Richard is a high-profile, award-winning barrister specialising in prosecuting and defending complex commercial fraud cases and also other serious crime. He is recognised for his expertise in corporate manslaughter, regulatory offences and health and safety law. He has been engaged as counsel to several major public enquiries where there has been an emphasis upon the investigation of corruption and malpractice.
Richard was made Barrister of the Year 2004 at the Lawyer Awards. Commentators describe him as ‘someone whose mere presence on a case commands respect’ and ‘a lawyer who commands the best work’. Chambers and Partners, 2011, calls Richard ‘a favourite silk of the SFO and the FSA’. He is ranked as a leading silk both in general crime and in fraud.
He was called to the bar in 1971, became an assistant Recorder in 1982, a Recorder in 1987 (until 2010) and was Standing Counsel to the Inland Revenue from 1987-1991. He is a Master of the Bench at Gray’s Inn (2000) and is regularly seen on some of the most high-profile complex fraud cases of our day.
Much of Richard’s work centres on serious fraud, regulation and public enquiry. He both prosecutes and defends and is instructed by the SFO, FSA, OFT, IPCC, CPS HQ and leading solicitors in London and on Circuit. The primary focus of his general crime practice is on homicide cases. He has acted in more than 100 homicide trials that have included Trident investigations.
He has appeared in a number of very high-profile cases including the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman; the Soham murders (R v Huntley & Carr) and the murder of Mary-Ann Leneghan; the Prospect Park murder (R v Thomas and others). He prosecuted R v Rooney (Death by dangerous driving, National Express coach which overturned on the M25 killing three passengers and injuring many others)
Richard was counsel to the IPCC in their investigation into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes; counsel to Sir Ronnie Flanagan in his investigation into Sir Ian Blair; and counsel to the independent investigation into the Metropolitan Police search of the offices of Damien Green MP.
Recent key cases
- R v Angie Littlewood (2011): Acting for a principal defendant in what was described by the FSA as the most serious and extensive case of Insider Dealing it has thus far investigated.
- R v Jones &Ors(2010): Six defendant murder trial involving four teenagers and two adult defendants.
- British Airways/Virgin Atlantic price fixing prosecution by OFT (2010).
- Seaton v R: Represented the respondent prosecution at trial and on appeal when the conviction for murder was upheld. The case is now the leading authority on legal professional privilege and the partial waiver of the same by a defendant.
[2010] EWCA Crim. 1980 - R v Phillipa Curtis (2009): Causing Death by Dangerous Driving. (Driving while texting). Subject to an A.G.’s reference.
A.G. Ref. (No 17 of 2009) sub nom. R v Phillipa Curtis (2009) - R v Obih (2009): Murder of a police officer.
- R v Hardy &Ors (2008): Nottingham organized crime prosecution.
- R v Rastogi&Ors (2008): ‘The metal markets fraud’ – a $600 million fraud by metal traders on banks in the United Kingdom and United States. A joint investigation by the SFO and the DoJ.
- R v Steen (2007): SFO advanced fee fraud prosecution.
- Advising the IPCC in their investigation into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes (2005 – 2006).
- R v Thomas &Ors (2006): ‘The Prospect Park murder’ – prosecuting a six member gang convicted of kidnapping and murdering Mary-Anne Leneghan.
- R v Humphries (2006): The murder of the Oxford academic, Dr Barbara Johnson.
- R v George (2005): Prosecution of the 1984 murder of the anti-nuclear campaigner Hilda Murrell.
- R v Ian Huntley and Maxine Carr (2003): The ‘Soham murders case’.
- R v Andrews &Ors(2003) SFO prosecution advanced fee fraud.
- British Bus corruption case.
- Deutche Morgan Grenfell Investment Fraud.
- Operation Cornwall involving metropolitan police corruption.
Currently instructed
- R v Cryne&Ors: Prosecuting (FSA) a four-defendant conspiracy to mislead the market trial. The conspiracy relates to iSOFT plc, a major NHS IT contractor.
- Currently advising a major multi-national under investigation by the police and the HSE in relation to an allegation of corporate manslaughter.
- Currently instructed in an SFO investigation being conducted jointly with the DoJ into major multi-jurisdictional corruption. The allegations involve the corrupt payment of many millions sterling over a ten year period in relation to contracts worth in excess of $1 billion.
- R v Puncheon-Doherty: The murder of Col. Workman.
- R v Halliwell: The Swindon murders of Sian O’Callaghan and Rebecca Godden-Edwards.
Contact Richard Latham QC
Phone: +44 (0) 20 7242 3555
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7242 2511
Email: clerks@7br.co.uk