Richard Padley

White Collar Crime, Fraud and Money Laundering

Richard commenced his career working as part of the white-collar crime teams for both Birds Solicitors and Peters & Peters Solicitors LLP. Richard assisted with matters of fraud, bribery and money laundering both on a national and international scale. During this time Richard assisted in the preparation of the case of an individual charged with insider trading in Operation Saturn, at the time the largest insider trading case prosecuted by the FCA, working closely with Patrick Gibbs KC and Alison Pople KC. In January 2015 Richard re-joined Peters & Peters for six months on secondment. Whilst there, amongst other matters, he assisted with the defence of an individual charged in respect of their role in the Barclays-Qatar funding arrangements.

In his own practice Richard is regularly instructed to both prosecute and defend allegations of fraud, money laundering and matters involving financial misconduct. He has worked with a range of experts in assisting to build a case, such as forensic accountants to assist with the explanation of transactions and calculation of loss.

He is currently instructed to represent an award winning Investment Advisor alleged by the FCA to have abused her position by fraudulently using company funds. He has recently prosecuted an individual to conviction for conspiracy to defraud arising from impersonation at driving test centres in East London. He defends an individual alleged to have used his role in waste disposal to collect quantities of cash rather than waste. He has recently defended an individual alleged to have being engaged in phishing and smishing activities from his home address, which the prosecution alleged was a multi million pound fraud. 

Confiscation, Asset Forfeiture and Restraint

Richard is regularly instructed to advise and represent prosecuting authorities, defendants and third parties at confiscation hearings, whether having been instructed in the substantive proceedings or not. He is well verse with the complexities of the legislation and practical requirements that come with addressing confiscation orders.

Richard has spent time working with the SFO Proceeds of Crime and International Assistance team working on the preparation for contested confiscation and restraint hearings.

Richard has represented both companies and individuals subject to account freezing and restraint orders and has successfully challenged the imposition and sought the variation of these types of orders. He routinely deals with s22 and 23 applications and has dealt with matters relating to enforcement of confiscation orders. He is regularly instructed by the CPS Proceeds of Crime team to secure restraint orders. Further has been instructed on behalf of a foreign government to deal with long standing matters of restraint in the High Court under the Drug Trafficking Act 1994.

Regulatory Crime

Richard is regularly instructed by a range of government departments, local authorities, and defendants in respect of regulatory matters. His recent experience includes matters relating to use of property, trademark infringements and health and safety offences.

Richard has prosecuted cases involving significant breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, causing significant injuries and sadly death. Richard is well verse at dealing with these types of matters sensitively, but pragmatically.  

General Crime

Richard is experienced in all manner of general criminal matters. He is confident in presenting complex legal and factual submissions to both lay and legal tribunals. He works well with people of all backgrounds. He can quickly get to grip with cases and is attentive and appreciative of the importance of detail. Richard has expertise in dealing with matters involving aspects of mental health, drawing from his expertise in writing ‘A Practical Guide to the use of Expert Evidence in Criminal Trials’ and presenting seminars on the topic. Richard is well verse with the practical necessities in ensuring cell site and forensic evidence can be appropriately presented, and in appropriates case, undermined.

Fraud, Financial Crime, and Money Laundering

R v KN (Portsmouth CC): Led junior to Brendan Kelly KC representing KN in relation to allegations of fraud by abuse of position arising from her role as CEO of an Investment Management company. 

R v JMB and 6 others (Southwark CC): Led junior to Dominic Lewis prosecuting seven individuals for the fraudulent use of credits cards to purchase train tickets.

R v KM and AO (Warwick CC): Prosecution of two individuals for money laundering offences arising from finding over £100,000 cash under an upturned mattress.

R v OA, BB and OB (Inner London CC): Led junior to James Marsland prosecuting three individuals for the fraudulent use of credit cards and bank accounts applied for and opened in others names to fund lifestyle.

R v R and T (Woolwich CC): Prosecuted R and T in relation to the fraudulent abuse of a solicitor’s client account, used by a legal assistant for the purposes of purchasing investment property.

Op Kraken (Birmingham CC): Led junior to Robert O’ Sullivan QC and Stephen Hopper, in the ongoing prosecution of 14 individuals for fraudulently engaging in English language speaking tests on behalf of others.

Op Limestone (Southwark CC): Led by James Norman, the successful prosecution of two individuals for money laundering offences in respect of a central London money service bureau, with criminal property exceeding £6m.

Confiscation, Asset Forfeiture and Restraint

Government of Netherlands v HB and others (High Court): Instructed by Government of Netherlands (via CPS) to represent their interests in ongoing proceedings under DTA94 and POCA02 and enforcement proceedings against HB’s brother. The case involved extensive arguments over the application of res judicata and estoppel [2024] EWHC 2343 (KB)

SFO v OB (Southwark CC): Presently instructed, led by Andrew Trollope QC, in relation to confiscation proceedings following OB’s conviction for conspiracy to defraud.

R v Thompson and others (Central Criminal Court): Currently instructed in respect of confiscation proceedings arising from five defendants conviction for conspiracy to import class A drugs, namely over 1000kgs of cocaine.

FA Ltd (Folkstone MC): Successfully opposed a HMRC application for an account freezing order. Having been instructed shortly before the hearing Richard was able to coordinate the compilation of an extensive bundle of evidence establishing the legitimacy of FA Ltd and its trade, as well as the due diligence conducted on its customers. This was used to persuade the court that HMRC had not met the low threshold required in order to secure an AFO. Further a successful costs argument was raised against HMRC.

R v SH (Sheffield CC): Led by Lisa Freeman, Richard represented SH in relation to POCA proceedings. Following extensive discussions relating to the Crown’s forensic accountant an order was agreed with benefit over £435k, £1m less than the prosecution had sought.

R v PB (Birmingham CC): Led by Jon Rees QC, advising and representing PB in response to a section 22 application seeking an increase of £1.5m in an amount to be paid by way of confiscation. This case involved extensive argument in respect of the scope of section 22 to cases where civil proceedings had been commenced. Fake knight fraudster living lavishly off proceeds of crime must pay back £1.5m or return to jail | Daily Mail Online

Regulatory Crime

HSE v MC Ltd (Westminster MC): Prosecution of MC Ltd for failing to conduct appropriate checks on electrical equipment leading to an individual under their supervision cutting through a live wire resulting in significant burns injuries.

HSE v CAW Ltd (Chelmsford MC): Prosecution of CAW Ltd for using inappropriate techniques to bend metal sheets, resulting in fragmentation of a metal bar causing life threatening injuries to an employee.

HSE v MM Ltd (Peterborough MC): Prosecution of MM Ltd following the death of an employee due to insufficient control measures in place to monitor and supervise the recent graduate during the early stages of his career. Construction firm fined over newbuild homes death - BBC News

HSE v TET Ltd (Westminster MC): Prosecution of an educational trust following the collapse of a ceiling onto a primary school classroom full of children, following overloading of the ceiling. Dulwich prep school fined £80,000 after tables and chairs fall on pupils in ‘horror’ ceiling collapse | The Standard

LBE v PE Ltd (Highbury Corner MC and Wood Green CC): Prosecuting PE Ltd on behalf of LBE in relation to allegations of breaching a planning enforcement notice. The case involved extensive legal arguments surrounding abuse of process, the terms of the enforcement notice and its legality. Conviction upheld in the Crown Court.

WMC v CG Ltd (Westminster MC): Advising and representing CG Ltd, a property company with a multi-million pound turnover, in respect of allegations contrary to Environmental Protection Act 1990. Following written representations, the private prosecutor agreed to withdraw the proceedings against CG Ltd.

General Crime

R v JJ (Central Criminal Court): Instructed to defend JJ who is alleged to have breached the Official Secrets Act 1989 and committed preparatory conduct offences contrary to the National Security Act 2023 in his role as part of the intelligence community. Also alleged to have been in possession of a bladed article. 

R v SA (Birmingham CC): Led junior with Miranda Moore KC prosecuting an allegation of murder relating to an incident of road rage, the victim dying several years later. The case focused on the issue of causation, involving in excess of 20 experts in the case ranging from road traffic collision reconstruction experts, trichologists, audiologists, toxicologists and pathologists amongst others.

R v MH and KK (Southwark CC): Led junior with Nicholas Hearn in a prosecution of assisting illegal immigration. The case involved extensive analysis of evidence obtained from overseas, notably evidence of stops and searches in Europe, as well as telephone evidence linking the UK arm of the operation. Two men found guilty of smuggling migrants to Essex - BBC News

R v SS (Central Criminal Court): Represented SS in relation to matters of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. SS had flown into the UK in order to participate in surgery to remove the testicles of a willing participant in conjunction with the ‘Eunuch-maker’. The making of the 'eunuch maker': How ringleader of extreme body modification gang went into a 'spiral' after marriage broke down - before turning it into a 'lucrative' business | Daily Mail Online

R v KB, HMK, FM and JA (Snaresbrook CC): Led junior with Rory Keene in the prosecution of four individuals for false imprisonment and GBH with intent of three young victims in an abandoned flat over a three-week period. Including contempt proceedings against a prosecution witness due to their conduct in court towards Counsel and the Judge.

R v GH (Guildford CC): Successfully defending GH in relation to allegations of rape and controlling and coercive behaviour. A review of the unused material, including extensive telephone records, led to the presentation of material which undermined the complainant’s version of events.

• CPS General List – Level 3
• CPS Specialist Fraud List – Level 3
• CPS Specialist Proceeds of Crime List – Level 3
• CPS Specialist Serious Crime List – Level 2
• Regulatory Panel – B Panel
• SFO General List – B Panel
• SFO Proceeds of Crime and International Assistance – B Panel