Civitas Law

Richard is instructed by the Force Solicitors of the police forces across Wales in general litigation arising from operational policing such as cash seizures; firearms/shotgun appeals; and various civil orders such as sexual offender orders and football banning orders. However, his main interest in this field is acting at police disciplinary hearings. Richard’s expertise centres on sitting with and advising such panels on the law. Several of the cases he has been involved in have received national media coverage. Richard is on a small panel of counsel who are regularly instructed by Royal Mail Legal Services concerning allegations of fraud against Royal Mail and Post Office Limited, both by members of the public and employees. Richard has recently been instructed in a number of high profile inquests on behalf of HM Prison Cardiff and South Wales Police. Richard was on the attorney general’s panel of prosecuting counsel from 2005 until 2012 and gained much experience representing the full range of government departments. In 2010, Richard was appointed to the Regional Panel of Treasury Counsel. Since his appointment he has represented a number of government departments on a regular basis in a variety of cases. The departments include HM Revenue and Customs, the Home Department, the Department of Transport, the Foreign Office, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Defence. In 2012 Richard was appointed as junior counsel to the Welsh government. Richard has advised the Welsh ministers in relation to highway matters, including a road flooding claim and a claim relating to the responsibility for a main road where it met a railway line in North Wales. In 2014 he advised Welsh Water PLC in relation to a claim emanating from damage caused to a mains sewer chamber in the Rhondda. Richard was junior counsel to the Pennington Inquiry (engaged 2007-2009) into the E Coli O157 outbreak in South Wales in 2005, which led to widespread illness and a fatality. He was led by James Eadie QC (First Treasury Counsel). In the foreword to his report, Professor Pennington thanked Richard for his help and for his ‘visible contribution to the elicitation of evidence at the oral hearings’. Richard undertakes all aspects of personal injury work. He advises, drafts pleadings (including schedules of loss) and appears for both claimants and defendants in fast track and multi track cases, including applications, case management conferences and trials. He has experience in a wide variety of personal injury actions, including highway tripping, road traffic accidents, occupiers’ and employers’ liability. He recently advised South Wales Police in relation to a well publicised claim against the force, following the death of a person who had taken a vehicle without consent and was pursued by police officers. Richard regularly advises government departments (usually the prison service) in relation to personal injury claims. Richard is qualified as a civil and commercial mediator and is accredited by the ADR Group. Notable cases include: PCs x 4 v Chief Constable of Gwent [2015]. Four week misconduct hearing involving numerous allegations of corruption by four officers relating to the prevention of prosecution relating to a family member of one of the officers. Advised the panel chaired by the ACC; Evans v Chief Constable of Gwent [2015]. Three week misconduct hearing involving 50 allegations of serious matters. Advised the panel chaired by ACC; Smith v Chief Constable of Dyfed Powys Police [2014]. Long running firearms appeal on behalf of the chief constable, with a range of complicating features.

2006-2012 AG’s List of Prosecuting Advocates; 2007 nomination from the attorney general in order to undertake appointment as junior counsel to the Pennington Inquiry; 2009 accredited civil and commercial mediator; 2010-current, Treasury Counsel (regional panel – covering the whole of Wales); 2012–current, junior counsel to the Welsh government; 2013 pupil supervisor; 2013 external examiner Bar finals BPP Law School – judicial review course.

1999-2000, Cardiff University Bar Vocational Course – Very Competent; 1996-99, University of Warwick, LLB – 2:1.

Tennis, cricket and rugby union.