Hayden Rattray

Hayden Rattray is a criminal defence barrister.

Hayden represents accused people in criminal matters in every Court in Victoria.

He also accepts briefs in all states and territories of Australia and in New Zealand.

He has run more than 50 criminal jury trials including trials in the Supreme Court and the County Court of Victoria. He has appeared in hundreds of bail applications from the Magistrates Court through to the Supreme Court of Victoria and in the Local, District and Supreme Court in New South Wales.

He regularly conducts contested hearings in the criminal jurisdiction and accepts briefs to appear in opposed intervention order proceedings.

Hayden has developed a particular expertise in serious motor vehicle offences, successfully defending many people accused of culpable driving and dangerous driving causing death.

Recent serious motor vehicle collision cases:

DPP v Goonan [2023] VCC 354

DPP v Tulloch [2022] VSC 352

DPP v Tate [2021] VCC 1194

DPP v Hassan [2017] VCC 980

Hayden also regularly appears in the Supreme Court for people facing homicide charges including manslaughter and murder.

Recent homicide cases:

DPP v Troy Taylor (Ruling on Contested Plea) [2021] VSC 69

R v Taylor [2021] VSC 219

DPP v Feetham [2023] VSC 619

Re Cugurno-Pfabe [2020] VSC 687

DPP v Cugurno-Pfabe & Anor [2021] VSC 749

R v Boroviak [2018] VSC 793

Hayden appears in appeals of conviction and sentence in both the County Court and – as well as interlocutory appeals – in the Court of Appeal. He is available to advise on prospects of appeal.

Recent interlocutory appeals in the Court of Appeal:

R v Brodie Larsen (a pseudonym) [2020] VSCA 335

DPP v [Ridley] [2024] VSCA 308

Recent appeals of conviction and sentence in the Court of Appeal

DPP v Vasilevski [2018] VSCA 7

Nathan Russell v The Queen [2021] VSCA 221

Hayden also appears in quasi crime, tribunal, administrative proceedings and Coroner’s Court matters and Inquests.

Examples

Kelly v New Zealand [2021] FCA 1434

Caratti v Balmer and Associates Pty Ltd (Legal Practice) [2019] VCAT 714

Caratti v Balmer and Associates Pty (Legal Practice) [2020] VCAT 1090