francis (Frank) martiN

Frank Martin is the Head of Queen’s Arms Chambers. He has over 40 years’ experience practising as a Criminal Law Barrister throughout Queensland since graduating from the University of Queensland and being admitted as a barrister in the Queensland Supreme Court on 16 December 1976.

In his first 16 years of practice, he appeared on behalf of the State as a Crown Prosecutor.  One of the high profile cases that he successfully prosecuted in 1986  became known as the “Black Widow” murder trial.     

Since July 1992, Mr Martin appeared almost exclusively as a Barrister for the defence in all jurisdictions.  He has appeared in over 30 Murder/ Manslaughter trials including the trial of R v Roughan & Jones in 2006 notoriously known as the “Bowling Ball Head Case”.

He successfully defended the acquittals of Blair for Murder in 1998, Mills for Murder in 2000, Thatcher for Murder in 2011, Brian Clark for Manslaughter in 2004 and Amy Maher for Manslaughter in 2005.

Mr Martin has also appeared in numerous disciplinary tribunals (including Queensland Racing Tribunal Appeals) and Inquests.

He regularly appears for people charged in the Supreme, District and Magistrates Courts.   Those offences include murder, grievous bodily harm, trafficking in drugs, fire-arms and related charges, sexual assaults on minors and adults, stealing, domestic violence, choking and motor vehicle offences including drink and drug driving offences.