Prior to joining Dyers Chambers John McNally was a junior with a broad common law practice. He appeared in matters as varied as a Guideline Immigration Case to cases determined by the Administrative Court within the field of EC law.   This breadth of experience across a number of fields has provided a substantial foundation upon which he has been repeatedly able to rely.

At Dyers John has developed his Criminal and Regulatory Practices. He has advised and appeared in matters before the General Medical Council. He has also lectured on recent developments within the Criminal Law, particularly with reference to the Corporate Manslaughter Act. He has acted for both the Prosecution and Defence in relation to extradition matters.

He is a grade 3 approved Prosecutor for the CPS, and is instructed by the Serious Fraud Office. 

He also has significant experience defending, having appeared as both a leading and led Junior in a number of high-profile cases. These include R. v. Kate Knight (attempted murder by anti-freeze poisoining), R. v. Kamara (Prosecution arising from ‘Torso in Thames’ inquiry); R v. Rechachi (fraud suspected of financing terrorism); R. v. Misra (leading case on gross negligence manslaughter); R. v. Rowland (multi-tonne cocaine importation); R. v. Durose (was the largest conspiracy to defraud copyright owners in the music industry prosecuted by BPI).

Current instructions of particular interest include cases before the High Court involving applications for Certificates of Inadequacy following confiscation orders under the DTA and POCA.

Recent Cases

X (2009)  [defence] Central Criminal Court- Charges of murder against client dismissed upon defence application.

Liddard (2008) [defence] Central Criminal Court- Client originally charged with murder but tried for manslaughter, acquitted. (with Andrew Campbell-Tiech QC)

A (2008) [defence]- Crown Court at Stafford- Client charged with attempted murder of his disabled daughter. Acquitted.

McNamara (2008) [defence]: Luton Crown Court: murder. (with John Perry QC) Court of Appeal pending.

Kate Knight (2008) [defence] Crown Court at Stafford- Wife charged with attempted murder of her husband by anti-freeze poisoning. (with Michael Gledhill QC)

X (2008) [defence] Crown Court at Leeds: Fraud (with Andrew Jefferies)

Illori (2008) [defence] Crown Court at Southwark. Bank employee involved in £ 0.5 million fraud on customer accounts. Court accepted that correct interpretation of POCA ensure that Defendant was not to be affixed with a benefit figure representing the sum realised by the conspiracy.

M (2007) [defence] Crown Court at Lewes- Conspiracy to supply class A drugs. Crown ultimately accepting that following R. v. May no benefit accrued to Defendant who was caught in possession of a kilo of class A drugs.

Henry (2007) [defence] Crown Court at Lewes- Attempted murder after a robbery of jewellers in Horsham. Defendant said to be identified after a Crimewatch appeal.

Memberships

• Gray’s Inn
• CBA
• BIICL