Appointment of Senior Crown Prosecutor

23 Novermber 2022

Ken McKay SC has been appointed the Senior Crown Prosecutor at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the state’s independent prosecuting authority.

Attorney General Mark Speakman congratulated Mr McKay on his appointment and wished him well in his ongoing leadership role at the ODPP.

“Mr McKay has acted as the State’s Senior Crown Prosecutor for nearly 12 months, during which time he has demonstrated he is well equipped to be appointed to this specialised and highly demanding role,” Mr Speakman said.

“Mr McKay has more than three decades’ experience as a prosecutor with the ODPP.

“The ODPP plays a crucial, independent role in the NSW Government’s commitment to the delivery of timely justice for the people of NSW.

“This commitment was strengthened in the 2022-23 NSW Budget with $215.1 million allocated to support the operations of the ODPP in the NSW Children’s, Local, District and Supreme Courts. That has more than doubled in the past decade.”

Mr McKay’s appointment formally commences on Monday, 28 November 2022.

Biography

Ken McKay SC has more than 35 years’ experience as a prosecutor with the ODPP, commencing as a solicitor in 1987 and later practising as a Solicitor Advocate.  

Mr McKay was appointed a Crown Prosecutor in 2000 and as a Deputy Senior Crown Prosecutor in 2017. He has appeared in some of the state’s most complex and high-profile jury trials in the District Court and Supreme Court. In 2015, he specialised in appellate work, appearing in the Court of Criminal Appeal and as junior counsel to the Director in the High Court.

Mr McKay was appointed Senior Counsel in September 2020. Prior to his appointment as Acting Senior Crown Prosecutor, he was the Deputy Senior Crown Prosecutor for the Sydney West Region.

Download media release: Appointment of Senior Crown Prosecutor (PDF, 153.4 KB)