Jonathan Edwards
Inn & Year of Call: Lincoln’s Inn 1994

   
Qualifications: LLB (Hons)
   
Member of: South Eastern Circuit and Sussex Bar Mess
 
Area of Practice:
 
Jonathan specialises in criminal law: sex, violence, theft/fraud, and drugs offences. He also has expertise in licensing: liquor, guns, entertainment. He is in the process of becoming accredited in mediation.

His practice encompasses cases in the Magistrates' Court, Crown Court, Court of Appeal (Criminal Division), High Court, Road Traffic Appeal Tribunal, Coroners Court.
 
Additional Information:
 
Jonathan has been instructed in six murder cases in the last 5 years. He acted as junior in five of them and leading junior in the sixth which resulted in the only jury acquittal out of five defendants.
Examples of other notable cases include the following:
  • R v. Lewis and others: multi-defendant multi-million pound mortgage fraud;
  • R v. Haddock and others: multi-victim paedophile ring involving defendants from across the country;
  • LDC v. Crossley: first ever Anti-Social Behaviour Orders on behalf of Lewes District Council. The matter was contested. ASBOs were imposed on four brothers from one family.
  • R v. Harris: multiple knife-point rapes during a hostage situation;
  • R v. Almagboul: terrorist allegations related to July 21 2005 London bombings. Four month trial.
Jonathan has worked for several local authorities in the Magistrates' Court, Crown Court, County Court and the High Court. These include the following:
  • Contested possession actions in the County Court on behalf of Lewes District Council;
  • Health and safety prosecutions on behalf of Arun District Council;
  • Benefit fraud prosecutions on behalf of Horsham District Council;
He has successfully appealed to the High Court by way of Case Stated (health and safety and licensing matters).

Currently instructed in the Court of Appeal after referral by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

Several of these cases have attracted high media profiles. Several of these cases involved young defendants or vulnerable victims by virtue of their ages or mental incapacity.

Jonathan has always made himself available to instructing solicitors to advise them informally and often at short notice. He is happy for those instructing to contact him by mobile phone at any time.
 
Email Address:
 
je@westgate-chambers.co.uk