Richard Barraclough QC is a highly experienced and accomplished silk who both prosecutes and defends a wide range of criminal cases. His caseload includes matters concerning serious sexual offences, violent crime. Most notable cases are listed below.
Notable Cases
R v Martin (2017) Defending in a shaken baby death, with Katherine Kelleher. Undertook the defence of a young father who had been accused of murdering his six week old baby. The case involved extensive expert and medical evidence as well as analysis of areas of medicine that are still developing. Click here for paper on this case.
R v Walton (2017) Representing a man charged with murder by shooting of another and disposing of his body, with Katherine Kelleher. Click here for news item.
R v Knight (2016) Defended in the trial of one of three brothers accused of the murder of a vulnerable woman. The case involves the effect of so called legal highs / Spice on the mind of an intellectually impaired individual and involved the calling of expert toxicological and psychological evidence. Click here for paper on this case.
R v Waters (2016) Representing a teacher before the Teaching Council on historic sex abuse charges.
R v Barham & Tomlin (2016) Leading John Fitzgerald in 8 week murder trial. Defending one of two defendants charged with the murder of a vulnerable male living in assisted housing.
R v Mohammed Ibrahim (2015) Murder trial representing defendant. Three defendants charged with murder possession of firearms and conspiracy to rob. The matter concerned the execution by shotgun of a 17 year old who happened to be in a drug dealing house. The motive was said to be a drug “turf” war in South East London and in revenge for a stabbing of a member of the opposing gang. Defendant was acquitted on murder and firearms indictment.
R v Mundoma (2015) (see news item on this website). Represented defendant in this murder trial which involved drugs deal that went wrong. Defendant acquitted on murder indictment.
R v Cisar (2015) Representing Slovak defendant charged with rape and child trafficking of most vulnerable female aged 16 with a very low IQ. All defendants acquitted on a submission of no case. Leading Chris Wray of Bond Joseph. Click here for a detailed commentary on the case
R v Slade (2015) Representing commercial haulier in multi million Pound importation of class A drugs out of Holland. Defence successful in argument that despite the opening of an Oxford office which was used solely for these importations he was ignorant of the contents of the haulage.
R v Roberto (2015) Representing defendant accused of rape. After close investigation the Defence were able to demonstrate that the allegations were flawed and the accuser had made similar allegations against others. Following the drafting of a substantial bad character application the Crown offered no evidence.
R v Chapman (2015) (see article on this website). 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. He had argued that his assets and monies were not part of his money lending business and had been accrued by other means. Significant proceeds of crime case.
R v Zuravliovas (2014) Leading for the defence of the first defendant, a Russian speaking Lithuanian in a 3 month murder trial. Accused of murdering a young Italian who had just arrived in the UK. Described as ferocious and merciless attack on the deceased and his friend who survived. Racial overtones. The trial lasted 3 months. Richard Barraclough’s performance described as “a masterclass” in advocacy.
R v Clement (2014) Manslaughter following drunken debate between homeless individuals in Canterbury.
R v Peters (2013) Leading for the defence in a cases of gross negligence manslaughter arising from an arson attack.
R v Berry et al (2013) Leading in a significant case of conspiracy to steal railway line throughout the south of England.
R v Ripley 2013 Leading in a case of alleged murder by a young Romany girl of her boyfriend where one or more of the defences of suicide, self-defence and accident was successful.
R v Breedon (2013) Leading in a case of sexual abuse of children.
R v Etheridge (2013) Leading in a case of abuse of children.
R v Mitchell (2012) Leading for the defence in a case of cross generational abuse involving siblings, own children and a variety of other relatives. Concept of genetic predisposition to paedophilia raised.
R v Samuel Roberts [2011/2012] (Central Criminal Court) (Victoria Tube Station murder) Leading for the defence of Samuel Roberts who was present throughout the gang attack in the station and kicked the deceased whilst he was being stabbed. Defendant was acquitted of murder but convicted of manslaughter and certain other offences following argument on “gang joint enterprise”.
R v Kamara (Central Criminal Court) Leading for the defence in another gang murder in West London involving “joint enterprise” when the client was acquitted of murder.
R v Awale [2012] (St Albans Crown Court). Leading for the defence in a case of murder by shooting by gang or by way of contract killing. This case involved the execution of 2 young men by a Somali gang. Case involved gun running, drug and people smuggling with complex issues relating to the bad character in Holland and the USA of various defendants and anonymous witnesses. First trial aborted after the Crown failed to investigate bad character adequately and following abuse argument.
R v Darren Peters [2012] (Central Criminal Court). Leading in a case of murder by fire after a young medical student who had been attacked by her then boyfriend enlisted the assistance of others to kill him. He was beaten, carried in the boot of a car and once in London burnt to death. This defendant was acquitted of murder.
R v Louzecky [2012]. Leading for the defence in a case of murder following a dispute in relation to a vacuum cleaner. This defendant was acquitted of murder and manslaughter.
R v Sultan and others [2011] (Leeds Crown Court and Court of Appeal [2011] EWCA Crim 2240) Leading for the defence in an election fraud. Wholesale fraud after postal votes forged and impersonation of electors. All defendants were convicted but the convictions quashed in the Court of Appeal. See also Khan where leading for the defence in the Slough election fraud.
R v Parsons [2009] EWCA 64 Court of Appeal decision on the “COUTTS” issue when manslaughter to be left to the jury after appellant drove accomplice to scene of shooting and the issue being whether the appellant might have thought that the killer was intent on “winging” the victim only. Leading in the Crown Court and in the Court of Appeal.R v Yousef [2010] Crown Court Birmingham, Leading for the defence of young woman accused of horrendous murder of 3 year old daughter who was stabbed multiple times. Tried to dissolve body in acid. Found unfit to plead due to mental illness and sent to a secure psychiatric hospital.
R v Fender [2010] Croydon Crown Court. Murder, provocation. Leading for the defence of man accused of killing his girlfriend in front of child. Acquitted of murder.
R v Benson [2010] Canterbury Crown Court Leading for the defence of a drug dealer accused of the rape and kidnap of one of his female workers.
2010: Defence of anti-terrorist officer involving anonymous witnesses, diplomats and agents.
R v Eggleton [2010] Maidstone Crown Court Prosecuting bus driver for manslaughter. Conviction of the driver who ran over a man who was remonstrating with him.
R v Chittenden leading for the Crown in the prosecution of a man under stress who was facing bankruptcy and “snapped” and held his wife who was asthmatic down in her bath thereby murdering her.
R v Christopher Langham Prosecution of well-known actor and writer for possessing child images and unlawful sex.
R v Hubble (The P&O Ferry The Pride of Bilbao) Leading for the defence of the officer of the watch charged with manslaughter (shipping).
R v Willoughby (2004) EWCA Crim 3365 Leading for the defence of a publican who wanted to redevelop the premises but who was refused planning permission and then set fire to the pub, thereby killing his accomplice. Charged with manslaughter. The issue before the Court of Appeal was whether there was a difference between unlawful act and gross negligence manslaughter and whether a duty of care could be owed to an accomplice.
R v Matharu (Reading) Leading in the case of murder of wife in a so called “honour “ killing when the defendant disembowelled his wife after he had formed an irrational belief that she was having an affair. Defence was the “Othello Syndrome” (insane jealousy)
R v Mclean Led for the defence of a club doorman who, it was alleged, killed a customer by excessive force. The defence involved a fascinating analysis of the pathology of positional asphyxiation and its relationship with drugs and hyper excitation, the cross examination of the Crown’s pathologist and the calling of a number of defence pathologists.
R v Azram Leading for the defence of Iraqi tortured by the then regime who then committed murder in the UK.
R v B (2005 All ER (D) 108) Principles of a mandatory life sentence for a 17 year old who had committed murder by setting fire to a house.
