Richard Barton

Barristers Privacy Notice

Richard defends and prosecutes criminal work, including related regulatory and linked civil matters. The CPS class him as a top-grade prosecutor, and he often works in London, the South East and Wessex, where he is instructed by their Complex Crime Units and Organised Crime Division. His defence practice covers the same high-end areas of work. He is regularly briefed as the lead advocate in homicides, serious sex offences, frauds, and the most complex and high-profile criminal cases. Richard has particular experience in defending and prosecuting motor death cases.

UK Bar 2016 - “Receives instructions in a wide range of criminal and regulatory matters, from murders and attempted murders through to death by dangerous driving cases. He is praised for both his advocacy skills and the quality of his advice.”

Legal 500 - “A very skilful advocate who exudes charm and confidence”

Grade 4 Prosecutor London and South East and Wessex. Rape approved.

Qualifications, Associations

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• Kennet Comprehensive School
• St Peter’s College, Oxford, B.A. (Oxon.) 1^st Class Honours, B.C.L.
• Called to the Bar 1990, Lincoln’s Inn, Hardwicke and Denning Scholarships, ICSL Studentship
• Lecturer in Law, The Queen’s College, Oxford 1989-99
• Junior Counsel to the Crown – Civil (Provincial) List 2000-2007
• South Eastern Circuit
• Criminal Bar Association
• Sussex Bar Mess
• CPS Grade 4 Advocate

Notable Cases

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2016

• R v Chatters – Defending in multiple-count fraud
• R v Bradley – Prosecuting rape and attempted kidnap http://www.kentnews.co.uk/news/life_sentence_for_man_who_raped_woman_at_knifepoint_in_gillingham_1_4457577

2015

• R v Kayla-Joseph and others – Prosecuting the first successful child sexual exploitation case in Sussex http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-32092746
• R v Hall and others – Leading for the Prosecution in lengthy trial of members of an organized crime group concerned in the importation of hundreds of kilos of high-grade Class A drugs http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3130178/Gang-nine-men-flooded-UK-s-streets-tens-millions-pounds-heroin-cocaine-cannabis-jailed-154-years.html http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2015-06-18/drug-dealers-jailed-for-a-total-of-154-years/
• R v Parsons – Christmas Day murder concerning the abuse of legal highs http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-34712187
• R v C and C – Prosecution of grandparents for assisting in the abduction of children to Northern Cyprus http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-34179121
• R v M – Successful half-time defence, based upon the evidence elicited from Prosecution witnesses during cross-examination, of a man accused of driving his milk tanker through a lowered level-crossing in South West Wales
• R v Styles – Trial of young man who walked six miles with a loaded shotgun intending to murder his love-rival http://www.midsussextimes.co.uk/news/local/extremely-jealous-haywards-heath-man-carried-shotgun-through-burgess-hill-1-7008808
• R v Kennedy – Trial of a notorious Jean Paul Gaultier male model from Brighton http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/12929316.A_model_thug/
• R v W – Defence of driver whose car hit a lollypop lady when he was blinded by the sun http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-35060435

2014

• R v Ash Smith – Junior for Prosecution in notorious 1993 murder of 16-year-old schoolgirl in Greenhithe, Kent. This case was featured in the BBC documentary series, ‘The Prosecutors’ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-30448136 http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/crime/article4295558.ece
• R v Blencowe – Lead Counsel in stabbing murder of 17 year old by his love rival in Oxford http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/update/2014-08-29/life-for-man-who-murdered-ex-girlfriends-new-partner/
• R v Henderson and others – Prosecuting three-handed homicide resulting from death of a street drinker in Eastbourne http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-27126189
• R v Ververopoulos – Stranger rape of 16 year old school girl in Aldershot in 2007; Defendant traced years later through his identical twin brother’s DNA on the Greek national database http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6897654.stm
• R v Green – Historic sex assaults on teenagers at cycle speedway clubs in the South East http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-26389464
• R v Soutar – Successful sleep apnoea defence in high-profile death by dangerous driving trial in Newcastle http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2583377/Virgin-bank-boss-cleared-killing-van-driver-head-collision.html
• R v Burgess – Serial rapist in West Sussex http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/11120808.Sexual_predator_who_preyed_on_women_jailed_for_20_years/
• R v Daley and Robinson – Long-running conspiracy to import large quantities of cocaine from Jamaica http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/men-appear-court-drug-smuggling-charges/story-19922357-detail/story.html
• R v Shrimpton – Prosecuting a member of the Bar for child pornography
• R v D – Successful technical defence of alleged dangerous driver in Gloucestershire in legally complex case concerning the extent of the Crown Court’s jurisdiction
• R v Davies – Serial sex offender in Polegate http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/update/2014-11-19/man-jailed-for-sexually-assaulting-3-girls/
• R v C – Successful defence of care home worker accused of abuse of a dementia patient in the North West

2013

• R v Forrest – High-profile case about the abduction to France of a 15 year old schoolgirl by her maths teacher. See ‘The Runaway Schoolgirl’, a book written by the girl’s mother. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-22861762 , http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/jeremy-forrest-trial-teacher-refuses-1964592
• R v Webber – Kidnap of model by photographer who claimed to work for MI5 http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/story/2012-07-13/hunt-for-missing-woman/ , http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/10252096.Hove_woman__kidnapped__assaulted_and_brainwashed___trial_told/
• R v Barker, Rodgers, Dunk and Cook – Trial and retrial of four Brighton and Hove Albion professional footballers for sex assault and voyeurism http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-21146344
• R v Bowen – Royal Marine who brought back a ‘trophy’ Taliban AK47 from the Gulf War http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/10464873/Royal-Marine-who-brought-AK47-home-from-Gulf-War-spared-jail.html
• R v Clark – Bexhill stranger sexual attack and strangulation by serving soldier http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-23800707
• R v C – Sex abuse of children by young man http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentish_express/news/2013/april/3/cody_hinkley.aspx
• R v Medland – Murder of woman by estranged husband during meeting in central Brighton square http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-23319029

2012

• R v Dhalla – Stalking by City auditor of former fiancée. See the book, ‘Stalked’, written by Alison Hewitt http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2092519/City-banker-crossbow-weapons-cache-spurned-doctor-met-executive-dating-website.html , http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2101335/Al-Amin-Dhalla-Former-City-worker-faces-prison-harassment-ex-lover-mother.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-18651008
• R v Skilton and Long – Murder of 17 year old by ‘plastic gangster’ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-19788681
• R v Lyons and others – Group attack attempted murder arising out of family dispute involving baseball bats and running over with a 4×4 vehicle http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-16601872
• R v Basra – Attempted murder of love rival with meat cleaver http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-19214529 http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/successes_of_the_month/successes_of_the_month_-_september_2012/
• R v Carter – Lorry driver historic sexual abuse of young girls across UK http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2012-03-22/man-jailed-for-kent-and-sussex-sex-attacks/
• R v Crawford – Stranger rapist from 1985, caught by DNA evidence on cold case review http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-18460153
• R v Haunch – Paedophile teacher rapist, a member of PIE, from 1970-80s http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-18799252. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-20597464
• R v Mouza – Stranger rapist in Crawley
• R v X – Mother forcing her teenage daughter to impregnate herself with sperm bought on the Internet http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2316437/14-year-old-forced-pregnant-wicked-mother-desperate-child.html
• R v Allen – Killing of wife by man after home renovations went wrong http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-16744593

2011

• R v Peachey – Attempted murder of terminally ill father whilst in hospital ward www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-14597677
• R v Tejkowski – Trial of serial stranger rapist www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-16097595
• R v Bridgeman – Trial of City solicitor for perverting the course of justice www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2074938
• R v Baig – Stabbing to death of wife in car by mentally ill man www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-13728599
• R v Riley – Sex offences committed by two brothers, a school caretaker and a karate teacher www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-13962042
• R v C – Successful defence of a lorry driver in death by dangerous driving trial resulting from multiple vehicle collision on M42 (sleep apnoea defence)
• R v Wenham – Death by dangerous driving in Brighton town centre www.theargus.co.uk/news/9156599.Drink_driver_left_his_friend_to_die_after_Brighton_crash/
• R v Cogger – Man shot by police in armed stand-off at home address www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-12936894
• R v Batsimba – Attempted murder with machete during course of group fight in Crawley town centre www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12244516

Older cases

• R v Coutts – Junior in trial and re-trial relating to the murder of Jane Longhurst http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Coutts
• R v Fisher – Briefed alone in prosecution of Hastings multiple killer and sex attacker http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-11344281
• Re ST – Representing a member of the Children of God in long-running Wardship proceedings http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_International
• R v Hardison – Leading in trial of manufacturer of massive amounts of LSD and related illegal psychotropic drugs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Sambc/Casey_William_Hardison
• R v Scrase – Briefed alone in prosecution of Eastbourne arson and double murder http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-11343249
• R v Henry and Cole – Leading in trial of attempted murder and robbery; victim survived shooting when bullet hit his mobile phone in his breast pocket http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/justice/1458216/.html
• R v Dunne – Killing of former housemate by paranoid schizophrenic who believed he was a witch http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-11775110
• R v Hewlett – Leading in trial of attempted murder of estranged wife by Inland Revenue civil servant using a stolen van in faked hit-and-run ‘accident’ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/7954890.stm
• R v Barnes – Trial of attempted murder of best man; victim left severely physically and mentally handicapped http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/justice/1458216/.html
• R v Devall and others – Junior prosecuting a six-handed murder http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/southern_counties/5042924.stm
• R v Harris – Trial of paramedic for perverting the course of justice when falsifying records relating to the death of a 999 caller http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/8549261.stm
• R v MacBride – Murder of boat owner at sea http://www.theargus.co.uk/archive/2003/07/26/Brighton+Hove+Archive/5107421.Five_lies_that_nailed_a_killer/
• R v Austin and others – Junior in trial of manslaughter of Qatari language student on Hastings seafront http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/8378084.stm
• R v Cummings – One-punch manslaughter at Brighton nightclub http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-11517705
• R v McMillan – Defence junior in murder of transgender prostitute by one of her clients http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10237293
• R v Genestin – Junior in trial of murder of wife by French national; body stored in roof box in garden http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/7400914.stm
• R v Sumner and Price – Joint murder of eccentric homosexual http://www.theargus.co.uk/archive/2002/04/06/Brighton+Hove+Archive/5133865.Killers_fight_after_getting_life_terms/
• R v Jones – Motor manslaughter of elderly lady by wanted offender in stolen car during the course of police chase http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10265519
• R v Walder and Martindale – Murder by woman intervening between men fighting http://www.littlehamptongazette.co.uk/news/local/angmering-woman-jailed-for-12-years-for-murder-1-1127841
• R v Dalton – Killing of hairdresser by partner http://www.theargus.co.uk/archive/2001/07/11/Brighton+Hove+Archive/5147039.Dressing_gown_killer_is_jailed/
• R v McWilliam and McWilliam – Killing of child by proposed adoptive parents http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1613997.stm