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Richard is regularly instructed on cases involving allegations of death or extreme violence, drugs conspiracies with issues of complexity or an international dimension and other serious allegations usually involving organised crime.
He has been instructed in a number of cases on third party contempt of court.
He is acting for an individual from a West Asian jurisdiction charged in the UK with murder as a crime against humanity and torture. This is the first prosecution under the International Criminal Courts Act 2001.
He was recently instructed as leading junior in a case said to relate to a major international crime organisation involving the alleged importation of many hundreds of kilos of class A drugs and large quantities of unlawful firearms. He has also been instructed in a number of cases arising out of the taking down of the Encrochat telephone system by French and Dutch police.
He was instructed as leading junior to represent a defendant acquitted in the largest prosecution of an importation of nitrous oxide.
In relation to contempt of court, he was instructed in the reported case of Beard, and notably a recent case where the contempt was found not proved by two High Court judges. He was then instructed in relation to the high-profile contempt proceedings brought by HM Attorney General against the former leader of the EDL in relation to a live-stream outside Leeds Crown Court.
He is presently acting for an individual whose case has been referred to the Court of Appeal Criminal Division by the Criminal Cases Review Commission after spending 38 years in prison after being convicted of a murder where substantial fresh evidence suggests the deceased likely died of natural causes.
Richard’s practice encompasses allegations of a wide range of serious dishonesty and corruption, as well as money laundering and sanctions related issues.
He has acted in a number of prosecutions of individuals in relation to the creation of cryptocurrencies and NFTs on an allegedly fraudulent basis. He has dealt with evidentially complex issues of tracing transactions on the blockchain.
He was instructed to defend the first individual prosecuted by the FCA for unlicensed lending and acted as leading junior in a six-month tax and duty fraud and fraudulent trading trial brought jointly by HMRC and West Sussex Trading Standards.
He has advised UK nationals and international companies in relation to issues arising out of the Russia (Sanction) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.
He was instructed in a number of the major boiler room prosecutions brought by the FCA and the CPS at Southwark, and acts for one of the defendants in the £300m Operation Larkshot Fowler Oldfield money laundering case in Leeds.
He recently defended in a test case, the first of more than 600 anticipated prosecutions, brought by HMRC relating to the participation by a taxpayer in a contracts for difference capital gains tax scheme. The defendant was acquitted on an application to dismiss. He acted for the only defendant acquitted in a construction industry scheme tax fraud and money laundering case at Southwark. He is acting for two defendants in an alleged £68m tobacco tax fraud at Northampton Crown Court.
Richard acts in a wide range of cases before professional and sports regulators.
Recently he acted for the British Horseracing Authority in relation to an appeal brought by the owners of Chelmsford Racecourse against the refusal of a licence.
He has recently been instructed on a direct access basis by an individual facing disciplinary proceedings brought by the Institute of Chartered Accounts.
He undertakes a lot of appeal work in relation to confiscation and is frequently instructed on a post-conviction basis in relation to complex issues of confiscation including by section 10A interested parties.
He was instructed in the leading case in the Court of Appeal on section 22 POCA relating to revisiting confiscation orders in the light of subsequent events.
He was instructed on appeal in the leading case on errors made by earlier trial counsel during confiscation proceedings.
He was also instructed on appeal against confiscation order for defendant convicted of conspiracy to defraud. Case reported twice in relation to different aspects, including the consequences of proceeding under the wrong statutory regime, and the correct approach to benefit where the corporate veil is not pierced.
He was instructed to oppose one of the largest Account Forfeiture Order applications to come before the English courts.
He has been instructed in confiscation proceedings on behalf of a former solicitor convicted in a private prosecution of a multi-million pound property fraud.
He is instructed in relation to international proceedings by an African telecoms company in relation to recovery of a judgment debt against a parastatal actor in another African jurisdiction.
Richard has developed a substantial private prosecution practice in relation to fraud offences.
He is presently instructed to prosecute 5 defendants at Southwark Crown Court for a £29m property fraud on behalf of a member of the royal family of a state in West Asia.
He recently successfully prosecuted two senior UK based executives of a French multinational for fraud, as well as prosecuting two UK executives of a conglomerate based in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for fraud.
2025
Chambers & Partners
Financial Crime: “Richard is well known for his very meticulous and detailed analysis of the evidence and the law. Has a fantastic reputation in that regard.“
Ranked: Band 1
Legal 500
Crime
Ranked: Tier 4
2024
Chambers & Partners
Financial Crime: “He is exceptionally bright and what he does not know there is no need to know.”
“Richard is very intelligent and knows the law. His tactics are spot on and he wins cases.”
“Excellent with clients, excellent on the law: amazing skeleton arguments, amazing analysis and a skilful advocate.”
Ranked: Band 1
Legal 500
Crime: ‘Richard has the ability to make people want to stand up and applaud his closing speeches and wins the most difficult cases there are.’
Ranked: Tier 4
2023
Chambers & Partners
Financial Crime: “Richard is highly intelligent and very hard-working. He is very polished in court.” “He is very thorough and bright.”
Ranked: Band 1
Legal 500
Crime: Tier 3
2022
Chambers & Partners
Financial Crime: “An extremely thorough counsel – someone you definitely want to have on your side.”
Ranked: Band 1
Legal 500
Crime: “Richard is a fierce and hugely bright advocate. He excels in the most challenging of cases.”
Ranked: Tier 2
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