John Harrison QC

Criminal Law

John Harrison QC was called to the bar in 1994 and was made Queens Counsel in 2016. John is a criminal law and regulatory specialist. John’s practice encompasses all aspects of serious crime and he is particularly well regarded for complex fraud. John is an extremely popular barrister who has earned a reputation of being both a master tactician and an outstanding trial advocate. He is well known for his capability to handle the most complex of cases with a clear, pragmatic approach. John is a particularly popular choice for cases involving substantial factual and legal complexity.  His work includes:

Serious Crime

• The prosecution and defence of serious and complex fraud
• The prosecution and defence of other serious crime
• Corporate and gross negligence manslaughter
• Insolvency and companies offences
• Trading standards  
• Health & safety offences
• Environmental offences.

Fraud Law

In 2019, John made legal history, a testament to his extensive expertise in fraud law.  John, and his fellow members of the legal team, secured the first ever bribery acquittal for their client following a Deferred Prosecution Agreement. 

John is well known for his capability to handle the most complex of cases with a clear, pragmatic approach and has a strong background in civil litigation and commercial law that works to his advantage when advising clients in all types of litigation. He has a broad experience of cases involving human rights issues with particular interest in cases of factual and legal complexity.

Fraud Law Cases

 R v Sarclad corruption and failure to prevent bribery

R v Patterson: VHCC fraud

R v Frisby: VHCC fraud

R v Smith: VHCC fraud

R v Page: a money laundering allegation stopped at the end of the prosecution case following legal argument based on the case of R v Anwoir & Others. The association mortgage fraud was also stopped following legal argument based on the case of R v Horncastle.                

R v Bundza: an internet ticketing fraud, involving the Leeds Festival and the V Festival that received significant local publicity.

R v Kiani: conspiracy to defraud and fraudulent trading offences prosecuted by the SFO. Defending a complex asset stripping fraud involving ‘white wash’ company purchases, inter-company loans, and the use of factoring agents.

R v Khan: identity theft conspiracy involving malicious computer hacking, dissemination and sale of stolen credit card account numbers, compromised bank account information, counterfeit currency, counterfeit cheques, and counterfeit identity documents. Defendant involved as a ‘moderator’ within the ‘shadowcrew.com’ website. Defending an international conspiracy involving internet theft and fraud.

R v Fitzsimmons: fraudulent Trading and Companies Act offences prosecuted by the DTI. Defending a complex phoenix fraud with a multi-million pound loss to creditors.

R v Amin: diversion fraud with loss to the revenue of over £15m prosecuted by HM R&C.

R v Hussain: (MTIC) leading Junior Counsel. Carousel fraud with loss to the revenue of £6.5m prosecuted by the HM R&C. A successful abuse of process argument led to the quashing of the indictment.

R v Parker: long-term fraud.

R v Edmondson: fraudulent trading.

R v Thomson: NHS fraud.

R v Day, Meredith and Welsh: ‘Donnygate’ frauds.

‘Operation Teddington’, R v Elam and Others, CPS HQ: one of the largest criminal prosecutions ever brought in West Yorkshire. Organised criminals were targeted with prosecutions of financial crime offences.

Regulatory Law

Health and Safety

• R v Coopers Civil Engineering: prosecution, multiple injuries sustained when struck by sheet pile fell from excavator arm.
• R v Andrew Jones Pies: prosecution, fatal explosion in a factory, health and safety offences.
• R v Pavers: asbestos contamination, first case after new sentencing guidelines came into force, successful argument they did not apply due to prosecution delay.
• R v Smith: prosecution, unsafe gas appliance fitter, custodial sentence.
• R v Al Amin Warehouse: gross negligence manslaughter, death of worker falling through roof, complex issues of employee/non-employee.
• R v Sherwood Rise Limited: corporate manslaughter, death in care home, first such prosecution in England.
• R v Huntley Mount Engineering: corporate manslaughter, 16 year old apprentice dragged into machine.
• R v Pyranha Mouldings: corporate manslaughter, worker trapped in industrial oven.

Environmental

• EA v Smith: environmental offences. Waste management offences described as the worst ever seen in South Yorkshire.
• EA v White: environmental offences

Trading Standards

• R v Thwaites: an Operation Mach case, from Sheffield, involving the deployment of test purchase officers as covert human resources.
• WYCC v Heminway: trading Standards.
• NYCC v Wileman: trading Standards. Defending Company Director alleged to have allowed false statements to be made on his company’s behalf.