Matt Thomason

Matt's primary expertise concerns the law of evidence and procedure in (English & Welsh) criminal trials, especially the rules relating to evidence of bad character and sexual history/behaviour. His research draws heavily on both theory and practice in examining the relationship between rules of evidence and the underlying purpose(s) of criminal trials, and how that relationship can be disrupted by the day-to-day reality of trial practice. He regularly contributes commentaries to the Criminal Law Review on Court of Appeal decisions concerning the law of evidence, and recently acted as a consultant on the Law Commission's Evidence in Sex Offence Prosecutions project.

More generally, Matt's research interests concern the entire criminal justice process, studied from theoretical, doctrinal, and empirical perspectives. In addition to criminal trial procedure, he has a particular interest in theories of criminalisation and the limits of the criminal law.