Jonathan
Veasey-Pugh

Barrister | Called 2005

Jonathan Veasey-Pugh

Background

Jonathan is a man of the Midlands. From his roots in the Black Country, he studied in Nottingham and practices from Birmingham. He has practised in the wider Midlands area and much of his recent practice has been in Warwickshire. He has also worked in the Thames Valley and has significant personal links with Kent.

Called to the Bar in 2005, Jonathan has remained at Cornwall Street since he was invited to become a tenant in 2006, following his successful pupillage. He is a member of Chambers management and recruitment committees. He has mentored juniors and acted as an accredited pupil supervisor.

Jonathan‘s expertise

Family Finance

From 2006 to 2023, Jonathan specialised in criminal law with a proven track record of successfully prosecuting and defending a full and varied range of serious cases.

In 2023 Jonathan stopped accepting new criminal work and engaged in a period of specific and dedicated study of Financial Remedy law and procedure. He trained with a very well respected and experienced colleague, who specialises in Financial Remedy and ‘TOLATA’ work, as well as other members of the team. Jonathan has opened his diary to now accept almost exclusively Financial Remedy work.

With nearly two decades of expertise and experience as a respected barrister, this additional specialist training makes Jonathan a capable and exciting addition to the Family Team.

Jonathan will accept instructions in advisory work; conferences; maintenance and other applications; FDA, FDR and final hearings; in a variety of appropriate Financial Remedy cases.

Jonathan has various links with farming and rural communities. He appreciates the various, specialist considerations relating to farms, farm housing and agricultural business planning.

Jonathan’s criminal background is also of specific relevance to enforcement applications, including the quasi-criminal procedure relating to judgment summons enforcement, as well as cases involving Proceeds of Crime rules, criminal conduct within a marriage and fraudulent conduct.

 

Jonathan’s key skills

Client Care – Jonathan excels in putting people at ease and quickly engenders trust. He treats lay clients with respect, and they can always expect professionalism and support. Jonathan understands that these proceedings are not just about significant financial arrangements, but are also highly emotional.

Negotiation – Jonathan has spent years negotiating with opponents and, in effect, Judges. He is a keen tactician and is loyal to his clients’ best interests. He respects the wishes of clients and will doggedly pursue advantage and gains, however marginal, when appropriate.

Advocacy – Jonathan is a natural and charismatic advocate, who offers compassionate and careful representation. He understands that Financial Remedy cases are at their best when settled, in an appropriate way, with low costs. Sometimes that is not possible. If his lay clients wish or are compelled to run a case to a final hearing, they can rely upon Jonathan’s past experience to mark him out from many other practitioners.

Crime
  • General Crime
  • Prison Law
  • Inquests
  • ASBO and Sex Prevention Orders
  • POCA

Jonathan has a proven track record, successfully prosecuting and defending a full and varied range of serious cases in the criminal courts. This includes sexual offences where Jonathan is a RASSO (Rape and Serious Sexual Offences) accredited practitioner. It also includes violence, homicide, acquisitive crime and fraud offences.

Jonathan has, alone, successfully appeared in a number of defence trials against Queen’s Counsel (as they then were), who were acting alone or with prosecution juniors.

Jonathan has been entrusted with serious cases of complexity and sensitivity. He has been trained to deal with vulnerable witnesses and accepted instructions in section 28 pre-recorded evidence cases. He has dealt with specialist cases in the Youth Court.

Jonathan prides himself has having good ‘all-round’ expertise. He can deal with legal advice and arguments as well as being a tactical and very competent cross examiner. He makes sensible case management decisions and engages in unrelenting argument, when required. He excels in delivering comprehensive and engaging speeches that can make a real difference to the outcome of many cases. Jonathan is an able advocate who repeatedly meets the challenges of the different elements and tribunals in criminal cases.

Repeat instructions from defendants and solicitors demonstrate the rapport and relationships which Jonathan builds in his cases. He prides himself in dealing with vulnerable clients, in a very sensitive way, especially those with mental health difficulties. He has brought a calm, self-assured attitude to bear in many cases, sometimes involving upset and irate individuals.

Jonathan has represented the police in the Family Court, in circumstances relating to criminal cases and disclosure. He has previously done inquest work and been involved in cases prosecuted by local authorities.

 

Notable Criminal Cases

  • Operation ‘C’ – Defending for 3 separate defendants in a succession of trials relating to historic allegations of serious sexual and physical abuse in a care home.
  • Operation ‘B’ – Defending in an OCG (Organised Crime Group) drug conspiracy case.
  • Operation ‘T’ – Prosecution junior in a homicide. The case engaged questions of causation as well as diminished responsibility.
  • Operation ‘H’ – Defending in a significant conspiracy to defraud motor insurers.
  • R v C – Defending in a sensitive historic sexual offences case. The defendant being bed-bound, meant that the case created significant complexity regarding practical arrangements.
  • R v R – Defending in a sensitive section 28 (pre-recorded cross examination) sexual case with evidence that the defendant is psychiatrically unfit.
  • R v G – Defending in a case involving an armed attack in the street.
  • R v B – Defending in a series of armed robberies.
  • R v B / R v P – Prosecuting separate trials involving very historic sexual offences. Both cases involved allegations dating from the 1970’s with the attendant legal complexities and specialist approach to such trials.
  • R v T – Defending in a drugs case, engaging the question of ‘modern slavery’ and involving the SCA (Single Competent Authority).
Testimonials

“In August 2008 I first instructed Jonathan. He travelled to the wilds of Pontefract Magistrates` Court, and won the case! I was greatly impressed by his diligence and thoroughness of preparation as he applied himself to this particular matter, and because of this resolved to maintain my line of instruction to him. I have done so more or less continuously since then, and have found that the attributes that he brings to his cases, as original identified some 14 years ago, have, if anything, been greatly reinforced since then. I would have no hesitation at all in recommending him to anybody who found themselves requiring sound, competent and skilful representation of the highest order.”

Interests

Away from work, Jonathan is a gregarious and colourful individual.

Uncompromising, eccentric and with a great sense of fun, he would hope to be known as a bon viveur among his friends. Jonathan takes a keen interest in current affairs and politics. A keen outdoorsman, Jonathan enjoys sporting pastimes in the British countryside. In his free time he is likely to be found in a river, in tweed, or a combination of the two.

A confirmed aesthete; art, poetry and drama are his other interests. Jonathan is a very keen cook and is passionate about food and drink. His unofficial motto – ‘excess, in moderation’.