Pump Court Chambers

John Dyer’s practice is principally in criminal defence.

He now appears regularly in the Crown Court at the eastern end of the Western Circuit, having previously enjoyed a practice focusing on Bristol, Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester.

The majority of defence instructions are for serious violence, serious sexual offences (particularly difficult matters, e.g., historic, rape while asleep), drug production/supply, weapons and fraud, also in cases in which the evidence features forensic material, telephone analysis (messages, cellsite), psychiatric or psychological assessments, accounts, etc.

Recent defence appearances include: in 2019, an armed robbery acquittal in which DNA evidence allegedly linked the client to the scene; in 2019, in CACD a reduction in sentence in a case of sexual activity with a child from 14 years' imprisonment to five; in 2021, the attempted importation of 55kg Class A drugs, an attempted murder and a serious s.18 OaPA close to murder; in 2022, in CACD a reduction in sentence in a case of serious sexual abuse of children from 30 years' imprisonment (25 years plus five years' extension) to 27 years (22 years plus extension); in 2023, historic sexual offences involving both doli incapax and the former irrebuttable presumption as to age and the offence of rape.

John sat for a number of years on the judicial panel of the British Horseracing Authority.

John arrived late at the Bar (2002) after successful careers in agriculture, teaching (further education and prison education) and project management for a charity.

British Horseracing Authority Judicial Panel CBA Western Circuit

BHA Judicial Panel PgDL Cert Ed (FE) C&G Phase IV Farm Business Mgt UEI Phase III Farm Enterprise Mgt National Cert Agriculture MA (Cantab), English

In his spare time John remains involved in farming (horses and beef cattle).