Meet the team

• E: john@amosurobinshaw.co.uk

John Briant | Barrister

John qualified as a barrister after two and a half decades working as a police station representative. His practice covers the full range of criminal defence work, but he has particular interests in working with vulnerable defendants and juveniles and in protest law.

As well as his significant publicly funded practice, John takes on work from privately paying clients which he uses to support his pro bono work with those who cannot afford representation. He also keeps up his police station defence work, which both informs and adds another dimension to his practice.

Private Practice

The impact of a criminal conviction on a member of a profession can be catastrophic. John advises at all stages of proceedings on a private client basis. Working in this way allows a level of service that cannot be provided with funding through legal aid.

John has successfully represented people in the following circumstances:

Professionals:

• Government advisors accused of historic sexual offences: not charged.
• Professionals with a media presence accused of marital rape during contentious custody battle: not charged.
• A former army command general accused of fraud: not charged.
• A senior partner in law practice accused of assault: not charged.
• Company directors accused of £500 million tax evasion scheme: not charged.

High net worth individuals:

• A multi-millionaire accused of conspiracy to murder: not charged.
• A member of the German aristocracy facing imprisonment: acquitted after trial.

Protest Law

John is passionate about preserving the democratic right to protest. He has been involved in the representation of protestors for over a decade, including helping those arrested as part of the G20 and university fees protests and, more recently, supporters of Extinction Rebellion and Black Lives Matter. For example, he has provided legal representation to hundreds of XR protestors since the first protests in 2018. He deals with all aspects of the process from police station advice to the Crown Court advocacy and, where appropriate, often contributes his time on a pro-bono basis.

John provides legal briefings and advice to the Extinction Rebellion Oxfordshire and South East groups. These briefings educate protestors about the risks and implications of taking part in protests and the processes and procedures involved. This allows people who normally have no contact with the criminal justice system to make informed choice about their participation.

John also operates a Telegram protest advice channel. He uses the immediacy of social media to provide real time advice to those considering or participating in protest.

Vulnerable Defendants and Juveniles

John regularly appears in cases involving vulnerable defendants requiring special care.

He advises and trains volunteers who attend the police station as appropriate adults to assist young and vulnerable people in Westminster and Wandsworth during police interrogations.

Since 2005, he has also worked with young people within south London communities, through community centres and by providing mentoring and facilitating successful gang programmes.

Police Station Defence

Unusually for a barrister, John has significant expertise in representing defendants at the police station stage of their case.

Since 1995 he has represented over 15,000 clients during interrogations by all investigative agencies (e.g. police, NCA, HMRC, Scotland Yard specialist directorates, DWP, Revenue and Customs, DVSA). Prior to becoming a barrister, he ran a boutique police station representation service for respected solicitors’ firms such as Russell Cooke and Reeds Solicitors. John’s clients have included those accused of:

• Murder (covering everything from honour killings, gang shootings, domestic murders, cases involving mental health issues and neighbour disputes).
• Terrorism (including for example, allegations of bomb threats, the manufacture of home-made bombs and firearms, attacks on embassies and targeted murders).
• High value fraud (for instance, carousel frauds, advance fee fraud, boiler room fraud and offshore tax evasion).
• Sex offences (particularly historic offences and accusations against professionals and those in public and advisory positions).
• Drugs (including large scale drug importations through multiple ports, trafficked and vulnerable defendants and county lines).

Publications

Justice:

Mental-Health-and-Fair-Trial-Report – Member of the working party considering the manner in which society engages with vulnerable adults in the criminal justice system.

The Guardian:

Legal Aid will hurt vulnerable people, not fatcat lawyers Commentary on the way vulnerable suspects are treated in the police station and the impact of legal aid.

Legal aid is like the NHS, why isnt it properly funded – commentary on Legal Aid.

Legal Action Group:

Commentary on ID policy – discussion of the impact of the change of identifications from custody to voluntary procedures.