A solicitor from Greater Manchester, who goes by the nickname "the legal missile", impersonated a police officer at a Nando's restaurant to obtain CCTV footage of an ex-girlfriend, a court heard.
How the deception unfolded
Staff at a Nando's branch in Warrington received a phone call from Conor Johnstone on July 22, 2025. The 34-year-old, of Broad Lane, Altrincham, claimed to be Police Constable Matthew Gregory from Cheshire Police's Domestic Violence Unit.
He told staff he was investigating an incident between a man and a woman who had visited the restaurant on July 21. As part of the investigation, he requested CCTV footage of the two individuals, providing their descriptions. The woman was Johnstone's ex-girlfriend, according to the Liverpool Echo.
During the call, he was asked to sign a CCTV release form. He provided what appeared to be a Cheshire Police email address and urged staff to send the footage urgently.
Discovery and sentencing
On July 25, another staff member reviewed the footage and attempted to email "PC Gregory" back to confirm the individuals were present. However, the emails were undeliverable. After several attempts, the staff member called Cheshire Police on 101 and was told no such officer existed.
Detectives traced the email address to a temporary domain purchased by Johnstone, who had used his personal details. He voluntarily attended a police interview but remained silent, refusing to answer questions.
Johnstone appeared at Leeds Magistrates' Court on August 3, where he received a 12-month Community Order. He was also ordered to pay £650 in court costs, a £114 surcharge, and must complete 260 hours of unpaid work.
Official reaction
Detective Constable Darroch, of the Protecting Vulnerable People Unit, said: "You do not have to be a solicitor to know that impersonating a police officer is a very serious offence, so Connor Johnstone will have been well aware that his actions were illegal."
He added: "Under the guise of this persona, and armed with a false email that would have looked legitimate to the uninitiated, Johnstone took advantage of two employees who were simply looking to assist with what they thought was an official police investigation."
Johnstone heads up Widnes-based MAJ Law, a family firm, and is also a director at Johnstone Acquisitions, a property developer in Liverpool. His online profile describes him as "punchy, powerful and makes moves with zero hesitation".
Speaking to the Daily Mail after his trial, Johnstone said he was "disappointed with the court's verdict" and planned to appeal.
