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Richard is involved in the most serious/high-profile criminal cases, appearing in multiple complex cases attracting national media attention.
His client base is varied ranging from company directors, HNW individuals, financial advisers, other professionals and defendants involved in allegations of terrorism or serious sexual offences or multi-handed homicide. His recent practice has had a particular emphasis on cases involving young and vulnerable people and those with mental health issues.
Notable cases include Boy Y in the Brianna Ghia murder and Reynard Sinaga, the most prolific sex offender in worldwide legal history. During the period 2024 and to date in 2026 Richard has secured six seven separate murder trial acquittals for his clients following lengthy complex trials and also successfully prosecuted two significant murder trials in significant high profile homicide cases during the same time.
Notable Cases in Silk
R v RM (2026)
Securing another acquittal for murder in a multi handed joint enterprise trial concerning a juvenile defendant involved in the chase with the stabber whilst wearing balaclava and holding another machete.
Clegg and Others (2026)
Successfully prosecuting a trial alleging joint enterprise murder against three defendants made up of a mother and her two children who filmed murder on Snapchat.
Marshall and Wadsworth (2025/2026)
Successfully prosecuting a 6 week trial concerning a medical cause of death issue (deceased dying 55 days after attack) requiring multiple experts proving manslaughter.
Thomas Ward (2025)
Defending and secured a not guilty verdict for a man charged with murder and manslaughter arising out of a disturbance and later attack by a group on a victim outside a public house.
Ian Scott (2024/2025)
Defending and secured a not guilty verdict for a man charged with murder and manslaughter following a stabbing of an intruder into his home.
Representing A. Murphy (2024)
Secured not guilty verdict for a man charged with possession of an explosive substance with intent to endanger life.
In the matter of the murder of Brianna Ghey (2024)
Defended 16 year-old Eddie Ratcliffe.
Sadiq Al-Lami case (2024)
The acquittal of his client on murder and manslaughter charges.
R v James Johnson (2023)
Secured an acquittal for his client on murder and manslaughter charges.
R v Lynette Myers (2023)
Secured the only acquittal in a multi handed murder, rape and false imprisonment trial lasting 7 weeks.
R v Herish Zandi & Others (2023)
5 defendants charged with the murder of one man and a separate causing of grievous bodily harm to another man in a rival business feud. Mid trial after effective cross examination of prosecution witnesses and negotiation between prosecution and the Herish team, not guilty verdicts were returned for both murder and separate s18 matter. Instead this defendant accepted manslaughter on a carefully agreed “loss of control” basis. The result was a comparatively modest sentence.
R v TK (2023)
Defending a student in a complex consent rape trial and acquitted.
R v Mark Peers (2021-2022
Defending in the largest Class A importation case in UK legal history. Ongoing.
R v Pharrell Roberts (2022)
Defending multiple defendant joint enterprise murder trial lasting for 17 year old defendant in complex cut throat case. The only defendant acquitted.
R v Anthony Atha (2021)
Defending in multi-hander murder trial at Bradford Crown Court and again the only one to be acquitted.
R v Denver Walton (2021)
Defending an 18 year old in a murder trial concerning the fatal stabbing of best friend. Issue self-defence. Acquitted.
R v Reyhnard Sinaga (2020)
Defending the world’s most prolific sex offender. Success in Appellate court resisting Whole Life Order.
R v Gabbana (2020)
Instructed by the Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division of the CPS in a complex Appeal Conviction concerning a high profile execution murder in Liverpool. Successfully argued against the conviction being unsafe due to a suggested Gateway F bad character misdirection.
R v McKeon (2019)
defending Detective Constable in Merseyside Police charged with unauthorised use of the police computer systems for private purpose during her duties in the Major Crime Unit investigating the Kinsella/Paul Massey Murder case. Acquitted.
Richard is involved in the most serious/high-profile criminal cases, appearing in multiple complex and serious fraud trials brought by the SFO and HMRC. His client base is company directors, HNW individuals, financial advisers and other professionals.
As a Junior Richard was regularly instructed in high value and paper heavy MTIC and business fraud cases, publicly and privately funded. He is commonly asked to advise in high profile private prosecutions.
Richard defends often professional clients in publishing fraud, mortgage fraud, fraudulent trading, trading Standards violations, MTIC and international trade based money laundering. This career path for Richard was not necessary through choice but because he gets results. The reason being is simple, he is first and foremost a simply outstanding and charismatic advocate in front of a jury. He has prosecuted at a high level and that gives him an edge when defending. He represents clients from a variety of professions and earns their respect quickly.
He is an expert in his field and highly regarded delivering lectures and written published articles. It is the combination of his intellect, wealth of experience, his calming influence with clients, his northern charm and superb advocacy skills which makes him a heavyweight criminal defence silk who you want fighting in your corner, whatever the crime.
R v Jonathan Hirst
Defended and dismissed the largest HMRC tax avoidance case in legal history.
R v Gregory Frankel
Defending main defendant Frankel in a £260m Money Laundering trial involving NatWest and the son in law of Bernie Ecclestone. Attracting considerable national publicity. Securing a hung Jury following a 9 month trial during trial one. The case was vastly complex concerning the gold industry and AML regulations. The case has been described as the largest international money laundering case in UK legal history.
R v Craig Hawley
A conspiracy to launder £79 million on behalf of OCG. Put simply, ‘dirty cash’ washed through various bank accounts returning as “clean”. This was a complex international based Informal Value Transfer System (IVTS) case. The trial was 4 months in length. The defendant represented by Richard was an accountant. The Defendant avoided custody after skilful negotiation by Richard.
R v Mark Peers
In R v Mark Peers in what the BBC reported as the “UK’s biggest ever drug conspiracy” concerning importation of controlled drugs in vast quantities from the European continent into the UK. The case is ongoing. It is so vast the material and much of it financial in nature that the trial began in June 2022 and finished in 2024. There are other trials pending.
R v Ray Green and Claire Warren
Defending two directors and two companies in a considerable Trading Standards prosecution alleging Fraudulent Trading in a multi-million pound case alleging both Directors complicit in misleading consumers nationally in the Bi-Fold Industry. Both acquitted.
Richard also specialises in defending police officers up to and including the rank of superintendent, both in the Crown Court, before their disciplinary bodies, the Police Appeal Tribunals and in the High Court. He is also regularly instructed to defend those before the GMC, GCC, Football Association Disciplinary Panels and Inquests.
Death in Custody Inquest (2022)
6 week Inquest touching upon the death of KHB, a detained person in police custody, at Preston Coroner’s Court acting for PC Price, one of the arresting officers. No adverse findings made against this officer.
Inquest representing Naveed Gill (2019)
Defending in an inquest concerning death following car accident alleging defective vehicle responsible and defending those responsible for service/ repairs to vehicle. No adverse findings.
Richard has been representing police officers for many years. Officers and the Federation demand the highest level of representation. Richard delivers this and has developed an established reputation for excellence in this area. Richard has represented officers within Merseyside, Lancashire, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire Constabularies. Richard has experience not only at first instance hearings but also on appeal.
He is an exceptional lawyer, good with clients, respected by others, a fighter and a solid jury advocate as can be seen from the numerous recommendations, testimonials and success whilst defending in silk.
He also specialises in defending police officers up to and including the rank of superintendent, both in the Crown Court and before their disciplinary bodies. He is also regularly instructed to defend those before the GMC, GCC, Football Association Disciplinary Panels and Inquests.
He has a determination never to give up on a case, and will pursue a case to the highest level of appeal in order to achieve the correct result.
Superintendent Paul Staniforth (2023)
Defending 6 week misconduct and PAT in discipline case brought by Gwent Police concerning sexual harassment of a junior female colleague.
PC Gaffney (2023)
Defending misconduct and PAT in discipline case brought by GMP concerning abuse of process issues and dangerous driving / dishonesty allegations.
DI Ben Meakin (2021)
Defending misconduct and PAT in discipline case brought by Derbyshire Police for senior officer alleged to have contravened professional standards by engaging in a campaign of sexual harassment towards 6 young female police officers whilst on duty.
Sgt Emmett (2021)
Defending misconduct brought by GMP regarding senior officer alleged to have deliberately spat at a detainee. Officer’s conduct caught on CCTV. Issue for the Panel was not simply factual; the psychiatric condition of the Officer and whether her impulsivity and lack of control was brought on from her previous diagnosis of PTSD.
PC Frazer Green (2020)
Officer at a misconduct hearing. Alleged to have accessed police systems without policing purpose. Issues of Abuse of Process and the relevance of a mental health diagnosis of adjustment disorder to the actions of the officer.
Mountford Chambers are delighted to welcome Richard Littler KC and Mark Rhind KC to Chambers. Richard Littler KC is a leading…