestions on how to improve our justice system which, like many aspects of UK life, has been made worse by the last decade of UK government.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Henriques is a retired judge who, during the course of his career in legal counsel, dealt with some high profile court cases. This sort of memoir discusses the trials of 17 such cases, including those of serial killer GP Harold Shipman and the child murderers of James Bulger. Endlessly fascinating to see how the justice system works (or doesn't in some cases) and each is presented honestly in as unbiased a manner as possible.

[maddie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was so boring and wooden, not sure why I bothered to finish it.

[Janine Urquhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always love the idea of a book written by a barrister about their career and there are many that have been published recently. Unfortunately, some of them I've found quite heavy going with far too much detail for me - whilst I was very interested in some of the cases in which Richard Henriques has been involved, the enjoyment of the book will be determined by whether or not he can write in an engaging way.
The book is 321 pages long with 18 chapters - quite promising as it is not too long with plenty of separate cases.
To my delight, this book really grabbed my attention at the start with a few very short chapters describing cases that were not familiar to me. The author is modest about his involvement and eager to commend his colleagues which is always admirable. He concentrates on legal principles, looking at technicalities and the processes followed whilst giving details of the crimes and defendants in a balanced manner without resorting to sensationalism. Alongside the legal theory, RH also gives some strongly personal views of particular cases (Thompson/Venables is the first chapter where this happens).
After the opening chapters that are all very manageable, it is a shock to come across the very lengthy account of Harold Shipman's trial. RH prosecuted this case and was clearly very effected by the individuals murdered by this man, taking a long of time to describe them in detail. The amount of evidence and length of trial is quite overwhelming and a reminder of why many of the current administrative processes around death are in place.
RH's measured approach to the law and the high level of respect earned from his peers make it inevitable that he is invited to progress his career. When he is appointed as a High Court Judge he is able to use his experience in different ways.
I found the second half of the book more technical and got lost in detail a few times but I stuck with it and learnt along the way.
Throughout, there is a good mix of cases, some more infamous than others.
At the end the author talks about what is wrong with the current judicial system and, very unusually, makes some positive suggestions, all of which have merit.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lively at first, then increasingly dry until the final chapter, where a range of proposals for the improvement of the criminal justice system - and the judiciary in particular - are made. For a young lawyer, it contains many hints and tips for how to improve and develop. For the casual reader, it's probably a little too dry.

[Caroline · Rating 1 out of 5]

Got progressively more boring!

[Michael Reilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

"My Big Cases" is a genre of legal books. I remember years ago reading Louis Nizer's version. Alan Dershowitz has written a couple of them. Clarence Darrow wrote one. James Brosnahan and Michael Mansfield in England wrote them.

Those books have things in common. The lawyers give you a sense of what their famous clients were like. They tell you what had to be done to get ready for trial. They give you the tactical details of how they approached the evidence and witnesses. They give you snippets of the cross examination and the high-tension moments in the trial. Because they are trial lawyers, they tell a good story.

I thought that this was a "My Big Cases" book, but I was wrong. It could have been. Henriques is an accomplished English barrister and then Judge. He was involved in more than his share of huge cases.

He prosecuted the two eleven-year-old boys who kidnapped, tortured and murdered a two-and-a-half-year-old and left him on railroad tracks to be run over. He prosecuted Doctor Harold Shipman, the most prolific serial killer in English history. As a judge he presided at the Transatlantic Airline Plot, which involved an attempt to blow up seven transatlantic flights on the same day. Overall, he tried or presided as a judge in over 100 murder cases.

There is nothing juicy in this entire book. In almost every case discussed in this book, he summarizes the evidence for each side. He discusses some of the big picture tactical decisions and draws a conclusion or two.

We get no personal insights to the personalities of the Defendants, witnesses or lawyers. All of his opposing lawyers are "sound" or "accomplished". His typical description of opposing council is, "My abiding recollection of the case is the very high standard of advocacy of all involved." It made me want to go back and read a few Rumpole stories.

Ricard Henriques was obviously a very accomplished trial lawyer and Judge. He also appears to the epitome of the discreet English lawyer. Most of the cases he discusses are interesting but his discussion of them reads like a summary of his calm reflection and not the story of the hectic insanity of a high stakes trial. I don't believe that he tried or presided over a hundred murder trials and no one ever lost their temper of did anything indiscreet or memorable. I wish we got some of that stuff. I wish he was indiscreet.

[Bob George · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sir Richard Henriques educated Bradfield and Worcester College Oxford, recounts criminal cases that he was involved with as a Recorder in 1983 taking silk in 1986 and becoming a High Court Judge in 2000. He describes cases from each of his work roles.

The cases are impressive in their significance; as Queen's council Henriques had the trial of Derek Hatton and the trial of the James Bulger killers; and the trial of the GP murderer Harold Shipman
As High Court Judge there was the murder of Jill Dando and the appeal of Jeremy Bamber.

There is a short opening few pages on Sir Richard Henriques background; his multiple nationality heritage and educated forebears from the 18th century. The book is mostly simply descriptive of the crimes and the process of the trials. There is an occasional opinion on the process of the law and investigations; all written in an easy to read style. It is as neutral as one would expect a Judge to be; descriptive without opinionated judgement.

Harold Shipman is a fascinating chapter just because of the weight of evidence that was against him and the lack of Shipman's willingness to concede. We live in a time of alternative narratives; it would be so interesting to know how someone so convincingly creates their own alternative narrative. With the description of the Shipman case you can read between the lines.

[Studvet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding. Obviously a man of great insight, judgement and clarity and authority but with humility. Gave straight - forward accounts of some major criminal trials in the UK without all the emotive and sensational drama. A lot of the facts and perspectives on these cases are illuminating and got right to the heart of the matters in a clear way. My previous views on a lot of these cases were challenged and his simplified but balanced assessments of the crucial heart of the matters really struck home. Cases like Shipley where he was so casual and made so many mistakes it's a mystery why he was not caught earlier. As well his malevolent character came thru well where it has previously been ephemeral; the stupendous incompetence of so much of the police and CPS in Operation Midlands beggars belief and how the ones involved got no sanctions is in itself criminal; the huge amount of circumstantial evidence that does support that Barry George was the killer of Jill Dando that I had not heard about before :I thought the case was much weaker than that ; etc etc. Very easy to read. Yes, some sections were dry, like his 10 suggestions for the future for the criminal system but in themselves of great renegade and importance. Read it in just over a day.

[Emma Salmon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I came to this hot off the heels of reading Wendy Joseph’s incredibly engaging and educational book about her life as a High Court Judge. That was a five star read. I had high hopes for this as the author has had some stellar experiences in Court, being lead prosecutor on the Shipman trial and in the murder of James Bulger along with involvement in the Jill Dando case, the cockle pickles of Morecambe and the Bamber appeal. I have no doubt he’s an excellent advocate but he fails to translate this into his book. The proceedings read like a Court report, with limited insights into the process, the nuances of the case and the author’s own experiences of having lived and breathed it. Contrast that to Wendy Joseph’s humanity, humour and ability to explain complex law in accessible and meaningful ways through her first book. Sadly I skimmed past half of the cases and even the “show trials” had me yawning. I will return to it as I’m interested in his thoughts on the future of the judiciary and I’m yet to read the Dando and Bamber summaries. There’s also some very random observations - were James Bulger’s killers REALLY the product of having watched Chucky 3?!

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting account of several high profile criminal cases from the perspective of someone involved in them in a legal capacity.
It's an insight into how cases are built, as well as a behind the scenes look at the workings of a British courtroom.
Henriques is not without criticism of how particular cases ran their course, or of the shortcomings of the British Judicial System; whilst he seems fairly impartial in his examination of cases he has been involved in, he is at his most venomous when discussing the various politicians who have positions of accountability for the Judicial System but no formal legal experience or training.

Two criticisms. I) The author is overly polite about his peers to the point that it can feel as though he is deliberately trying not to upset anyone in his circle, and II) there's one passage that takes the analogy of a boxing match, and squeezes far far too much out of it.

[Chris Fowler · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘From Crime to Crime’ by high court judge Richard Henriques is readable purely because of the high profile cases with which he was involved; Harold Shipman, Jamie Bulger, Jean Charles de Menezes, Jeremy Bamber and Jill Dando; a superstar roll-call of tragedy.
The most disturbing case, for me, involved the deaths of the Morecambe Bay cockle pickers, a mass failure of duty from the police and especially the town councillors, who issued permits without checking and did nothing at all to prevent the tragedy, thus weaselling out of justice. In other cases, a roll call of crimes becomes monotonous (especially in the long Shipman section). Unfortunately Mr Henriques has a flat writing style and only covers the parts of each case that directly involve him. For the full case histories you’ll have to look elsewhere.

[Daniel Stylianou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a poor read. Despite what it says, this isn’t the author’s take on the deficiencies of the criminal justice system. It recounts a number of cases (some extremely briefly, seemingly as if the author barely rates them worth a mention despite dedicating a chapter to them) the author was involved in either as a barrister or a judge. Most of the recitation is nothing more than what the public already know about the case; only on the odd scenario does the author add more, or his own views.

I’ve given it three stars because the chapters on Harold Shipman and Jean Charles de Menzies were intriguing, and the author’s views on the future of the judiciary at the end was interesting. But other than that, I’m afraid it’s little more than could be obtained from Wikipedia.

[Donna Bateman · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Crime to Crime by Richard Henriques

I really enjoyed this book and the levels of detail went far beyond than I expected it to; and it captured my attention and focus.
However, there was only one issue in it; such as the last chapter which seemed to drag on for a while and it was very dry and it was a bit of a slog to get through. But I’d still recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the law of the UK and a few of its higher profile crimes
I hope that this author will be writing another book soon.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly interesting book with cases from Richard Henriques as a QC and a Judge. I had heard of a number of these highly publicised cases but I had little knowledge of the trials. Henriques provides a good level of detail to understand the judicial processes, the defence and prosecution cases, and issues surrounding the trial which may bias or cause an unfair trial.

A very interesting read and provides future avenues for the UK judicial system.

4 stars

[Eve Keeller · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book that goes into very good details about some big UK true crime cases. Some chapters were very engaging but some I felt a little lost. Court procedures isn’t something I know a lot about and at some times I felt very alienated and lost. If I understood it better it would have been five stars. It’s still a fascinating book and I can imagine some people would understand and relate a lot better than me.

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Absolutely fascinating range of cases. The book was SO interesting as I’ve read about a lot of these cases form different perspectives. Why only three stars, I Hear you ask?

Some of the cases were unnecessarily detailed in terms of the evidence. I refer in particular to Shipman. All 15 victims charged with were covered in huge amounts of detail, which was very respectful, however the stories were so similar I got confused and they merged into one and I didn’t feel that it was an effective way to cover it.

[cathryn eason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting review of varied cases

From high profile cases like Harold Shipman, James Bulger to others like the Morecambe Bay Cockle Pickers and the flawed intelligence op by the Met Police of Jean Charles De Menzies, this book was varied. Some chapters brief, others more detailed and lengthy an interesting read by the author a credible QC, Bar and High Court Judge

[Nikki Deeley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting, insightful read. I found the closing chapter very interesting as I was unaware of some of the present issues and I felt it was very important that those were brought to light. The cases were covered in a lot of detail and made for uncomfortable reading (expected with the cases presented). Overall a good insight into the judicial system.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is our book club selection and I’m so glad. I’m not normally a reader of non-fiction, but Richard Henriques has such an engaging writing style that this most serious of subjects is both accessible and compelling. He gives insight into some of the most well known criminal cases of recent times. His closing chapter on the current state of the UK justice system feels particularly important.

[tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

the Shipman chapter is the draw here. the problem with the rest is not so much that it's dry, which it is, but that the treatment of most cases is superficial, barely better than reading a capsule summary of the case. curiously Henriques J appears also to be one of the last people in the country to think Child's Play 3 was a significant factor in the Bulger case.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read but knowledge in the judiciary system is essential. The author likes to drop a lot of names of lawyers, judges and MP's who I've never heard of before.
Some of the cases were a bit long winded.

[Clive Bevitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very mixed bag. Some of the reports of the cases provide an interesting insight into the thinking and background of the situation. Others unfortunately read as if brief newspaper reports and add nothing to one's knowledge.