Inside the Case: "The Cromwell Street Murders" - Sir Brian Leveson

In this episode of our Inside the Case podcast series, Sir Brian Leveson reflects on leading the prosecution in the 1995 trial of serial killer Rosemary West, a case he describes as being "seared in my memory" as it was "not only legally difficult, but factually compelling". During the episode, Sir Brian also warns that the criminal justice system risks grinding to a halt without radical structural reform, due to increasing pressures overwhelming the courts and the risk that mounting trial backlogs will see victims increasingly withdraw from proceedings. Sir Brian went on to become one of the most prominent and influential legal figures of his generation. He studied law at Merton College, Oxford, was called to the Bar in 1970 and became a QC at the age of only 37. He was appointed a High Court Judge in 2000 and was promoted in 2006 to the Court of Appeal. In 2013 he became President of the Queen’s Bench Division and in 2017 Head of Criminal Justice. Beyond the courtroom, he is perhaps best known for chairing the 2011 public inquiry into the culture, practices, and ethics of the British press, known universally as the Leveson Inquiry. He was appointed by the Government at the end of 2024 to carry out an inquiry into the crisis of backlogs in the crown courts. His report includes controversial proposals to restrict trial by jury. Inside the Case is a powerful video podcast series by The University of Law and hosted by journalist Frances Gibb. It looks behind the scenes of some of the UK’s most significant criminal and constitutional legal battles. Each episode focuses on one high-profile trial, looking at the challenges in securing justice and the wider reverberations from the point of view of one of the key legal players involved. Content Warning: Please note the content does contain references to murder. 0:00:00 Introduction 0:01:07 The Cromwell Street murders: case background 0:03:22 Sir Brian's personal impact from the trial 0:07:48 Appointed prosecuting counsel and early legal career 0:13:18 Rose West's denial and cross-examination strategy 0:23:00 Critical forensic evidence and Charmaine's murder 0:30:32 Dealing with trial challenges and problematic witnesses 0:44:17 Jury's verdict and the question of culpability 0:49:16 Evolution of the criminal justice system 0:55:34 The Crown Court backlog crisis and reform proposals 1:04:23 Lasting reflections on human nature and the law