John Hurlock

Notable crime cases

R v SD

The client was alleged to have cuckooed the address of a young man, which he and his co-accused were said to have then used to sell class A drugs from. The client was also alleged to have blackmailed the victim into giving him money, used a machete to threaten the victim into selling class A drugs, and threatened to kill the victim after he had been arrested for these offences.

R v Rogers & Others

Conspiracy to supply class A drugs and conspiracy to manufacture crystal meth, amphetamine and ecstasy. The case involved submissions on Abuse of process, an analysis of the workings of probe devices, the admissibility of probe evidence and dementia as a defence. The case was likened to the American TV series “Breaking Bad”.

R v Neville & Others

Large scale drug supply of class A drugs from a prison.

R v Marshall & Others

Large scale drug supply conspiracy of class A drugs. The case involved Abuse of process, recusal of Judges, disclosure and Section 8 CPIA applications. The indictment was eventually stayed as an abuse of process.

R v Rees & Others

Large scale multi -handed drugs case involving the supply of class A and B drugs in the West Country. The case involved a supergrass who gave evidence for the crown against all defendants. He was successfully cross-examined to such an extent that the crown no longer relied upon him as a witness of truth. Verdict of Not guilty.

R v Jones & Others

Conspiracy to supply drugs, confiscation and Money laundering. The case involved an application to change the defendant’s plea from guilty to Not Guilty, and an application for the recusal of a Judge due to perceived bias.

R v Cole (Michael Michaels series of trials)

Large scale Drug supply / importation conspiracy, of both class A and B Drugs. The case involved Confiscation, Money Laundering and Extradition. The main witness in the case was an accountant who kept the books of various drug organisations and who later turned supergrass.

R v Kensella & Others

Multi handed large scale drug operation in the midlands area involving the supply of class A and B drugs. Not guilty.

R v O’Conner & Others

The case involved the supply of class B drugs in the midlands area and Mortgage Fraud.

R v French & Others

Large scale drug operation involving over 200 hours of probe material from undercover police officers. The defendant’s case was that he was acting under duress by an undercover police informant who involved him in the enterprise. Not guilty.

R v Andrews & Others

The case involved a large scale drug operation in the London and Leeds areas involving the supply of class A and B drugs. The allegation was that the defendant was part of an OCG (Organised Crime Group) responsible for the supply of class A drugs between the London and Leeds areas. The evidence against the defendant was observation evidence, association and cell site evidence. The defence case was that the defendant had been set up by a registered police informant who had entrapped the defendant into involving him into the offence. Application was made to either exclude the totality of the evidence as against the defendant or to stay the prosecution as an abuse of process of the court. The case involved a detailed defence case statement and various requests for disclosure under section 8 of the CPIA. Due to the complexity of the disclosure issues “Special Counsel” were instructed by the court to protect the interests of the defendants during Ex parte Public Interest Immunity Applications made by the Crown. After two weeks of Public Immunity Applications made by the Crown, the Crown offered no evidence against all defendants and the defendant was found not guilty.

R v N

A Conspiracy involving the supply of class A and B drugs. The case involved a large scale drug operation involving the importation of drugs from Europe via various legitimate companies importing items into the jurisdiction.

R v McNamara

Represented one of 7 defendants in a huge drugs conspiracy involving importation of over a 100 kilos of class A and B Drugs into the North London area. The case once again involved probe material in a car, a local pub and a local café. After mitigation was advanced on his behalf the defendant received a sentence of 12 years imprisonment.

R v Saltmarsh & Others

Successfully defended one of six men accused of a conspiracy to blackmail at Newcastle Crown Court. In a trial lasting 6 weeks, it was alleged that the six men had operated together to blackmail a large number of small businesses across England. The method was to carry out work and then demand in some cases 100 times the quoted price, followed by threats of violence to the families of victims when payments were refused. The 4 other defendants were convicted.

R v Carter & Others

The defendant was charged with conspiring to supply firearms and ammunition. The defendant was said to have been the head of an organisation which supplied firearms and ammunition to the criminal underworld. The police operation lasted over 16 months. It involved video and human surveillance and probes recording all conversations in his address. Defendant was acquitted on both counts.

R v Hassan

A terrorist case where the allegation was that the defendant was involved in collecting monies from various jurisdictions to finance a terrorist organisation. The defence denied support of the organisation and stated that the monies were collected to illegally bring people into the country. Not Guilty.

R v Acourt & Norris

The defendant, one of the men accused of murdering Stephen Lawrence, was charged with racial harassment after throwing a cup of cola at an off-duty black policeman and calling him a “nigger”.

R v Stephen Fry & Others

Allegation of Conspiracy to Rob various addresses and building societies. The case involved abuse of process, exclusion of identification evidence due to breaches of the Codes of Practice and analysis of cell site material. Not Guilty.

R v Payne, Swallow & Others

Allegation of Violent disorder. Large scale football violence between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham fans at White Hart lane. The allegation was that both sets of fans were professional football hooligans who frequently met to fight. The defence was that Mr Payne was a legitimate West Ham fan who had been ambushed at the train station by Spurs fans, in self defence he and others had chased their aggressors in to the Cockerel pub and kept them there until the authorities arrived. Not guilty of violent disorder.

R v Molski & Others

Allegation of Violent disorder, large scale unrest at Mile End between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham fans. The defendant was a Spurs fan. Successfully appealed banning orders imposed by the court at first instance.

R v Muaimba

Allegation of gang Rape and Assault, by throwing acid on the victim after she had been raped. Successfully opposed Attorney General reference to increase the defendant’s sentence of six years.