Richard Heller

Richard Heller

"He is an expert in consumer law and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the relevant regulations. He has a brilliant mind and gets to the heart of a matter instantly. Clients adore him."

Legal 500 UK 2024
Year of call: 1998
For enquiries please call: 020 7353 5324 or email vcard cv linkedin save

Richard is a specialist practitioner with substantial experience across the full range of regulatory crime – trading standards, food safety, health and safety and environmental, in addition to fraud, planning enforcement and all aspects of restraint and confiscation – acting for regulators and the regulated.

Richard is one of only a handful of practitioners to be listed in both Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500 as a leading barrister in Consumer Law (trading standards, food safety etc.).

He has appeared in many of the most high profile criminal consumer cases, including Operation Augusta (the world’s largest eBay fraud), SAS Fire and Security (nationwide cold-calling scam), Mitchells & Butlers (fatal food-poisoning outbreak caused by turkey served on Christmas Day) and London Parking Gatwick (meet and greet parking scam at Gatwick airport).

Richard is appointed to List A on the Unified List of Specialist Regulatory Advocates in Health and Safety and Environmental Law, and has appeared in numerous cases on behalf of the HSE, local authorities and for the defence.

Richard also has extensive experience as a planning enforcement barrister, appearing in more than 50 such cases on behalf of both the prosecution and defence.

He has appeared in leading authorities across his areas of practice:

R v Wiseman [2023] EWCA Crim 1363 trading standards, dishonesty and religion

R v STC Limited [2021] EWCA Crim 1237 trading standards, the only appeal concerning the Knives Act 1997

R v Kamyab (No. 1) [2021] 1 W.L.R 4860; (No. 2) [2021] 7 WLUK 417 – leading authority on prosecution appeals under POCA, and first fully contested confiscation proceedings in the CACD

R v Gross [2021] EWHC Crim 845 – sentencing individuals for health and safety offences

R v London Parking Gatwick & Malik [2020] EWCA Crim 957 – time limits in consumer protection prosecutions and availability of due diligence defence to directors

R v Syed & Others [2019] EWCA Crim 1263 – [in absentia – drafted all submissions but unable to attend appeal] guideline authority on sentencing offences of fraudulent trading

R v AB [2017] 2 Cr. App. R. 25 local authority powers; private prosecutions

R v Owadally and Khan [2017] EWHC 1092 (Admin) criminal procedure and taking of pleas

R v M [2017] EWCA Crim 266 restraint and confiscation, meaning of ‘grounds to suspect’ in considering application for restraint pre-charge

R v Kohali [2016] 1 Cr. App. R. (S.) 30 – leading authority on planning enforcement sentencing and relationship to confiscation under POCA

R v Piers Rance [2013] Crim. L.R. 74 listed buildings and conservation areas, leading authority on heritage crime sentencing

R v Brayford [2011] 1 Cr. App. R. (S.) 107 – then guideline case on sentencing of trade mark offences

Hillingdon v Focus (DIY) [2008] All ER (D) 117 product safety, last known appeal under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968

Richard maintains a keen interest in the academic and practical application of the law and has spoken at annual conferences for both Trading Standards and Food Law practitioners.

He is also a member of the Consulting Editorial Board to Lexis PSL Corporate Crime.

What others say:

Ranked as a leading barrister in Consumer Law for the last decade, in both the Legal 500 (Tier 1) and Chambers & Partners (Tier 2).

“Richard combines a ferocious work ethic with superb advocacy skills and powers of persuasion. He is always available to discuss case related points, no matter how trivial, and he handles the lay clients with a high degree of skill and care.” – Chambers UK 2024

“Richard has an excellent grasp of the law and good foresight of potential issues arising from any scenario.” – Chambers UK 2024

“Clients adore him and you can be sure he will put everything into the case.” – Chambers UK 2024

“His analytical skills are impressive and he makes the most complicated cases appear simpler than they are.” and “Richard ensures cases receive his prompt and undivided attention. He is an excellent practitioner.” – Chambers UK 2023

“He is eminently familiar with all aspects of consumer and trading law.” – Legal 500 UK 2023

“An excellent regulatory law barrister who understands the intricacies of criminal law and evidence.” – Chambers UK 2022

“Able, highly experienced and very strong on trading standards cases.” – Chambers UK 2022

“Known for his specialist expertise in Trading Standards matters, including fraud” – Chambers UK 2021

“He is very approachable, outstanding in his knowledge and very impressive in court” Chambers UK 2020

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