Solicitor guilty of police impersonation to spy on ex at Nando's
Motoring solicitor Conor Johnstone was found guilty of police impersonation after posing as Cheshire Constabulary PC Matt Gregory to obtain Nando's CCTV footage of his ex-girlfriend. The Conor Johnstone police impersonation scheme collapsed when Stockton Heath staff verified the officer did not exist with real police. A trial at Leeds Magistrates Court ended with two magistrates convicting the 34-year-old despite his denials.
Key Takeaways
- Johnstone, director of MAJ Law, invented PC Matt Gregory and a fake cheshirepolice.uk email to request CCTV from a Nando's on London Road, Stockton Heath.
- Staff grew suspicious after reply emails bounced; Cheshire Constabulary confirmed no such officer existed and traced the request to Johnstone.
- He denied wanting to spy on his pregnant ex-partner and claimed she staged the emails. He faces sentencing next month and plans to appeal.
- The Solicitors Regulation Authority would not confirm or deny whether it is investigating Johnstone.
How Did Conor Johnstone Pose as a Police Officer?
On Tuesday, 22 July last year, Johnstone contacted the Stockton Heath Nando's claiming he worked with Cheshire Constabulary's domestic violence unit, according to court documents cited by the Knutsford Guardian. He said police were investigating threats by a man towards a woman and needed CCTV of two diners from the previous day.
Worker Gaby Ball, who took the initial call, asked him to follow up by email. That evening a message arrived from matt.gregory@cheshirepolice.uk bearing the Cheshire Constabulary crest, a fake collar number, and the title family liaison officer with the domestic violence unit, Legal Cheek reported. Ball told the court everything seemed normal and believable at the time.
Johnstone filled out a data-protection form using the false officer's details and kept pressing staff for four days, the Knutsford Guardian said. Johnstone, of Boots Green Lane, Allostock, is listed at Companies House as a director of motoring firm MAJ Law Ltd and co-director of PCD Solicitors Ltd. Online he brands himself the Legal Missile and posts drink- and drug-driving defence tips.
Why Did Nando's Staff Contact Cheshire Police?
The fake email account began bouncing replies back to the restaurant, prompting staff to call Cheshire Constabulary directly. Officers confirmed PC Gregory was not real and traced the phony request to Johnstone, Legal Cheek reported. Staff also recorded him calling again to chase the footage after police had already been alerted.
At trial Johnstone denied wrongdoing. He said he did not want to spy on his pregnant ex-partner and suggested she had orchestrated the emails instead. Two magistrates were unconvinced and convicted him of impersonating a police officer.
Cases where professionals abuse authority for personal surveillance sit among the stranger plots covered in our True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries archive, where impersonation and obsession often intersect.
What Happens Next for the Solicitor?
Sentencing was adjourned for a pre-sentence report, with Johnstone due back at Leeds Magistrates Court next month, the Knutsford Guardian reported. Reports cited by Legal Cheek say he intends to appeal the verdict. The Solicitors Regulation Authority told the newspaper it would not confirm or deny whether it is investigating individuals including Johnstone.
For a motoring lawyer who built a public profile defending drivers, a conviction for faking police credentials marks a sharp fall from courtroom advocate to convicted impersonator. The Nando's branch, meanwhile, did what many businesses hope they never have to do: treat an urgent official request seriously, then verify it before handing over private CCTV.