Anthony McCowan

Who was Anthony McCowan?

Sir Anthony James Denys McCowan was a British barrister and judge of the High Court of Justice and Court of Appeal best known for trying the case of Clive Ponting in 1985. After studying at Epsom College he won a scholarship to study history at Brasenose College, Oxford, where he switched to law, and he was called to the Bar in 1951. After gaining a strong practice in criminal, property and personal injury law he was made a Queen's Counsel in 1972, and was appointed a judge of the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice in 1981. In 1989 he became a judge of the Court of Appeal, but only sat for eight years until ill health forced him to retire in 1997. He died on 3 July 2003.