Maurice Drake

For the advertising executive, see Mo Drake.

Sir Frederick Maurice Drake, DFC (15 February 1923 – 6 April 2014)^[1] was a judge of the High Court of England and Wales who presided over several high-profile defamation cases in the 1990s including: Taylforth v News Group (1994) and Donovan v The Face (1993).

Sir Maurice Drake DFC
Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
High Court Judge
In office 1978–1995
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Personal details
Born	15 February 1923
Died	6 April 2014 (Aged 91) Harpenden, United Kingdom
Nationality	British
Children	5
Education	St George's School, Harpenden
Alma mater	Exeter College, Oxford
Occupation	Judge
Profession	Barrister

Early life

Drake was the son of a wool merchant and was educated at St George's School, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, before service in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War as a navigator, initially with 96 Squadron but soon after with 255 Squadron. Whilst with 255, Drake flew night patrols in Bristol Beaufighter aircraft over Africa and Italy and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross following a number of successes against enemy aircraft.^[2]

Career

Following the end of the war, Drake completed studies at Exeter College, Oxford in jurisprudence. He was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1950, joining 4 Paper Buildings (later Hailsham Chambers), in Inner Temple. Drake later took silk. He was appointed a High Court Judge of the Queen’s Bench Division in 1978 where one of his first cases was the murder of Carl Bridgewater. The conviction was overturned in 1997.^[2]

As a High Court judge, Drake presided over several high-profile defamation cases in the 1990s including: Donovan v The Face (1993) and Taylforth v News Group (1994). In Gordon Angelsea v Observer, he admitted he had been a Freemason since the 1940s. In 1993, he granted an injunction to Princess Diana to prevent the publication of photographs taken without her consent whilst she was exercising.^[3]

In 1991, Drake succeeded Sir Michael Davies as the judge in charge of the jury list. Following retirement in 1995, he continued to hear occasional cases.^[2] In 1996, he agreed to stand aside from a trial because he was a Freemason.^[4] He served as Treasurer of Lincoln's Inn in 1997. He also served as the mayor of St Albans.^{[citation needed]}

Coat of arms of Maurice Drake

Motto Levavi Oculos Ad Auroram [5]