Jonathan has a heavyweight practice in white collar, complex and serious crime, and has been involved in some of the most important authorities on fraud in the criminal courts in recent years. He is a member of the lists of counsel for the International Criminal Court and the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in the Hague.
He is highly regarded as a specialist in regulatory prosecutions, being regularly instructed on behalf of local authority trading standards teams, environmental agencies and other government bodies. He has an outstanding reputation for representing police officers in criminal and gross misconduct proceedings and acted in the UK’s biggest police corruption trial.
Jonathan’s case history includes:
Defending the leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army War Veterans Association in the Hague for offences before the war crimes tribunal for the Kosovo War 1998-2000
Defending in proceedings for the murder of an adopted infant daughter by a gay father; high profile and national media publicity; complex medical evidence (25 expert witnesses) relating to the cause of death and injuries (‘non-accidental head injury’ case);
Defending in a £35 million international money laundering prosecution involving cross-jurisdictional evidence (England, Netherlands, China and Pakistan);
Defending in a £170 million ‘blockbuster’ SFO fraud case, involving complex issues of planning law, mineral law, local government law, company law and international law – defendant acquitted with the SFO ordered to pay costs in excess of £3m;
Defending a former police Inspector accused of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice in relation to a murder investigation in 1988-1990 which resulted in three men being convicted for the murder of a prostitute in Cardiff following alleged forging of witness statements and the use of oppression – acquitted after 4 month trial collapsed;
Prosecuting an international prostitution ring, involving Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, Bulgaria, the Republic of Ireland, and UK; led a cross-jurisdictional team, with investigators from the Garda, the PSNI and the Serious Organised Crime Agency, resulting in a hidden assets confiscation order and a total of 17 years’ imprisonment for the main offender;
Defending a British soldier accused of the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at the Bread Basket Camp, Basra during the second Iraq war.
Specialist Prosecutor v Hysni Gucati and Nasim Haradinaj, KSC, The Hague, 2020 to 2022 – defending leader of KLA War Veterans Association in relation to allegations of retaliation, intimidation and obstruction relating to war crimes investigation into Kosovo War 1998-2000; ongoing
R v Leon Symons & others, 2021, Newport Crown Court – defending in 8-handed 10 week murder trial relating to drugs
R v Zara Radcliffe, 2020, Cardiff Crown Court – defendant charged with the murder of an 88 year old and the attempted murder of three other persons; hospital order disposal
R v Tony Richards [2020] 1 WLR 3344 – Court of Appeal clarification of the law on voyeurism involving recording a sexual act
R v Quinn & others, 2019, Cardiff Crown Court – successful application to stay 8 month serious and complex fraud trial on grounds of abuse of process (allegations related to claims management companies and solicitor firms working in personal injury)
R v Gay & others, 2018, Cardiff Crown Court – prosecution of 7 defendants for industrial scale mortgage fraud; at conclusion of 10 week trial, all defendants convicted
Powys County Council v Hurst (DC) [2018] PTSR 1940 – whether, on interpretation, the combined effect of section 25(6) of the Attachment of Earnings Act 1971 and regulation 35(3) of the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992 was such that a liability order not to be treated as a sum adjudged to be paid by order of the court
R v Mundy (Ian) [2018] 4 WLR 130 – on the scope of orders for reconsideration of the available amount under section 22 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and the test on appeal under section 31 of the 2002 Act
R v Stromberg (Paul) [2018] 3 WLR 812 – authority reviewing the historical background to the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) to issue writs of venire de novo and the scope of its powers
R v MG, 2017, Cardiff Crown Court – represented serving detective accused of a carrying out a series of rape and sexual assaults on a daughter and her mother (acquitted of all counts after trial)
R (on application of McKenzie) v Director of the Serious Fraud Office [2016] 1 WLR 1308 – as to the lawfulness of the policy and practice of the SFO in regard to isolating and reviewing material potentially subject to LPP embedded in electronic devices
Evans & others v Serious Fraud Office [2015] 3 Costs LR – authority on the assessment of costs under section 19 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 in serious and complex cases
Evans & others v Serious Fraud Office [2015] 1 WLR 3595 – successful application for costs against the SFO in civil proceedings on an indemnity basis and in criminal proceedings on the basis of an unnecessary or improper act under section 19 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985
Serious Fraud Office v Evans & others [2015] 1 WLR 3526 – re applications in the High Court for voluntary bills of indictment
R v Evans & others [2014] 1 WLR 2817 – successful application to dismiss SFO blockbuster fraud involving an extensive review of the scope and boundaries of the common law offence of conspiracy to defraud.
R v Paul Cross, 2016, Wolverhampton Crown Court – represented a dentist accused of £110,000 NHS fraud; acquitted; successfully obtained £50,000 costs order against the CPS under s.19 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 on the basis that it was an improper or unnecessary act by the Prosecution to charge the defendant
R v Wayne Gill, 2016, Cardiff Crown Court – former sole owner of company charged with fraud by false representation after withdrawing company funds; judge withdrew case from jury on submission that the attempt to remove the defendant as a director was not in accordance with the Companies Act and therefore ineffective
DC Christopher Evans, 2016, Police Misconduct Hearing – gross misconduct proceedings against serving detective based on allegation of theft of £30,000 dismissed after successful objection to the admission of hearsay evidence from two former co-defendants in Crown Court proceedings
R v Christopher Evans & others (Operation Oregon), 2015, Cardiff Crown Court – serving DC charged with stealing £30,000 from a drugs raid; successful submission of no case to answer (two co-defendants, also serving detectives, convicted).
R v Stephen Evans, 2015, Cardiff Crown Court – represented the defendant, who together with his wife, was charged with the rape of an infant; case dismissed after successful objection to the admission of statements from the infant to her new foster carer
1996-1999 Cambridge University, Jesus College:
Law MA Hons (Cantab) 1st Class, Foundation Scholarship
Chairman of Legal Wales
Treasurer of the Wales & Chester Circuit
Bencher of the Inner Temple
Queens Counsel 2019
“… outstandingly able” Chambers and Partners 2019
“… his technical knowledge is first class” Legal 500 2019
“…very clever, very hard working and has great judgment” Chambers and Partners 2018
“…an exceptional operator” Legal 500 2017
‘…extraordinarily able and exceptionally hard-working” Chambers and Partners 2017
“…highly experienced in white collar crime” Legal 500 2016
“…intellectually gifted, hard-working and thorough in his preparation” Chambers and Partners 2016
“Strong-willed and always fights the fight for the client” Legal 500 2015
“A measured and considered advocate who does his research…strength in depth and great attention to detail” Chambers & Partners 2015