Our Expertise
St Pauls Chambers provides legal services throughout the UK and worldwide. We are known for providing excellence in our areas of focus.
As a leading barristers chambers in Leeds, our expertise span the depth and breadth of a number of key areas of law.
Our People
St Pauls Chambers have an excellent team of Barristers, Clerks & Administration, with our barristers including KC’s, Members and Pupils.
View our teams in full detail, or browse by expertise to find a barrister.
Call 1980 | Silk 2003
Richard Barraclough KC is a highly experienced Silk with over 40 years’ practice across criminal, regulatory, civil and family law (family law involving complex medical issues). He prosecutes and defends in cases of homicide and other serious crime, and many of his cases have led to developments in law and practice.
His work spans serious crime family and child welfare proceedings involving catastrophic injury and complex medical evidence, regulatory and environmental crime, food and consumer law, coronial matters, and professional discipline. He also advises and litigates in civil and commercial disputes, including fraud, negligence, contracts, trusts, land and employment.
Richard appears in all courts up to the Supreme Court and has appeared before the Privy Council in capital appeals. He is recognised for his expertise in jury advocacy and has been involved in numerous high-profile murder, manslaughter, fraud, consumer protection and child abuse cases. He is equally experienced before appellate courts, disciplinary tribunals and regulatory bodies.
Food Safety & Regulatory Crime
Richard Barraclough KC is recognised for his significant contribution to modern Food Safety Law, acting in leading cases that have shaped the interpretation and enforcement of the UK’s food safety regime.
He appeared in the Divisional Court in R (Tesco Stores Ltd) v Birmingham Magistrates’ Court [2020] EWHC 799 (Admin), where the High Court confirmed that food placed on the market after its “use by” date is conclusively deemed unsafe. The judgment clarified the operation of Article 14 of Regulation (EC) 178/2002 and the interaction with food information legislation, reinforcing the precautionary and consumer-protection foundation of the regulatory framework. The case is now a leading authority on the enforcement of “use by” date offences.
Richard has also appeared in appellate proceedings arising from prosecutions for placing unsafe food on the market in cases involving fatal consequences, including R v Rebelo [2021] EWCA Crim 306. These cases illustrate the intersection between food regulation and gross negligence manslaughter, and the seriousness with which breaches of food safety law may be treated where public health is endangered.
His food safety practice includes advising and representing local authorities and enforcement bodies, as well as defendants, in cases involving:
Richard is particularly experienced in cases requiring complex expert scientific evidence and in matters where regulatory breach carries significant reputational, financial or custodial risk.
Barraclough KC is frequently brought in to lead in criminal cases involving death, abuse and significant medical issues including “shaken baby syndrome” . He has been engaged to lead in gang murders, murders involving complex scientific issues, multiple murders, torture, executions and those who are unfit to plead. He has undertaken the defence of a number of psychiatric patients accused of murder. He has undertaken the defence of a number of individuals charged with election fraud and prosecutes and defends other multi-million pound frauds. He prosecutes substantial illegal money lending cases and prosecutes and defends in regulatory matters.
His commercial training and experience as a Solicitor provides him with considerable accountancy expertise for fraud cases. He undertakes complex Proceeds of Crime matters.
He has also been involved in a case involving the illegal exportation of arms to the Middle East.
In 2017 he advised and represented Lord Bramall in his claim for damages against the Metropolitan Police for conspiracy, misfeasance in a public office, trespass and defamation following the collapse of Operation Midland.
R v Peacock (2023) (Central Criminal Court)
Defending in the trial of the double murderer Lee Peacock who compiled a list of up to four or five drug dealers to be assassinated or executed in north London.
R v Afolabi (2023) (Woolwich Crown Court)
Leading Daniel Stevenson. The case concerned conspiracy to rob, wounding and manslaughter. The conspiracy culminated in the ambush of a dealer in a car park. He was stabbed and bled to death. The two involved in the attack were convicted of manslaughter. All defendants were due to be sentenced for a variety of offences
R v Mohammed Atif (2022) (Sheffield Crown Court)
Defending – Murder by shooting of Sheffield Solicitor. MA is a a young man with a severe learning disability. Despite reports from psychiatrist and psychologist that he was fit to plead, he was unable to participate in the trial even with an intermediary. RB QC at short notice arranged for two S12 psychiatrists to report further and give evidence to Lambert J who ruled that he was unfit to plead. The jury thereafter considered whether he “did the acts”. At the close of the prosecution case the judge ruled on a submission that he had no case to answer and he was discharged. The remaining defendants charged with murder were convicted.
R v Burnett (2021)
Instructed to defend a man who kicked to death a homeless man living in a tent in a Dover graveyard. Complex issues of split personality and a large amount of medical and psychiatric evidence.
R v Islam (2020)
Defending in a shaken baby case where a 6 week old baby suffered catastrophic brain and skeletal injuries. Following cross examination of the expert neurosurgical experts acquitted by direction of the judge of S18 causing grievous bodily harm.
R v Rebelo (2020)
Prosecuted retrial in DNP manslaughter case with appeal to Court of Appeal.
R v Shepherd (November December 2018 January 2019)
Drug related execution of a subordinate. Cambridge Crown Court. Subject of Channel 4 two-episode documentary “24 Hours in Custody” broadcast in January 2020).
R v Rebelo (2018)
Prosecuting the distributor of a slimming agent to vulnerable persons causing death, for manslaughter. An academic paper is being prepared on unlawful act and gross negligence manslaughter.
Richard Barraclough KC is a recognised expert in jury trials and has been involved in a series of high profile murder, manslaughter, fraud, consumer protection, child abuse and rape cases.
He is frequently brought in to lead in criminal cases involving serious economic organised crime and terrorism. He has been engaged to lead in a number of gang-related cases across the country.
Described by Chambers UK legal directory as “An exceptional barrister and outstanding advocate in the courtroom with a commanding presence.”
Richard was approved by the court to represent a defendant who was otherwise unfit to plead. He has undertaken the defence of a number of psychiatric patients accused of murder.
R v Tahir (2021)
S2 Terrorism Act 2006.
R v Burnett (2021)
Instructed to defend a man who kicked to death a homeless man living in a tent in a Dover graveyard. Complex issues of split personality and a large amount of medical and psychiatric evidence.
R v Alabaoso, Matimba & Tejan (2021)
Prosecuting County Lines revenge murder of opposition drug gang member in gang warfare case.
R v Roach (2019-2020)
Prosecuting County Lines revenge and control of market inspired murder.
R v Gledhill (2019)
Drug revenge and gang related execution by firearm. Leeds Crown Court.
R v Shepherd (2018-2019)
Drug related execution of a subordinate. Cambridge Crown Court. Subject of Channel 4 two episode documentary “24 Hours in Custody” broadcast in January 2020).
R v Siddique (2018)
County Lines revenge murder in residential area of Farnborough Hampshire.
Richard Barraclough KC is widely recognised for his work in regulatory and food law, frequently instructed by local authorities, public bodies and industry giants in cases where food safety breaches carry the highest public protection stakes. His practice includes major litigation that has clarified the operation of core EU-derived food safety concepts retained in UK law, particularly “unsafe food”, “deeming provisions”, and the practical enforcement consequences of use-by labelling.
Clarifying the “use by” deeming regime, Birmingham City Council v Tesco Stores Ltd
A defining example of Richard’s impact is his role for the prosecuting authority in litigation arising from the Tesco “use by date” prosecution. The Divisional Court (Hickinbottom LJ and Swift J) handed down judgment on the relationship between Article 24 of Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 and Article 14 of Regulation (EC) 178/2002, confirming that food displayed for sale after the labelled use-by date is deemed unsafe and that the deeming provision is conclusive for the purposes of the offence, i.e. it cannot be rebutted by microbiological evidence.
That same litigation is described as important for explaining “deeming provisions” and for creating a “bright line” approach that limits factual dispute and supports consumer protection.
Richard’s work in food safety law is not confined to criminal prosecutions. His involvement in Tesco v Birmingham Magistrates’ Court [2020] EWHC 799 (Admin) demonstrates significant impact on the civil and public law side of food regulation, particularly in shaping the interpretation of EU-derived food safety provisions through judicial review.
Landmark DNP case, using food law to protect life where “supplements” become lethal
Richard Barraclough KC also prosecuted the DNP (2,4-dinitrophenol) case linked to the death of student Eloise Parry, a prosecution that shows how food law can operate in the most serious outcomes. PAPER ON DNP
The Food Standards Agency describes the conviction of Bernard Rebelo for gross negligence manslaughter and selling unsafe food, stating it was the first-ever manslaughter conviction of a seller of DNP for human consumption, following an investigation involving the FSA’s National Food Crime Unit and Harrow Council.
Novel evidence and outbreak tracing. Whole Genome Sequencing Salmonella prosecution
Richard has also been involved in outbreak litigation at the cutting edge of microbiological attribution.
This case arises from a Salmonella outbreak in which whole genome sequencing (WGS) was used to link contaminated pork scratchings to outbreak isolates. The piece describes it as the first UK prosecution involving whole genome sequencing when tracing a Salmonella outbreak, and records that Richard Barraclough KC led the prosecution instructed by Bolton Council.
Regulatory practice: Richard Barraclough KC has extensive experience in regulatory matters, including planning enforcement, illegal slaughter/butchery/sale of meat, fly-tipping, breaches of licence conditions, recycling plants, waste management, and structural collapses (such as cranes and other structures).
Consumer law: He has advised a major insurer on consumer credit and on the inclusion of insurance premium components within APR calculations.
Cybercrime & IP: He has a particular interest in cybercrime (including the “Darknet”), as well as intellectual property, passing off, and copyright issues.
Local authorities: Richard has advised local authorities on controlled parking, price structuring and tariffs (including the potential risk of being treated as ‘revenue generating’), data protection policies, tenancy agreements, employment matters, and delegated powers and policy issues generally.
Judicial review: He has acted in judicial reviews of local authority tendering processes.
Recent instructions (2024):
Advised on a £10 million government development loan and related professional regulatory implications.
Advised a regulatory body at the investigative stage of proceedings.
Advised a solicitor in complex SRA misconduct allegations.
Advised a Chief Constable in police misconduct proceedings.
Transport & infrastructure: Acted for an international haulage company in proceedings against Transport for London (TfL), challenging the lawfulness of certain fixed penalty notices.
Recognition: Named Consumer Rights – Lawyer of the Year by Lawyer Monthly in 2018.
Environmental regulation: Instructed in an appeal against the Environment Agency’s revocation of a waste permit for a London recycling unit.
Richard was recently instructed in an appeal against the revocation by the Environment Agency of waste permit for a London recycling unit. He is also instructed to defend in a case of multi million Pound fraud involving exaggerated claims in respect of electrical recyclable waste an environmental crime perpetuated by fraud.
Richard was instructed to defend a professional veterinary surgeon in a case of conspiracy to defraud in relation to the pre-sale vetting of horses.
Richard advised on authorisation in relation to Food Standards Agency and LACORS in prosecutions under Food Hygiene Regulations.
National College for Teaching & Leadership (2016)
Richard appeared before the National College for Teaching and Leadership on behalf of teacher.
Birmingham City Council v Wyeth (Trading as SMA Nutrition)
He conducted the prosecution of the manufacturers of powdered milk for the illegal advertising of the product. Birmingham Trading Standards launched the prosecution. The case focused on the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and the UK Infant Formula and Follow on Formula Regulations 1995 and the evidence of world experts in the field. One issue involved the UK’s right to regulate the marketing of baby milk. Professor Tomkins of the Centre for International Health and Development, Institute of Child Health London is reported as saying “As someone who has spent his professional life concerned with ways of improving children’s health through improving nutrition and diet and as somebody who sees this as being eroded by attempts to violate the WHO code, I applaud the Trading Standards prosecution of SMA. I offer my thanks and congratulations but more importantly please accept on their behalf the thanks of children born and yet to be born who will benefit from your successful case”.
Momentum Network Ltd (2012)
In Birmingham Crown Court, Richard was Leading Counsel with Lee Bennett in the landmark prosecution of Momentum Network Ltd (trading as ‘Credit Card Killer’) and it’s directors Basil and Amanda Rankine, for fraud and under the Consumer Protection Regulations 2008. The value of the fraud was in excess of £1.8m and was part of a “debt sale” business described by the Office of Fair Trading as a “scam”. He and Lee Bennett pursued the same defendants in the civil court over some 5 days for enforcement orders under the Enterprise Act and then for the committal of Basil Rankine for contempt including an appeal by the contemnor to the Court of Appeal.
R v Nicholson (2010)
In Warrington Crown Court, he prosecuted a “loan shark” in Birmingham on behalf of Birmingham Trading Standards National Illegal Money Lending Team and Cheshire Police. The Defendant was convicted of illegal money lending, blackmail, assault and rape. Long sentence and IPP.
Richard has advised a major insurer on consumer credit and the components of insurance premiums to be incorporated within APR calculations.
Olson v Maidstone Borough Council
Judicial review of a decision to revoke hackney carriage licence after conviction for rape overturned. Issue of standard of proof in such administrative matters.
R v Kent Magistrates Court ex Parte Folkestone Court Practitioners & Users Group CO/2787/98
Review of decision to close local Magistrates courts.
Murphy v Director of Public Prosecutions [1990] 2 AER 390
Acted on behalf of the DTI (now DBERR) under the employment agency regulations
Acted on behalf of the DTI (now DBERR) under the employment agency regulations.
Proceedings against Transport for London
Advising and settling proceedings against TFL on behalf of international haulage company concerning unlawfulness of certain fixed penalty notice.
Richard’s frauds practice benefits from his extensive previous experience as a Commercial Solicitor and as such he has successfully undertaken a number of civil and criminal fraud, consumer, regulatory and proceeds of crime cases.
He also has an interest in cybercrime including the “Darknet“, intellectual property, passing off and copyright.
Cross Rail
In 2017 he defended in a significant Cross Rail corruption and fraud trial. He represented one of the defendants involved in a multi-million pound corruption involving a rail infrastructure company engaged in bribing individuals engaged in the award of rail contracts.
R v Chapman (Stephen Roy) 2015 [EWCA] 694
In 2015 he successfully represented Birmingham City Council in a prosecution involving a loan shark who appealed against a confiscation order made against him for £177,000.00.
Regina v Khan 2011 EWCA 2240
He led for the defence in the two major cases of local and general electoral fraud (Slough and Bradford). He litigated a case of conspiracy to defraud by a significant bank.
Richard represented a veterinary surgeon in a case involving the sale of drugged and dangerous horses. The trial lasted three months and involved expert evidence called in relation to equine psychology behaviour and conditions, veterinary practice and the effect of drugs on horses.
The second case involved false claims relating to the recycling of electronic waste destined for the Nigerian market.
He has spent many years practising in this area of law and has been involved in a number of multi-millionpound claims for death and catastrophic injury.
He has acted for hospitals, factories, car manufacturers, London Underground and railway companies amongst others.
He represents major insurers by way of direct access.
He has an interest in structures generally from buildings and factories to individual gantries, cranes and equipment and in particularly liability for collapse. He has experience of construction claims.
He has a particular interest in psychiatry and stress claims.
He has delivered lectures on this type of claim.
The breadth of his experience covers PVS and other brain damage cases, devastating skeletal and soft tissue injuries, asbestos related conditions, post-traumatic stress claims, claims for medical negligence including matters relating to by way of example obstetrics, delayed diagnosis of cancer.
He is expert in the analysis of scientific issues. He works easily with accountants. He is happy to travel anywhere to see clients, sites and experts. He undertakes round table settlement negotiations at any stage of proceedings.
He has been involved in cases where a patient escaped from a psychiatric hospital and committed suicide and a resident who escaped from a local authority care home and was injured.
Benzodiazepine Litigation
Audit Counsel in the Benzodiazepine litigation.
Myodil Litigation
He was instructed in the Myodil litigation.
Regina v Hubble
P&O Ferry Pride of Bilbao accident where 3 yachtsmen were alleged to have been struck and killed by a cross Channel ferry, he was Leading Counsel for the defence with a team of experts in hydrodynamics, body drift, tidal movements, radar, sailing and ship construction.
Cutter v Eagle Star Insurance Co. Ltd. [1998] 4 AER 417 (compulsory third party insurance)
Collision in a car park. Definition of “road” for the purpose of Council Directives and S145(3)(a) RTA 1988.
Bailey v IBC Vehicles Ltd [1998] 3 AER 570
Burrows v Montgiardi
Daniels v Heinz (Causation) CCRTF 97/1566/2
Richard advises in commercial matters generally including insurance, competition law, bank miss-selling, international trusts, policy matters for a variety of institutions, standard banking terms and construction of wills.
By way of further example he has advised and on occasion been involved in litigation in relation to:
Richard Barraclough KC is a Common Lawyer who has developed a practice in the family courts (fact finding and welfare) where serious allegations are made involving brain and other catastrophic injury, abuse and perplexing presentations/fabricated or induced illness. He has an interest in psychiatric and personality disorders. His criminal, medical negligence and personal injury background provide him with particular experience and expertise in this area of practice.
He has undertaken a number of family Court cases in 2025 concerning:
Following the conclusion of a trial involving cross generational abuse Richard authored a paper entitled “Genetic predisposition to paedophilia” GENETIC PREDISPOSITION TO PAEDOPHILIA AND CHILD ABUSE
He has written a Paper on the anatomy of an impossible trial for exploitation and abuse grooming and rape of young children. ANATOMY OF A TRIAL FOR CHILD EXPLOITATION DETAILED PAPER
In 2017 Barraclough KC was invited to become a Fellow of the University of Hull Wilberforce Institute and participated in the Wilberforce World Summit Eradicating Contemporary Slavery” He addressed the summit on legal solutions to modern day slavery. He has conducted a post graduate workshop at the Institute
Re A (A Child) (Abduction from Pakistan) [2025] EWHC 2637 (Fam)
2022 EWFC 106 (Fact Finding) 2022 EWFC 107 (Anonymity Decision).
A case involving serious brain injuries sustained by a child was reported after the cross examination of experts demonstrated that the parents were innocent of any wrong doing and one expert had failed in his duties as expert
The appeal arose from trial one in 2018 when Richard successfully prosecuted the distributor of a slimming agent to vulnerable persons causing death, for manslaughter.
The Court of Appeal in Rebelo (No 1) accepted that posting such an item is not unlawful and dangerous manslaughter (UDAM) that caused her death. The failure to comply with a food regulation was not sufficient. The Court of Appeal, led by Leveson P, applied the classic definition of autonomy – whether she was ‘free, informed and deliberate’ such that the ‘chain of causation’ from the supplier was broken.
Mr Rebelo was convicted at re-trial in 2020 and his subsequent appeal was dismissed.
Richard advised and represented Lord Bramall in his claim for damages against the Metropolitan Police for conspiracy, misfeasance in a public office, trespass and defamation following the collapse of Operation Midland.
Richard has delivered lectures to the British Thoracic Society (asbestos related law), and to Solicitors (in crime, civil and planning including inter alia abuse of process and the Ogden Multipliers), to senior investigating officers of the Metropolitan Police on homicide investigation and murder trials and to schools on the anatomy of knife murder.
He addressed the Hotel Forum 2015 in hotel security and liability in the context of child exploitation. The forum focused on hotel security, brand margin, international travel and critical success factors for a new hotel brand.
He advised one of the large hotel chains on liability where a hotel might be used for the purposes of child exploitation.
He has written a paper on the issues of liability in this context which deals with the liability of hotel operators in areas where high levels of sexual exploitation of young people can lead to their misuse and their involvement in crimes against vulnerable people. In the article he discusses the issues that arise from co-operation with the Police and involvement in surveillance operations and the risks that these entail. He also draws on legal principles from other jurisdictions, and in particular on the experience of other counties in dealing with the problems, in particular, the experiences of Australia and the United States.
He addressed an event dealing with the risks and liabilities faced by the hospitality sector in circumstances where their property may be used by those engaged in child sexual exploitation crime.
In his presentation, he dealt with the issues concerning when a hotel will be liable in negligence for child sexual exploitation, examined recent judgments and discussed the steps needed to protect the reputation of hotel and hospitality operators.
In 2027 he was invited to become a Fellow of the University of Hull Wilberforce Institute and participated in The Wilberforce World Freedom Summit Eradicating Contemporary Slavery” (In association with the Humber Modern Day Slavery Partnership). He addressed the summit on legal solutions to modern day slavery.
He conducted a workshop for post graduate students at the Institute entitled “The Legal Dynamics of Modern Slavery Cases: What Lessons can be Learnt”.
Richard delivered a presentation entitled “R v Rebelo: The complexities and ramifications of the case” at the Royal Society of Medicine conference “Legal and forensic conundrums in complex high profile homicide”. The presentation provided an analysis of unlawful act and gross negligence manslaughter after Rebelo placed an unsafe food namely the toxic chemical DNP used as a slimming agent, on the market for human consumption and the two Court of Appeal judgments.
Barraclough KC was interviewed by the American Science journalist Jessica Wapner and discussed the Rebelo case prosecuted by him and Gordon Menzies and deaths linked with DNP. Jessica Wapner has been investigating the link between DNP and the death of a number of vulnerable individuals and in particular those who suffer eating disorders. The Podcast “Warrant for his Arrest” considers the attempts by FDA agents to prosecute the distributors of DNP in the United States. The FDA investigations have focused on mail fraud and the misbranding of drugs.
In the same Podcast she interviews Richard Barraclough KC and Gordon Menzies who have a special knowledge of food law and homicide in the United Kingdom. They were instructed by Sarah Wilson of Harrow Council as food safety and standards enforcing authority, to prosecute Bernard Rebelo for manslaughter. He had supplied DNP to Eloise Parry who died, having consumed the chemical for weight loss. He was convicted and sentenced to 7 years imprisonment. As Wapner says, this prosecution changed the cases in the United States “entirely” and “for the first time in history someone selling DNP had been found guilty of manslaughter”. Richard Barraclough KC has advised the Crown Prosecution Service on a similar case involving the supply of DNP by a supplier based in the United States.
Chambers is centrally located within walking distance of the train station, secure car parks and the Courts.
St Pauls Chambers
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