John Coates > 3TG Barristers > London, England > Barrister Profile

John is an established criminal advocate who practices exclusively in the Crown Court and Appellate Courts. His back ground is in general common law and includes many years’ experience in prosecuting and defending challenging cases. He is regularly instructed in more serious and complex trials, many of which are multi-handed prosecutions.

John is also instructed by the Special Casework and Appeals Department of the Crown Prosecution Service to draft written arguments; recently for the Respondent at an appeal before the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) that related to the lawfulness of sentences imposed by the Crown Court on dangerous young offenders following convictions in the Crown Court and concurrent committals for sentence following pleas in the lower courts.

Notable Cases:

R v. MC, Chelmsford CC: unlawful immigration to EU Member State; a people smuggling case where non-European Union citizens were transported in a hidden compartment of a lorry intercepted at Harwich Port (UK) from Hook of Holland. The case included substantial telephone and cell-site evidence to establish intentional participation in a wider organised people smuggling ring.

R v. BA, Guildford CC: the supply of class A drugs by an Essex based dealer who recruited a vulnerable minor, reported as a missing child from Cambridgeshire, to deal heroin and crack cocaine in Surrey as part of a ‘County Lines’ drugs network.

R v. FS, Croydon CC: an undercover Police operation investigating a significantly planned armed robbery and conspiracy to rob. Victims responding to a fraudulent internet advertisement for the sale of a high value performance car were targeted by assailants in possession of hunting knives and wearing balaclavas where cash and jewellery were stolen.

R v. GO, Guildford CC: the supply of class A drugs by a London based dealer to users in Surrey in a ‘County Lines’ drugs network investigation, where the supply involved the use of a dedicated mobile telephone with a brand name or ‘line’ to supply cocaine and heroin from the accommodation of a vulnerable user in the County.

R v. AH, Chelmsford CC: serious assault by a defendant with schizoaffective disorder on a Stansted Airport police officer, which resulted in a brain injury and the officer’s inability to resume firearms duties at the airport terminal in the medium term.

R v. LS, Kingston CC: night-time aggravated burglary of a residence occupied by a man aged 87 years, by intruders wearing balaclavas and in possession of sledgehammers. The victim was falsely imprisoned in his bedroom, and gold and jewellery to the value of one hundred and fifty thousand pounds stolen.

R v.CH, Blackfriars CC: Operation Attrition: targeted thefts of mobile telephones from pedestrians in the City of Westminster, and the London Boroughs of Camden and Islington, by drivers and pillions on moped vehicles.

R v. MM, Croydon CC: masked robbery of a victim aged 99 years in her home, by an ex-employee, targeted due to her known vulnerability. Substantial mobile telephone and cell site evidence due to the absence of identification evidence.

R v. YP, Canterbury Crown Court; fraud by abuse of position, involving a breach of trust over a period of two years, by an ex-head teacher and an office manager, employed by Kent County Council at a community primary school. 

R v. EM, Canterbury Crown Court: series of importations of prohibited class A drugs with a street value of over one million pounds, from Kosovo to the UK, through the Channel Tunnel and by cross Channel ferry.

R v. SR, Blackfriars Crown Court: conspiracy to facilitate unlawful immigration to the UK by a Registrar of births, deaths and marriages employed by the London Borough of Newham, through a ‘sham marriage’ arrangement between an EU national and a non-EU national.

R v. AS, Central Criminal Court: series of armed robberies with firearms on occupiers of residential properties.

R v. AW, Croydon Crown Court: supplying firearms and ammunition.

R v. NG, Inner London Crown Court: sexual assault on a child by a school teacher on one of his pupils.

R v. NT, Wood Green Crown Court: conspiracy to supply prohibited drugs, Operation Tuffett.

R v. SP, Blackfriars Crown Court: conspiracy to supply prohibited drugs, Operation Penang.

R v. NS, Isleworth Crown Court: repeated sexual assaults on a young complainant on an intercontinental flight. Jurisdictional issues in relation to venue due to the fact the assaults occurred outside U.K. airspace on an Indian aircraft.

R v. AJ, Wood Green Crown Court: series of armed robberies with firearms, investigated by the Flying Squad, of public houses and restaurants.

R v. DH, Central Criminal Court: targeted armed robberies of vulnerable adults with mental health conditions in supported accommodation.

R v ST, Central Criminal Court: possession of a prohibited firearm with intent to endanger the life of a named intended victim.

R v. OA, Snaresbrook Crown Court: historic sexual assault by a step-father on a child, his step-daughter, in the family home.

R v. MP, Wood Green Crown Court: sexual assault involving a breach of trust by a physiotherapist on one of his patients during treatment procedures.

R v. JS, Woolwich Crown Court: serious assault with a racial motive and revenge motive on a random victim following the murder of a soldier by extremists.

R v. JL, Southwark Crown Court: public disorder prosecution against members of the ‘black bloc’ anarchist group, counter demonstrating against members of the English Defence League.

R v. SA, Snaresbrook Crown Court: commercial internet fraud against Transport for London and the Oyster card ticketing system.