Serious and complex crime
Offences
Murder and manslaughter; serious violence; sexual offences; organised crime and conspiracies; Class A drug supply; firearms; fraud; public justice; road traffic; sentencing.
Evidence & procedure
Evidence and admissibility, disclosure, electronic disclosure, mobile downloads, call data, telephone attribution, messaging, CCTV reconstruction, cell-site/location material, unused material and expert evidence.
Appeals, admissibility and case management
Appeals & sentencing
Experience advising on and conducting appellate work, including conviction and sentence issues, together with contested sentencing hearings and factual determinations.
Disclosure & admissibility
Legal argument concerning disclosure, unused material, electronic evidence, admissibility, joinder and severance, bad character, expert evidence and abuse-of-process issues.
Complex case strategy
Reducing large multi-defendant records to the decisive factual and legal issues, testing prosecution schedules and identifying the evidence required to support or undermine competing propositions.
Large records and digital evidence
Experience in large multi-defendant proceedings requiring substantial and complex evidential records to be reduced to a clear, defensible case analysis.
Work includes lengthy chronologies and schedules, telephone and messaging evidence, CCTV, forensic and expert material, and cases with records exceeding 20,000 pages.
Criminal legal aid costs decisions
Jonathan also appears in criminal legal aid remuneration and costs appeals. A separate page collects selected Senior Courts Costs Office decisions and the points determined.
Reported advocacy
A record of reported cases and judgments spanning more than two decades of criminal practice.
Zeeshan Bashir — Allowing premises to be used for drug activity — 2026
Acted for Bashir in proceedings concerning cocaine stored at his Blackburn home.
Read press reportHayden Fleming — Drug possession and driving offences — 2026
Appeared for Fleming in proceedings concerning possession of crack cocaine and heroin together with driving while disqualified and drug-driving offences.
Read press reportTyler Foley — Assisting an offender — 2026
Appeared for Foley in proceedings arising from a large-scale Leeds drug-dealing operation; she pleaded guilty to assisting an offender.
Read press reportKawan Poormand — Fraudulent trading — 2026
Appeared for Poormand in proceedings concerning illicit cigarettes, tobacco and vaping products sold from a St Annes shop.
Read press reportHamza Khan — Supply of heroin and crack cocaine — 2026
Acted for Khan in proceedings alleging involvement in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine.
Read press reportZakaria West — Firearms and ammunition conspiracy — 2026
Defended West in a large conspiracy involving the conversion of blank-firing pistols and ammunition into viable firearms and live rounds.
Read press reportJoshua Gill — Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs — 2026
Defended Gill in the Blackpool “Pabz” drugs-line conspiracy involving the supply of heroin and cocaine.
Read press report2026
Jareice Mitchell-Monteith — Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs — 2026
Acted for Mitchell-Monteith in the Blackpool “Pabz” drugs-line conspiracy involving heroin and cocaine.
Read press reportSohail Dinsi — Drug conspiracy and money laundering — 2026
Acted for Dinsi in the large multi-defendant prosecution arising from the Blackburn and Accrington drugs investigation. Dinsi was acquitted of the drugs conspiracy and accepted a limited role in money laundering.
Read press report2025
Usama Elahi — Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs — 2025
Appeared for Elahi in the “Ace” county-lines prosecution concerning heroin and cocaine supplied from Bradford to Aylesbury.
Read press reportDanny Yakub — Controlling behaviour, strangulation and assault — 2025
Defended Yakub on allegations including controlling behaviour, strangulation, ABH and burglary. He was found guilty only of a single common assault.
Read press reportNabeel Kiani — Possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis — 2025
Acted for Kiani in proceedings concerning cocaine and cannabis recovered after police stopped his car in Bradford.
Read press reportAbdulaziz Mulla — Wounding — 2025
Acted for Mulla after he pleaded not guilty to wounding arising from an incident in January 2024.
Read press reportAmaan Ifraz — Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs — 2025
Acted for Ifraz in proceedings concerning two conspiracies to supply Class A drugs arising from a major Calderdale drugs investigation.
Read press reportChristopher Parr — Fraud — 2025
Defended Parr in fraud proceedings arising from roofing work in which customers were left substantially out of pocket.
Read press report2024
Iyaz Iqbal — Supply of heroin and crack cocaine — 2024
Appeared for Iqbal in the “Jake Line” prosecution concerning the supply of heroin and crack cocaine.
Read press reportHaroon Iqbal — Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs — 2024
Defended Iqbal in proceedings concerning the “Rico” drug line and the supply of Class A drugs.
Read press reportArmando Xhemalaj — Conspiracy to produce cannabis — 2024
Appeared on behalf of Xhemalaj in proceedings arising from a large-scale cannabis-production conspiracy involving industrial grows across Greater Manchester.
Read press reportQaiser Rehman — Conspiracy to pervert the course of justice — 2024
Defended Rehman in a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice involving false nominations in speeding cases.
Read press reportNadeem Hussain — Conspiracy to supply cocaine — 2024
Defended Hussain in proceedings concerning the “Jayflake” cocaine line operating in the Bradford and Keighley area.
Read press reportShakar Ali — Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs — 2024
Defended Ali in proceedings concerning the “Ace” Class A drugs conspiracy operating in the Bury area.
Read press reportVakar Ellahi — Conspiracy to supply cocaine — 2024
Defended Ellahi in proceedings concerning the “Chyna” cocaine line operating in Blackburn.
Read press report2023
Danny Yakub — Violent disorder — 2023
Acted for Yakub in proceedings arising from a group attack in Rishton involving weapons. He was convicted of violent disorder and attempted witness intimidation.
Read press reportMohammed Ali Khan — Murder — 2023
Defended Khan in proceedings concerning the death of David Read in Blackburn following a prolonged assault involving a hammer and scissors.
Read press reportKade Joyson — Supply of Class A drugs — 2023
Defended Joyson in a county-lines prosecution concerning heroin and crack cocaine supplied between Manchester and Hull.
Read press reportKhaqan Raja — Theft and driving while disqualified — 2023
Acted for Raja in proceedings arising from the theft of a high-value diamond ring and a subsequent high-speed police pursuit.
Read press reportQamar Nain — Firearms and ammunition offences — 2023
Defended Nain in proceedings concerning prohibited firearms and ammunition linked by forensic evidence to a series of shootings in Sheffield.
Read press reportIdnan Yakub — Conspiracy to supply cocaine — 2023
Acted for Yakub in a substantial organised-crime prosecution arising from a Great Harwood operation involving cocaine and cannabis supply.
Read press reportRamzan Hanif — Wounding with intent — 2023
Defended Hanif in proceedings concerning wounding with intent.
Read full judgment2022
Aurel Hoxha — Cannabis production — 2022
Defended Hoxha in proceedings concerning a Bradford cannabis farm where 57 plants were recovered.
Read press reportKasim Ahmed — Kidnapping and perverting the course of justice — 2022
Acted for Ahmed in a multi-defendant case arising from an alleged kidnapping and serious assault in Darwen. He was acquitted of kidnapping and convicted of perverting the course of justice.
Read press reportSamuel Whibley — Terrorism offences — 2022
Defended Whibley in proceedings concerning encouragement of terrorism and dissemination of a terrorist publication.
Read press reportAbdul Ghafoor Ghani — Sexual offence involving an animal — 2022
Acted for Ghani in proceedings concerning a sexual offence involving a pony.
Read press reportAdil Mota — Public-order offence — 2022
Defended Mota in the widely reported “Convoy for Palestine” proceedings. Following defence representations and review, the prosecution concluded there was no realistic prospect of conviction, offered no evidence and the case was dismissed.
Read press reportCallum Crosbie — Manslaughter — 2022
Acted for Crosbie following the death of Kevin Wood after a single punch outside Manchester Printworks.
Read press report2021
Dean Qayum — Murder — 2021
Defended Qayum in proceedings concerning the death of Alison McBlain after she was struck by a car in Blackburn.
Read press reportMuhammad Junaid — Sexual assault — 2021
Defended Junaid in proceedings arising from an incident while he was working as a food-delivery driver.
Read press reportAlensio Rucaj — Cannabis production — 2021
Acted for Rucaj in a cannabis-production case concerning a large grow at the former Tricorn pub in Runcorn, involving telephone, forensic, cell-site and ANPR evidence.
Read press reportRyan Martin — Controlling or coercive behaviour and ABH — 2021
Defended Martin in proceedings concerning controlling or coercive behaviour and assaults.
Read press reportMohammed Sidique — Unlawful wounding — 2021
Defended Sidique following a guilty plea to unlawful wounding arising from an assault on his former wife’s partner.
Read press reportAshley Attwood — Sexual assault by penetration — 2021
Defended Attwood in proceedings concerning sexual assault by penetration.
Read press reportDanish Moosaji — Wounding with intent and possession of an offensive weapon — 2021
Defended Moosaji, who was acquitted of attempted murder and convicted of wounding with intent and possession of an offensive weapon.
Read press report2020
Rizwan Shah — Class A drugs and firearms — 2020
Defended Shah in proceedings arising from a wider organised-crime operation involving substantial quantities of cocaine and heroin, cash and firearms.
Read press reportZain Hussain — Robbery — 2020
Defended Hussain in robbery proceedings arising from an incident in Bradford in which the complainant was beaten with a baseball bat and robbed.
Read press reportKhalid Pervais — Sexual assault — 2020
Defended Pervais in proceedings concerning sexual assaults on learner drivers during driving lessons.
Read press reportConnor Oakley — Violent disorder — 2020
Defended Oakley in violent-disorder proceedings arising from the fatal stabbing of Harvey Waterfield in Dudley.
Read press reportAdil Khan — Driving offence — 2020
Acted for Khan in proceedings concerning a driving offence.
Read full judgment2019
Martin Skillen — Robbery and possession of an offensive weapon — 2019
Acted for Skillen in proceedings arising from a Manchester betting-shop robbery involving a meat cleaver.
Read press reportZeeshan Zaman — Drug supply — 2019
Defended Zaman in drug-supply proceedings involving cannabis, cocaine and heroin. The case included disputed telephone evidence concerning burner phones and alleged co-location.
Read press reportBilal Ali — Supply of Class A drugs — 2019
Defended Bilal Ali in an 18-defendant prosecution arising from an undercover operation concerning heroin and crack-cocaine supply lines.
Read press reportAnthony Frost — Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs — 2019
Acted for Frost in a wholesale Class A drug conspiracy involving cocaine, heroin and MDMA, encrypted telephones and substantial criminal-property evidence.
Read press reportFartam Bassiri — Indecent and extreme images — 2019
Defended Bassiri in proceedings concerning indecent and extreme images.
Read press reportAhmed — Sexual offences — 2019
Acted for Ahmed in proceedings arising from historic sexual offences.
Read press reportRafaqat Ali — Murder — 2019
Defended Ali in murder proceedings arising from the fatal machete attack on Sajed Choudry in Blackburn.
Read press reportRidwan Mohammed — Supply of crack cocaine and heroin — 2019
Defended Mohammed in proceedings involving supply of crack cocaine and heroin and mobile-phone evidence.
Read full judgmentSajid Khan — Criminal proceedings — 2019
Acted for Khan in proceedings involving substantial electronic evidence.
Read full judgment2018
Kasim Ali Ahmed — Conspiracy to steal motor vehicles — 2018
Defended Ahmed in proceedings arising from a series of high-performance BMW thefts and attempted thefts across Blackburn, Preston and the Ribble Valley, involving electronic devices, mobile-phone analysis and CCTV evidence.
Read press reportChristopher Smethurst — Wounding with intent and imitation firearm — 2018
Acted for Smethurst in a serious violence case involving repeated knife wounds to a taxi driver and possession of an imitation firearm.
Read press report2012
Clancy — Possession of a bladed article — 2012
Appeared for the Crown/respondent in the reported Court of Appeal authority concerning the statutory defence of “good reason” for possession of a bladed article. Reported at [2012] 2 Cr App R 7.
Read full judgment2010
Osei Sarpong — Robbery — 2010
Prosecuted Sarpong in proceedings arising from a £25,000 bank cash robbery in which he was alleged to have acted as the getaway driver.
Read press reportProfessional enquiries
This website provides professional profile information and does not constitute legal advice.