Year of call: 1975 (QC 1999)

E-mail: rm@33cllaw.com

Richard has, for several years, been listed in Chambers and Partners as a leading silk in crime on the Northern Circuit and  is currently ranked in Band 1 of the Leading Criminal Silks on the Northern Circuit. The 2009 edition describes him as  a “quality performer”. He is also picked out in the Legal 500.

His principal practice areas include serious crime, fraud, drugs and money laundering. He both prosecutes and defends, although in recent years the main focus of his practice has been defending. He became a part time President of the Mental Health (Restricted Patients) Review Tribunal in 2001 and in 2007 was appointed a tutor judge in crime with the Judicial Studies Board. Since 2008 he has occupied the position of Leader of the Northern Circuit.

Assistant Recorder 1991, Recorder 1994

Notable Cases

R. v. Saghir Ahmed & others – Customs and Excise duty fraud, involving London City Bond, in which proceedings were stayed as an abuse of process.

R. v. Humber & others – multi-million pound vat fraud

R. v. Stevens & others – reported case relating to sentencing in mortgage fraud cases

R. v. Jones & Jenkins and R. V. Watson – reported cases relating to directing of juries

R. v. Herbert & others – so called ‘Goth’ killing of Sophie Lancaster

R. v. Priddle – first prosecution of defendants in respect of a murder committed in Pakistan