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.
2 comments:
So let me get this right: the court where he plies his trade has effectively said to this solicitor "we don't believe a word you say"? Is that not a bit of an issue careerwise?
Thanks for your comment.
Firstly, I should say that as Johnstone has now been sentenced he has 21 days to appeal to the Crown Court if he so wishes. I don't think it's beyond the realms of possibility that he might do that.
Secondly, the facts on which he is convicted demonstrate a high degree of premeditation and dishonesty. By convicting him after trial the court is indeed saying it does not believe him.
Should he be allowed to continue his practise in the criminal courts, that dishonesty will no doubt cross the mind of any Judicial Office Holder who is aware of the circumstances. It will undoubtedly make things difficult for him.
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