Solicitor Behaving Badly: Motoring Lawyer Impersonated Police Officer

A high profile motoring lawyer has been convicted of impersonating a police officer, after his failed attempt to obtain CCTV footage from a well known chicken restaurant.

Conor Johnstone, 34, of Broad Lane, Altrincham, denied an offence of impersonating a police officer, but was convicted following a trial at Leeds Magistrates' Court last month.

He was sentenced by the same court on Monday, 3rd August 2026.

Impersonating a police officer is an offence under section 90(1) of the Police Act 1996. It has a maximum sentence of 6 months' custody and/or an unlimited fine on summary conviction.

The Crown's case, on which Johnstone has been convicted, is that on 22nd July 2025 he posed as a fictional Cheshire Police officer, PC Matt Gregory, to request CCTV footage from the Nando's restaurant at Stockton Heath, Warrington.

Johnstone's ex-partner, who was pregnant with the couple's third child at the time, had been dining at the restaurant a few days earlier.

Adopting the officer's name, Johnstone telephoned the restaurant and requested footage he believed to capture his ex-partner's visit.

The 34-year-old self-proclaimed "legal missile" sent a follow-up email to the restaurant confirming his earlier telephone request.

The email, from "matt.gregory@cheshirepolice.uk", bore the Cheshire Constabulary crest and included contact details for the officer.

Johnstone was asked to complete a data protection form by the restaurant, which he did using the fictional credentials.

An email from the restaurant to the officer was returned as undeliverable, which resulted in restaurant staff trying to contact the officer via official Cheshire Constabulary channels. It was then they discovered that there was no such officer as PC Matt Gregory.

Investigations by Cheshire Constabulary confirmed that the "cheshirepolice.uk" domain had been purchased using a debit card in Johnstone's name. The registrar, Heart Internet, also confirmed that the domain had been acquired by a customer giving Johnstone's name and contact details.

Johnstone denied the allegation, pointing the finger of blame at his ex-partner. He claimed that the debit card was a company card that others had access to.

Magistrates rejected Johnstone's account and convicted him of the offence.

He was handed a 12-month community order, with the requirement that he undertakes 260 hours' unpaid work.

Johnstone was also ordered to pay £114 surcharge and £650 towards prosecution costs.

Speaking after sentencing, Detective Constable Darroch said: "You don't have to be a solicitor to know impersonating a police officer is a very serious offence, so Conor Johnstone will have been well aware his actions were illegal.

"Under the guise of this persona and armed with a false email which would have looked legitimate to the uninitiated, Johnstone took advantage of two employees who were simply trying to assist with what they thought was an official police investigation.

"Johnstone clearly counted his own chickens before they hatched, as his decision to play pretend police officer has ultimately resulted him in causing permanent damage to his own reputation.

"If you are contacted or approached by anyone you believe is pretending to be a police officer, I would strongly urge you to contact Cheshire Police."

It would appear that the legal missile has backfired on this occasion.

Lincolnshire Man Tasered Friend in Pub

A Lincolnshire man was caught carrying a taser after using the device on a friend in a pub.

Rio Hind, 21, of Grand Sluice Lane, Boston, admitted possession of a weapon for the discharge of an electrical incapacitant when he appeared recently at Boston Magistrates' Court.

Hind also admitted possession of cannabis.

Possession of a weapon for the discharge of an electrical incapacitant is an offence under section 5(1)(b) of the Firearms Act 1968. It has a maximum sentence of 52 weeks' custody on summary conviction; 10 years' custody on conviction on indictment.

Magistrates heard that Hind attended the Stump & Candle public house in Boston on Friday, 15th August 2025.

Lottie Tyler, prosecuting, described how Hind came to the attention of a member of security staff.

"He saw the defendant and a group of males all stood together and heard the clicking sound a couple of times, it sounded like a taser," she said.

"He saw one of the males flinching and believed he had been tasered."

Police attended the pub and Hind was arrested, a search of his person yielding both the taser and cannabis.

Beris Brickles, mitigating, showed Magistrates an image of the pencil-sized device.

"It is illegal to have these, but sadly it's not illegal to sell them on the internet," he said.

"Mr Hind bought this out of curiosity. He was with friends and they were curious as to what it did.

"It is much smaller in size than a police taser, but illegal nonetheless."

Mr Brickles indicated that his client had mental health difficulties.

Magistrates were of the opinion that the offence was one of low culpability and limited harm.

Hind was fined £200 and ordered to pay £80 surcharge and £85 towards prosecution costs.

The court also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the taser and cannabis.

Torbitt on the Take: Ex-Labour Advisor Fiddled Travel Claims

A former Labour advisor and political commentator has been convicted of fiddling his travel claims when he was employed by an MP.

Matthew Torbitt, 35, admitted two offences of fraud by false representation when he appeared at Thames Magistrates' Court on Monday, 27th July 2026.

Fraud by false representation is an offence under section 1 of the Fraud Act 2006. It has a maximum sentence of 12 months' custody and/or an unlimited fine on summary conviction; 10 years' custody and/or an unlimited fine on conviction on indictment. You can read more about fraud by false representation in my earlier guide to the offence.

The court heard that Torbitt, who is regularly seen plying his wares on the likes of Talk TV and GB News, had previously been employed by Christian Wakeford, the MP for Bury South.

This gave him access to the Parliamentary Travel Office, through which he fraudulently booked train travel that was not for Parliamentary purposes.

The 35-year-old also admitted claiming for the reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses that were not for Parliamentary business.

Maisha Mannan, prosecuting, told the court that the claims amounted to more than £6,000, but the exact figure would need to be determined.

Having heard the facts, District Judge Navneet Sher was of the view that the court's sentencing powers were insufficient.

She granted Torbitt unconditional bail until his sentencing at Snaresbrook Crown Court, on a date yet to be determined.

Update: Sexual Assault Liberal Democrat Councillor Avoids Prison

Former Liberal Democrat councillor Thom Campion has avoided prison after sexually assaulting a woman he lured into his bedroom with a teddy bear.

Campion, 28, of Warkworth Woods, Great Park, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, denied sexual assault, but was convicted following a recent trial at Newcastle Magistrates' Court.

He was sentenced by District Judge Paul Currer at the same court on Friday, 17th July 2026.

Given the amount of traffic my original article has received, this story is clearly of some interest to people in the north east of England.

The details of the offence were reported earlier. Briefly, the complainant was present at Campion's suburban home when he enticed her upstairs to the bedroom on the pretext of showing her a "cute teddy".

Once in the bedroom the arrogant young upstart pinned the woman to the bed, felt her breasts and pushed his fingers into her mouth, all the while muttering sordid sexual comments in her direction.

The offence was committed in March 2023, when Campion was a member of Newcastle City Council.

The complainant accused Campion of "cowardice", saying that his denials represented a "lack of remorse and inability to take responsibility" for his actions.

Neil Douglas, mitigating, said that his client was of previously good character and could be safely managed in the community.

DJ Currer, sentencing, told the 28-year-old he had "behaved selfishly", saying he was focused on "his own sexual gratification" and had ignored the woman's clear distress and refusal to engage.

The Judge was of the view that Campion's crime was so serious that only a custodial sentence was appropriate. However, in line with the requirements of the Sentencing Act 2026, DJ Currer elected to suspend the custodial term.

Campion was sentenced to 11-months' custody, suspended for 12 months, with the requirement that he undertakes 150 hours' unpaid work and up to 10 days' rehabilitation activity.

He was also ordered to pay £187 surcharge and £650 in prosecution costs.

Campion was also made subject to a restraining order, which prohibits him from all contact with the complainant for the next 2 years.

Given the nature of his conviction, he will be subject to the notification requirements of the sex offenders register for the next 10 years.

This conviction should also signal the end of any lofty political ambition Campion may have held, so it is possible he might decide to appeal it.