My father, William Nash, who has died aged 72 of a brain tumour, was a campaigning lawyer who relished a fight with the establishment and broke new ground on human rights.
He was one of those who defended the journalist Crispin Aubrey and the former signals officer John Berry during the controversial ABC trial in 1978, where his clients were accused of breaching the Official Secrets Act. The case was a landmark one regarding journalistic freedom and the ability to question the arcane dealings of the security services. During proceedings, the government labelled William a threat to national security and tried to remove him from court.
Later in life, William moved to legal aid criminal defence, where he acted to protect rights in an everyday sense – ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, had access to justice. He was a fixture of the courts where his unkempt appearance belied a formidable intellect – even when, as happened twice in his career, he accidentally set himself on fire in court (he had forgotten to put out his pipe).
William was born in Aberystwyth, west Wales, to Polly (nee Mitchell), a school teacher, and Eric Nash, a professor at Aberystwyth University. William remained a proud supporter of the Wales rugby team all his life. He was orphaned in his teens and experienced the disdain of his teachers at Haileybury school, Hertfordshire, for his leftwing views. Despite their best efforts, William studied law at Oxford and qualified as a solicitor in the early 1970s.
In 1973, William became legal officer at the National Council for Civil Liberties (now Liberty). He acted for several communities experiencing discrimination including Travellers, young people, LGBTQ+ communities, and servicemen who had deserted, as well as defending the right to protest. He wrote briefings to parliament before the introduction of stop and search, arguing that it was likely to discriminate against ethnic minorities.
He was also a pioneer in his understanding of the role that the European court of human rights could play in challenging unjust laws and practices – and was the first person to challenge corporal punishment at the European level.
Alongside his trailblazing legal work, William created a vibrant social circle around him. He entertained, and sometimes housed, a variety of misfits, waifs, strays, and even farm animals.
In his spare time, he enjoyed sailing and having heated arguments about Brexit over a pint in the clubhouse.
His marriage ended in divorce. He is survived by his two children, Megan and me, and two stepchildren, Penny and Kirsty.
