Sir Peter Thornton KC
Former barrister, Senior Circuit Judge at the Old Bailey, and the first Chief Coroner of England and Wales. A lifetime spent close to how people are treated when life grows difficult, or comes to an end.
His Honour Sir Peter Thornton KC practised as a barrister in criminal and human rights law, took silk as a QC (now KC), and was a founder member and joint head of the renowned Doughty Street Chambers in London.
He went on to sit as a Senior Circuit Judge at the Old Bailey, presiding over many murder and terrorist trials. He also sat in the High Court on inquest cases and in the Court of Appeal on criminal appeals, before being appointed the first Chief Coroner of England and Wales. There he provided national leadership for coroners and reformed the service to work better for bereaved families and the wider public.
He is now a Visiting Professor at King's College London and a member of the Independent Expert Panel of the House of Commons.
Over the years, he has written and broadcast on civil liberties, criminal law and coroner issues. He has trained judges and coroners overseas and contributed to major textbooks including Archbold on criminal law and Jervis on coroners.
Across all of it runs a single thread: what happens to people, and to their families, when life grows complicated or comes to an end. The Later Years is where that lifetime of experience turns outward, into plain, practical guidance for the rest of us.
- Founder member and joint head of Doughty Street Chambers
- Queen's Counsel, now King's Counsel
- Senior Circuit Judge at the Old Bailey
- First Chief Coroner of England and Wales
- Visiting Professor, King's College London
- Independent Expert Panel of the House of Commons
- Writer and broadcaster on legal matters
