Jonathan Polnay

Practice Profile

Jonathan is a specialist criminal advocate with a wide experience of serious and complex cases, often involving organised crime. He is regularly instructed by Complex Casework Units and Headquarters Divisions. Jonathan is ranked as a leading junior in Chambers & Partners UK Bar Guide 2018 (Band 1) and the Legal 500. Jonathan was appointed Junior Treasury Counsel at the Central Criminal Court by the Attorney General in November 2017. 

He is particuarly experienced in dealing with the issues arising out of cases that involve intelligence-led policing and RIPA-regulated activity and is often instructed pre-charge to advise law enforcement agencies as well as a leading junior at trial, often against silks. Jonathan has a wealth of experience in dealing with financial crime, direct and indirect taxation and money laundering as well as restraint and confiscation. In particular, Jonathan has conducted a number of cases involving large-scale fraudulent activity arising out of organised immigration crime and corruption.

Over the years, Jonathan has acted in a large of number of cases where the victim or defendant is very young, including cases of a sexual nature. Jonathan has appeared in numerous road traffic cases resulting in death or very serious injury. Having previously worked in the computer industry, Jonathan is particularly at ease when conducting cases involving the internet, computer, electronic or mobile phone evidence.

Jonathan accepts instructions from all specialist divisions of the Crown Prosecution Service, Solicitors and when appropriate Direct Professional Access "DPA". Instructions in privately funded matters are accepted subject to The (New) Standard Contractual Terms for the Supply of Legal Services by Barristers to Authorized Persons 2012. Jonathan's Privacy Notice can be downloaded here.

Reported Cases:

• Dorling [2016] EWCA Crim 1750 – CCRC reference on murder conviction 
• Barre [2016] Crim LR 768 – When manslaughter should be left as an alternative to murder 
• Hamilton [2016] 2 Cr App R S – Approach to be taken to drug smuggling in prison
• Bhatti [2016] 1 Cr App R 1 – Special procedure warrants in relation to credit reference 
• Henry [2015] 2 Cr App R 1 – Double jeopardy trial, definition of ‘new’ evidence 
• Patel [2013] Med LR 507 – Actus reus in offence of ill-treatment of mental patients
• King [2012]  EWCA Crim 805 – Covert surveillance involving breaches of PACE 
• A, B, C, D [2011] 2 WLR 647 – Parasitic accessory liability, pre-Jogee 
• Jordan  [2009] EWCA Crim 953 - Single act propensity/coincidence in bad character

• Operation Major [Guildford] 2019

  Multi handed conspiracy to money launder and commit fraud

  Ben Holt acted for the Crown in this seven-handed conspiracy to launder the proceeds of a two-million-pound fraud. Instructed by CPS Specialist Fraud Division. Led by Jonathan Polnay.

• Operation Tandil [Croydon] 2018

  Violent disorder arising out of an attack on an asylum seeker in Croydon

  Two linked trials. Jonathan Polnay led Ben Holt in the first and Ben Holt led Dickon Reid in the second. A total of 14 defendants were charged with violent disorder arising out of an attack on an asylum seeker in Croydon. The case attracted international media attention. Instructed to SCU at CPS London.

  Daily Mirror report here

  Daily Mail report here

• R v. Theodore Johnson [C.C.C] 2018

  Prosecution of man for the Killing of his third partner

  Mark Heywood QC and Jonathan Polnay acted for the Crown in the case of Theodore Johnson whom was sentenced to life with a minimum tariff of 26 years, increased on appeal against Unduly Lenient Sentence, to 30 years in March 2018. Johnson had been convicted previously for the manslaughters of his partners in 1981 and 1993. His third victim, Angela Best, was murdered with a claw hammer in her flat in North London in December 2016. 

  BBC report here.

• R v. Garang & Galean [C.C.C.] 2017

  Teenagers who stabbed selfridges wine salesman to death found guilty of murder

  Jonathan Polnay, led by Jonathan Rees QC, prosecuted these two teenagers for the murder of an 23 year old man in North London. The victim was lured to a location just off of Turnpike Lane under the pretence of a car insurance sale, but was robbed and murdered due to a previous dispute over the purchase of a laptop on the gumtree internet site.

  Guardian news report here.

• Operation Boldo [I.L.C.C.] 2017

  Horsemeat Fraud

  Jonathan Polnay was lead Counsel for the Crown in this multi-handed and much publicised conspiracy involving three prominant businessman passing off horsemeat as 100% pure beef.

  News report here.

View All Cases

Notable Cases

• Operation Cent [C.C.C.] 2013

  Anti-corruption unit worldwide investigation re: bomb detection units

  Jonathan Higgs QC leading Jonathan Polnay represented a defendant in the much publicised Old Bailey trial involving the worldwide sale of "fake" bomb detection devices. Instructed by Gary Bloxsome of Blackfords LLP.

  BBC news report here.

• R v. Patel [Southwark] 2014

  First ever prosecution for Acquiring Biological Weapons

  Jonathan Polnay prosecuted this young women who was charged with the first ever prosecution under the Biological Weapons Act and attempted murder of her mother, after attempting to poison her, taking her inspiration from the series "Breaking Bad".

  News report here.