Solicitor Convicted of Impersonating Police Officer To Spy on Ex-Partner

A specialist motoring solicitor has been convicted of impersonating a police officer after creating a fraudulent email account to illicitly obtain CCTV footage from a restaurant.

Conor Johnstone, 34, the owner and director of Cheshire-based MAJ Law, was found guilty following a half-day trial at Leeds Magistrates Court.

The court heard that Johnstone contacted a Nando’s restaurant in Stockton Heath on 22 July last year, identifying himself as "PC Matt Gregory" from Cheshire Constabulary.

He claimed to be a family liaison officer investigating an incident between two customers and requested video footage, subsequently providing a false collar number and a Data Protection Act form using the fabricated identity.

The fraud was uncovered when restaurant staff noted that emails sent to the provided address bounced back, prompting them to contact Cheshire Constabulary via the 101 non-emergency number, where officials confirmed no such officer existed.

A subsequent police investigation traced the domain name and the underlying internet provider account used to generate the fake emails to Johnstone, with records showing his personal debit card had been used for the purchase.

During the proceedings, the prosecution alleged that Johnstone sought the footage to monitor his pregnant former partner, who was dining at the premises with another individual.

Johnstone denied the charge, asserting that his ex-partner had orchestrated the digital fabrication to disrupt his current relationship, and noted that multiple employees had access to his firm's corporate payment methods.

Magistrates rejected his defence, delivering a guilty verdict for the single count of impersonating a police constable.

Johnstone, of Knutsford, Cheshire, who has indicated his intention to appeal the conviction, was remanded on bail ahead of a sentencing hearing scheduled for next month.