Marcus Johnstone

Marcus Johnstone is the Managing Director and a Solicitor at PCD Solicitors Ltd, a specialist criminal defence firm operating across England and Wales. The firm has been named Criminal Law Firm of the Year in England at the Corporate INTL Global Awards 2025, an honour that reflects its focused expertise and its reputation as one of the country's leading practices in a demanding and sensitive area of criminal law.

PCD Solicitors concentrates on the defence of individuals accused of sexual offences and related crimes, describing itself as one of the UK's leading sexual offence defence firms. Its work covers allegations including rape and sexual assault, assault by penetration, child sexual offences, historic allegations, indecent and illegal images offences, grooming and exploitation, voyeurism, and newer categories such as deepfake offences. The firm represents clients at every stage of a case, from the pre-police and pre-charge phase through to trial and appeal.

The firm operates on a private-client basis, and emphasises that private representation allows it to devote significantly more resource to the preparation and conduct of a case than is typically possible under legal aid. In the kind of serious, often life-changing allegations the firm handles, that capacity for thorough investigation, expert instruction and detailed case preparation is central to the standard of defence it is able to provide. PCD Solicitors is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and is based in Warrington, Cheshire, while serving clients nationwide.

As Managing Director, Marcus Johnstone leads the firm and is also a recognised commentator on criminal justice matters. He has provided media commentary quoted by outlets including The Times and LBC on criminal justice reform and prison safety, and has been interviewed by broadcasters such as GB News, the BBC and TalkTV on high-profile cases. This public engagement reflects both his standing in the field and the firm's active role in wider debates about the criminal justice system.

The recognition of PCD Solicitors Ltd as Criminal Law Firm of the Year in England at the Corporate INTL Global Awards 2025 confirms the reputation Marcus Johnstone has built for the practice. For individuals facing serious sexual offence allegations, the firm offers specialist knowledge, a commitment to rigorous preparation and the reassurance of representation focused entirely on this challenging and high-stakes area of criminal defence.