John Briant

Expert Counsel

John Briant has been a criminal defence lawyer since 1995. He has been involved in all aspects of representation from the police station to the crown court.

He is one of the most experienced and effective police station defence lawyers currently practicing in England and Wales. He has represented in excess of 15,000 defendants being interrogated by the police for offences ranging from driving matters to terrorism. He has defended more than 70 suspects accused of murder, hundreds of sexual offences and multiple billions of pounds worth of fraud.

He has defended those suspected of offences by all of the UK’s investigative bodies including the SFO, specialist criminal directorates at Scotland Yard, HMRC, National Crime Agency, Trading Standards and DVSA.

John’s experience has been gained in a number of settings from in-house paralegal and freelance consultant to director of his own police station defence agency. He has provided advice on a legal aid and private basis on behalf of most of London and the South’s well-respected firms.

As well as being incredibly personable, he has been described by practitioners as having an encyclopaedic knowledge of police station law and practice and he combines these to generate favourable outcomes for those he represents.

He has written in the Guardian and Legal journals, advises panels seeking to change police policies and practice and trains those providing support for vulnerable adults and children at police stations.

John is frequently instructed by firms to represent their most important clients on a private basis.

He has advised CEO's, solicitors, accountants, consultants (both in the financial and medical arena) and other high-profile professionals. He has been effective in avoiding prosecution both at the investigative stage pre-charge and pre-trial following careful submissions.

Notable private cases have included:

• R v Johannes Skulason accused of multi-million-pound boiler room fraud – charged but acquitted at Ipswich Crown Court.
• Directors accused of £500 million tax avoidance scheme – not charged.
• A former Adjutant-General to the forces accused of fraud – not charged.
• Member of the GMC and government medical panels accused of historic sex offences – not charged.
• Doctor and TV presenter accused of marital rape – not charged.
• Journalists and newspaper editors investigated in the phone-hacking and corruption investigations Weeting and Elveden. All of those represented were either not charged or acquitted at court.
• City lawyer accused of possessing and distributing child pornography – not charged despite 2-year investigation.

John Practices from Rose Court Chambers, a leading barristers' set.