Hugh Park
Encyclopedia
Sir Hugh Park, was a Judge of the High Court
, Queen's Bench Division. In 1976, he was the judge in the trial that convicted Stefan Kiszko of the murder of Lesley Molseed. The case has been called one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in the history of the British legal profession.
and educated at Blundell's School
and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
, where he excelled at hockey, rugby and rowing.
Park subsequently taught at St Dunstan's prep school in Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, before reading for the Bar
. He was called by Middle Temple
in 1936, and began practising in general common law on the Western Circuit
from chambers in Middle Temple. He was appointed Queen's Counsel
in 1960.
during the Second World War and was seconded to SOE
in 1942. As part of his duties he debriefed Odette Sansom
and after the war he acted in her divorce so that she could marry Peter Churchill
.
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
, Queen's Bench Division. In 1976, he was the judge in the trial that convicted Stefan Kiszko of the murder of Lesley Molseed. The case has been called one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in the history of the British legal profession.
Early life
Hugh Park was born near ExeterExeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
and educated at Blundell's School
Blundell's School
Blundell's School is a co-educational day and boarding independent school located in the town of Tiverton in the county of Devon, England. The school was founded in 1604 by the will of Peter Blundell, one of the richest men in England at the time, and relocated to its present location on the...
and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.The college was founded in 1596 and named after its foundress, Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex. It was from its inception an avowedly Puritan foundation: some good and godlie moniment for the mainteynance...
, where he excelled at hockey, rugby and rowing.
Park subsequently taught at St Dunstan's prep school in Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, before reading for the Bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
. He was called by Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
in 1936, and began practising in general common law on the Western Circuit
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
from chambers in Middle Temple. He was appointed Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1960.
World War II
Park served in the Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
during the Second World War and was seconded to SOE
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
in 1942. As part of his duties he debriefed Odette Sansom
Odette Sansom
Odette Sansom Hallowes GC, MBE, Chevalier de la légion d'honneur was an Allied heroine of the Second World War.-Early years:...
and after the war he acted in her divorce so that she could marry Peter Churchill
Peter Churchill
Peter Morland Churchill DSO Croix de Guerre was an SOE Officer in France during World War II.He was a brother of Group Captain Walter Churchill DSO DFC and Major Oliver Churchill DSO MC who was also an SOE Officer during World War II.-Biography:...
.
Legal career
Park’s legal appointments included:- Queen’s Counsel, 1960
- RecorderRecorderThe recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...
of PenzancePenzancePenzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
, 1959-1960 - Recorder of ExeterExeterExeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
, 1960-1964 - Recorder of SouthamptonSouthamptonSouthampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, 1964-1965 - Judge of the Family Division of the High Court, 1965-1973
- Judge of the Courts of AppealCourt of Appeal of England and WalesThe Court of Appeal of England and Wales is the second most senior court in the English legal system, with only the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom above it...
, Channel IslandsChannel IslandsThe Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
, 1964-65 - Chairman of Devon Quarter SessionsQuarter SessionsThe Courts of Quarter Sessions or Quarter Sessions were local courts traditionally held at four set times each year in the United Kingdom and other countries in the former British Empire...
, 1964-71 - Judge of the Queen's Bench Division, 1973-1985
- Presiding Judge on the Western CircuitCircuit courtCircuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
, 1970-1975
Notable cases
Park’s notable cases include:- Miles GiffardMiles GiffardMiles William Giffard twice played cricket for the Cornwall County Cricket Club in the 1948 Minor Counties Championship and was later executed for the murder of his parents.-Education:...
in the early 1950s: the accused had murdered his wealthy parents in their kitchen, placed their bodies in a wheelbarrow, wheeled them to the cliff edge, and tipped them down into the sea. The man was sentenced to death, despite a plea by the defence that he was insane. Interestingly, although not contemporaries, both Giffard and Park were educated at Blundell's SchoolBlundell's SchoolBlundell's School is a co-educational day and boarding independent school located in the town of Tiverton in the county of Devon, England. The school was founded in 1604 by the will of Peter Blundell, one of the richest men in England at the time, and relocated to its present location on the...
.
- Stefan Kiszko in 1976 for the Murder of Lesley Molseed: the tax clerk from Rochdale would serve 18 years in prison because scientific evidence proving his innocence was suppressed by West Yorkshire PoliceWest Yorkshire PoliceWest Yorkshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing West Yorkshire in England. It is the fourth largest force in England and Wales by number of officers, with 5671 officers....
. On Kiszko's release in February 1992, a Conservative MP called the original trial one of the "greatest miscarriages of justice" of all time. Park himself said that he was sorry for the miscarriage of justice, but not for how he conducted the trial.
- Dracula attacker in 1977: a 52-year-old man was jailed by Park for eight years for a "Dracula-like" sexual attack on a housewife. The man was identified by the teeth marks he left on his victim's bottom.
- LSDLSDLysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
case at Bristol Crown CourtBristol Crown CourtThe Crown Court at Bristol is a Crown Court venue in Bristol, England. It is located at the Law Courts in Small Street.The building which was known as the Bristol Guildhall was built in the 1840s by Richard Shackleton Pope. The assize courts were attached to the rear of the Guildhall between...
in 1978 following "Operation JulieOperation JulieOperation Julie was a UK police investigation into the production of LSD by two drug rings during the mid-1970s. The operation, involving 11 police forces over a two-and-a-half year period, resulted in the break-up of one of the largest LSD manufacturing operations in the world...
" involving police officers - one of them named Julie - posing as hippies in the Welsh hills and London council estates. The 15 defendants, including two highly qualified chemists, two doctors of medicine, a teacher, and the American author David Solomon - a friend of the drugs guru Timothy LearyTimothy LearyTimothy Francis Leary was an American psychologist and writer, known for his advocacy of psychedelic drugs. During a time when drugs like LSD and psilocybin were legal, Leary conducted experiments at Harvard University under the Harvard Psilocybin Project, resulting in the Concord Prison...
, were jailed by Park for a total of 120 years for their part in one of the biggest LSD rings ever uncovered.
- Fowzi Nejad in 1981, the sole terrorist survivor of the Iranian Embassy SiegeIranian Embassy SiegeThe Iranian Embassy siege took place from 30 April to 5 May 1980, after a group of six armed men stormed the Iranian embassy in South Kensington, London. The gunmen took 26 people hostage—mostly embassy staff, but several visitors and a police officer, who had been guarding the embassy, were also...
.