Richard Littler KC

Call 1994
Silk 2019

littlerkc@exchangechambers.co.uk

"Richard is a very impressive jury advocate, and he is able to take difficult circumstances and make it sound persuasive."

Chambers and Partners 2025
Photo of Richard Littler KC

Criminal

Richard is a criminal silk described by Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 as “exceptionally bright”, “a stand out name”, “ a leading name in his field” and “ has a wonderful calming manner with clients.”  He is simply outstanding in front of a jury, has exceptional advocacy skills and his wealth of experience is clear to see. He is Head of Manchester Exchange Chambers Criminal Department.

Criminal Cases

Notable cases in silk include the largest rape case in world history (Sinaga), the largest Drug Importation in UK history (Peers), the largest Money Laundering Case in UK history (Frankel) and the largest HMRC tax avoidance case in legal history (Hirst).

Representing A. Murphy (2024) – Secured not guilty verdict for a man charged with possession of an explosive substance with intent to endanger life.

In the matter of the murder of Brianna Ghey (2024) – Defended 16-year-old Eddie Ratcliffe.

Sadiq Al-Lami case (2024)  – The acquittal of his client on murder and manslaughter charges.

 R v Jonathan Hirst (2019-2024) – Defended and dismissed the largest HMRC tax avoidance case in legal history.

R vs James Johnson (2023) – secured an acquittal for his client on murder and manslaughter charges.

R vs Lynette Myers (2023) – secured the only acquittal in a multi-handed murder, rape and false imprisonment trial lasting 7 weeks.

R v Herish Zandi & Others (2023) 5 defendants charged with the murder of one man and a separate causing of grievous bodily harm to another man in a rival business feud. Mid trial after effective cross examination of prosecution witnesses and negotiation between prosecution and the Herish team, not guilty verdicts were returned for both murder and separate s18 matter. Instead this defendant accepted manslaughter on a carefully agreed “loss of control” basis. The result was a comparatively modest sentence.

R v TK (2023) – defending a student in a complex consent rape trial and acquitted.

R v Gregory Frankel (2023) – defending main defendant Mr Frankel in a £260m Money Laundering trial involving Natwest and the son in law of Bernie Ecclestone. Attracting considerable national publicity. Hung Jury following 8 month trial and re-trial now October 2024. This case was vastly complex concerning the gold industry and AML regulations. The case has been described as the largest international money laundering case in UK legal history.

R v Mark Peers (2021-2022) – Defending in the largest Class A importation case in UK legal history. Ongoing.

R v Pharrell Roberts (2022) – defending multiple defendant joint enterprise murder trial lasting for 17 year old defendant in complex cut throat case. The only defendant
acquitted.

R v Anthony Atha (2021) – defending in multi hander murder trial at Bradford Crown Court and again the only one to be acquitted.

R v Denver Walton (2021) – defending 18 year old in a murder trial concerning the fatal stabbing of best friend. Issue self-defence. Acquitted.

R v Reyhnard Sinaga (2020) – defending the world’s most prolific sex offender. Success in Appellate court resisting Whole Life Order.

R v Ray Green and Claire Warren (2020) – defending two directors and two companies in a Trading Standards prosecution alleging Fraudulent Trading in a multi-million pound case alleging Directors complicit in misleading consumers nationally in Bi-Fold Industry. Both acquitted.

R v Gabbana (2020) – instructed by the Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division of the CPS in a complex Appeal Conviction concerning a high profile execution murder in Liverpool and successfully argued against the conviction being unsafe due to a suggested Gateway F bad character misdirection.

R v McKeon (2019) defending Detective Constable in Merseyside Police charged with unauthorised use of the police computer systems for private purpose during her duties in the Major Crime Unit investigating the Kinsella/Paul Massey Murder case. Acquitted.

R v Sinaga 2019 – Leading silk. Largest rape trial in UK history. Defendant received life sentence and the longest sentence in UK history to date for any sexual crime.

R v Forster 2019 – [Murder]. Leading silk client charged with murder and and securing acquittal client having accepted manslaughter.

R v Adriesse Gray 2019 – [Murder]. Leading silk. Guilty plea to murder for Defendant with ADHD arguing mental age of client necessitated a non adult sentencing regime.

R v Christopher Coakley 2019 – [Murder]. Leading Silk securing not guilty to murder client having already accepted manslaughter.

R v Denver Walton 2019 – [Murder] Leading silk in 6 week murder trial and secured an acquittal. This case followed on from and shared many characteristics of the Yousif Maki case.