MASTER WORSLEY INNER TEMPLE YEARBOOK 2016–2017
“…as he often used to say, he had dedicated himself to ‘getting at the truth.’ ”
Sessions) from 1969 to 1971; Junior Treasury Counsel from
1971 to 1974 and Senior Treasury Counsel at the Central
Criminal Court from 1974 to 1985. He was elected a Bencher
of the Inner Temple in 1980 and was head of chambers at 6
King’s Bench Walk for 22 years.
In 1984, the decision by the Attorney General Sir Michael
Havers to sack four Treasury Counsel (including Worsley)
was regarded as inexplicable in the legal world and created
an uproar. The four ‘victims’ later issued successful writs
for libel, targeting the manner in which the sackings had
been reported in the press. Three of the four continued to
enjoy flourishing careers and in 1985 were successful in their
applications for ‘silk’. As Queen’s Counsel, Worsley remained
much in demand for heavy prosecution work.
His style of advocacy was idiosyncratic. He might, for
example, interrupt his own aggressive cross-examination
of a defendant to offer reassurance that it was “nothing
personal”. Some of his trials became legal tutorials for judges
who appeared to have only a passing familiarity with certain
rules of evidence.
There were many tales (some no doubt apocryphal)
of Worsley’s exchanges with the Bench. One story runs
that, appearing in the House of Lords, his submissions were
interrupted by Lord Diplock citing precedent: “Mr Worsley,
this is nonsense. The case of Brown is against you.” “Has
your lordship read the case?” “Yes,” snapped Diplock.
“Recently?” asked Worsley.
In the 1960s, Worsley liked to lunch at the Rex Cafe, a
sandwich bar opposite the Old Bailey, typically returning for
a working ‘high tea’ (two or three rounds of eggs and bacon,
a plate of bread and butter, numerous cups of tea and, in
warmer weather, a helping of strawberry ice cream) at about
4.30 pm with the police officers in his case.
One day, returning to the Old Bailey from lunch at the
Rex, he was served with a writ for negligence issued by a
man he had defended six years earlier. The case (Rondel v
Worsley) raised the question as to whether a barrister could
ever be liable in negligence in respect of his conduct of a
case in court and became a cause célèbre. It was eventually
resolved in Worsley’s favour by the House of Lords. As for the
merits of the allegation, professional negligence on Worsley’s
part was universally regarded as inconceivable.
Worsley was an enthusiastic member of the Garrick,
loved the music of all the Bach family, Chopin and Liszt, and
owned some very fast cars over the years.
In 1962, he married Pamela Philpot, whom he had
first met at the Grand Hotel, Eastbourne, while pursuing
a common interest in ballroom dancing. Tragedy struck
with the death in 1966 of their first son at the age of three
months, and in 1980 when Pamela died of cancer aged 48.
In 1986, he married his second wife, Jane, who
survives him with a son by his first marriage, and a stepson
and stepdaughter.
A devout Roman Catholic, Worsley derived strength and
solace from his faith throughout his life and, most particularly,
when beset by the two family tragedies.
Michael Worsley ��,
born 9 February 1926, died 22 December 2015.
Courtesy of The Telegraph
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