Criminal and civil barrister Greg Johnson’s most notable cases include:
Police Law
Greg receives instructions from the Police on a wide range of issues. He accepts instructions to prosecute Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO’s), advising on and undertaking Legal Professional Privilege (LPP) sifts, as well as acting for various Police authorities and the British Transport Police in Inquests.
Re JH 2022: Acting for Sussex Police during a 7-day Article 2 Inquest into the death of an 18-year-old man, who took his own life at his home in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, on 21 May, 2020.”
Murder & Manslaughter
Greg has acted alone and as led junior counsel in high-profile murder and manslaughter trials. Greg has been specifically requested by clients to represent them when accused of the most serious offences. One such case was a series of alleged contract killings. Another case was an allegation of murder and attempted murder.
Recent cases include:
R v JW (Central Criminal Court) Ongoing case at the Old Bailey.
R v LG (Liverpool Crown Court) The Defendant was accused of the high-profile murder of a 17-year-old. He was one of four defendants. The case against him involved cell-site and DNA analysis. National press coverage.
R v MR (Inner London Crown Court) The Defendant was accused of manslaughter, money laundering and a regulatory offence. The three Defendants were accused of running a business that placed unsafe diet pills on the market that led to the death of a young woman. The case involved expert evidence relating to computer analysis; psychiatric evidence; the properties of the diet pills; historic website, email and phone analysis.
R v AC (Chelmsford Crown Court) The Defendant was accused of manslaughter. The offences were alleged to be committed during a fight at a pub.
R v BB (St Albans Crown Court) The Defendant was accused of the attempted murder of his granddaughter. It was alleged he tried to strangle, stab and suffocate her.
Fraud, Money Laundering & Financial Crime
R v MJ (Snaresbrook Crown Court) The defendant was alleged to have been involved in a money laundering conspiracy to the value of £35 million. Leading counsel.
R v KB (Hull Crown Court) Operation Accordian. Conspiracy. A Conveyancing Executive accused of high-value mortgage frauds. The defendant was on the receiving end of “cut-throat” defences from many of the other five defendants. The defence was that many of the prosecution witnesses (some of whom were solicitors) had in fact committed the mortgage frauds. They had then tampered with the evidence in a way that shifted the blame and made the Defendant look guilty.
R v NB (Manchester Crown Court) Operation Isidor. A practicing solicitor was alleged to be involved in Money Laundering for an Organised Crime Group.
R v AC (Lincoln Crown Court) The defendant was alleged to have committed a complex international commercial fraud to the value of £3 million.
R v AS (Hull Crown Court) Operation Amber. The Defendant was accused of cheating Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs. The Defendant was one of seven defendants accused of very high value gains flowing from the sale of NPS (New or Novel Psychoactive Substances). A related Money Laundering allegation was the subject of extensive legal argument.
R v JW (Teeside Crown Court) Conspiracy to Defraud. A Conveyancing Paralegal accused of a large number of high-value Mortgage Frauds. Many of the co-defendants ran cut-throat defences against the Defendant. Her defence required analysis of the Solicitor Conduct Rules, the prevailing Codes of Conduct and Conveyancing Practice and the cross-examination of solicitors.
R v GP (Ipswich Crown Court) The Defendant was a broker accused, with six others, of Conspiracy to Defraud in a SFO prosecution arising out of an alleged £8 million Spanish ‘boiler room’ fraud.
R v LF (Southwark Crown Court) Conspiracy. Allegation of Money Laundering by Solicitors and a Legal Executive the proceeds of a Carousel fraud involving in excess of £200 million.
Regulatory
R v RM (Snaresbrook Crown Court) The Defendant was accused, with others, of illegal money lending and money laundering the proceeds. The value was over £1 million. This was a private prosecution taken by Birmingham City Council. There was extensive legal argument: (i) First, did they have the power to bring the prosecution under Section 222 of the Local Government Act 1972 or were they acting Ultra Vires; (ii) Secondly, to exclude evidence central to the money lending allegations.
R v MR (Inner London Crown Court) The Defendant was accused of manslaughter arising from a breach of regulatory offences. There was extensive legal argument regarding the regulatory offence brought under Article 14 of Regulation (EC) 178/2002 and Regulation 19 of the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013.
R v RL (Wolverhampton Crown Court) The Defendant was accused of offences under The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and The Fraud Act 2006. There was extensive legal argument on behalf of the Defendant.
Organised Crime
R v ** (**** Crown Court) Operation Raboro. The Defendant was accused of a conspiracy to supply a firearm and ammunition. Leading counsel. (This case is ongoing). There is a linked case involving multiple kilos of cocaine and cannabis.
R v AL (Snaresbrook Crown Court) Operation Wolf. The Defendant was accused of being in a conspiracy to rob. There was a series of car jackings using ammonia as a weapon. Victims included Michael Watson (the former boxer). National media interest.
R v BH (Snaresbrook Crown Court) So called “cold cases” are usually sexual allegations. In this case the Defendant was accused of armed robbery. The prosecution case was based primarily upon new DNA analysis of old samples obtained a decade ago.
R v JK (Inner London Crown Court) An allegation of conspiracy where mobile telephones were alleged to have been stolen to order and then re-sold. A complex case involving cell-site, ANPR and phone downloads. Leading counsel.
R v DC (Sheffield Crown Court) The Defendant was accused of committing a drive-by shooting with a machine gun. Cell-site, ANPR, CCTV and DNA analysis where key features of this high-profile case.
R v EF (Manchester Crown Court) The Defendant was accused of modern-day slavery. The prosecution alleged that the Defendant conspired with others to cause the complainants to perform compulsory or forced labour.
R v NM (Preston Crown Court) The Defendant was alleged to be involved in a conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice. The facts related to serving police officers who attempted to cover up crimes they were allegedly involved in. Leading counsel.
Sexual Offences
R v AD (Lewes Crown Court) An allegation of sexual assault by penetration of a stranger. Preparation included analysis of CCTV and viewing the locations where the alleged offences occurred.
R v BK (Lewes Crown Court) Historic sexual offence allegation dating back to the 1980’s.
R v ML (Lewes Crown Court) Historic sexual offences allegations dating back to 2002.
R v MO (Northampton Crown Court) An allegation of gang rape. The defence case involved the analysis of hours of unused material (disclosed by the prosecution) by way of CCTV and Police Body Worn Video footage.
R v AW (Snaresbrook Crown Court) Historic sexual offences allegations dating back to the early 60’s.
R v HD (Southampton Crown Court) Historic sexual offences allegations dating back to 1990.
Appeals and CCRC
R v. Mohammed Uddin & others [2010] EWCA Crim 2344. Appeal against sentence: Possessing a prohibited weapon; causing grievous bodily harm with intent; perverting the course of justice and violent disorder (The New Year’s Day shootings in Leeds).
R v. Max Sharp and others [2008] EWCA Crim 1395. Appeal against sentence: Robbery; ASBO.
R v. Harmer [2005] 2 Cr. App. R. 2, CA. Appeal against conviction: Money laundering conspiracy involving £2.5 million moved to Spain. This case helped to shape the law in respect of money laundering conspiracies (Led junior counsel at trial and appeared pro-bono on appeal).
R v. Heard [2005] Cr. App. R. (S.) 73 (Guideline Case). Appeal against sentence: Indecent Assault; Indecency with a Child; Engaging in Sexual Activity with a Child; Causing or Inciting a Child to engage in Sexual Activity. This case helped to shape the law in respect of sentencing under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
R v. Dilks [2005] EWCA Crim 2817, CA. Appeal against sentence: Arson. The fire was set in a serving police officer’s house at the request of a third party.
R v. Morris [2005] EWCA Crim 609, CA. Appeal against conviction: Violent Disorder; Wounding.
R v. McLean [2002] EWCA Crim 3065, CA. Appeal against conviction: Wounding.