Richard currently maintains a broad criminal practice, including general and serious crime, fraud and confiscation proceedings, undertaking both prosecution and defence work in the Crown, Magistrates’ and Youth Courts. Recent instructions include conspiracy to possess a firearm involving a firearm drop by Victoria Station, representing a vulnerable client accused of fraud against his mother, and allegations of fraud on a charity by a volunteer of the charity. Richard was recently instructed to represent an individual at his preliminary Crown Court proceedings in a $250m conspiracy to defraud involving a Russian investment bank. Fraud, POCA and confiscation proceedings: Richard represents individuals charged with fraud offences and regularly deals with cases involving extensive bank account transaction evidence and cell site analysis. Serious violence and sexual offences: Richard has experience in the intricacies of cross examining young and vulnerable complainants in these types of matters. He has also been instructed in respect of drug conspiracy cases involving undercover police officers and test purchases. Road traffic: Richard has been instructed to represent clients in a broad range of road traffic offences and has successfully argued special reasons and exceptional hardship. Richard has dealt with a number of these matters at trial involving careless driving, driving without insurance and driving in excess of alcohol limits. Secondment: in January 2015 Richard went on secondment for six months to leading business crime and commercial litigation specialists Peters and Peters Solicitors LLP. While there, he dealt with a number of cross-border fraud investigations involving the analysis and application of laws and procedures from multiple jurisdictions. These matters included SFO investigations into LIBOR, FOREX and Barclays. Richard regularly works with prosecutors in foreign jurisdictions including the US, Switzerland and Brazil.
Called 2011; Inner Temple. Publications of note: ‘Should the FCA’s immunity remain sacrosanct? How does this compare with the US?’ Compliance Complete, 3 February 2015; ‘Skiving, truanting or just plain criminal?’ Criminal Law and Justice Weekly, 16 February 2015; ‘Traffic Offences without Borders’ LexisPSL Corporate Crime, 23 February 2015.
Young Fraud Lawyers Association.
Brownhills Comprehensive School (2005); London School of Economics (2008 LLB Law, 2(1)); University College London (2009 LLM International Business Law, merit; City Law School (2011 BPTC, very competent).
Richard has run the London Marathon twice for charity (2010 and 2012) and is a keen Manchester United fan.