Richard Sheldon
Specialises in important, complex and serious criminal prosecution and defence work primarily on the north-eastern and midland circuits. He also accepts instructions in ecclesiastical, environmental and regulatory matters.
Richard Sheldon has a wide and loyal base of solicitor clients, with whom he has built up an effective and successful working relationship over many years. He is considered to be a very safe pair of hands with excellent client and personal skills. He is well-regarded by judges.
Richard Sheldon is a specialist criminal law barrister who accepts leading counsel instructions (for the prosecution or defence) in the higher courts. He is highly regarded on the North Eastern Circuit as one of the top junior counsel within Bank House Chambers. He is often led by Queen’s counsel in major trials and also leads junior members of chambers in high-profile cases.
He handles a wide variety of very serious allegations including murder, serious sexual and violent offences, organised crime, and complex fraud matters.
He has been a Grade 4 prosecutor for over 15 years and is a member of the CPS RASSO panel, regularly handling cases of rape and serious sexual offences (including child sex offences). He has been approved to handle high-cost cases for both prosecution and defence.
His flexibility and willingness to take on all cases recently resulted in Richard appearing at the Youth Court, prosecuting a murder without a leader and sitting as a Recorder all in the same week.
Significant Cases
Operation Dasher 2005
Successful prosecution of nine men convicted of joint enterprise murder. Successfully upheld in the Court of Appeal.
R v M 2015
Leading counsel for the successful prosecution for murder and planned robbery relying on telephone, ANPR and cell-siting records.
R v S 2016
Manslaughter. Defence of father accused of killing his own son in the course of a joint enterprise to steal high voltage electric cable.
R v K 2017
Doctor sexually assaulting a patient in hospital. Sucessfully uphelp in the Court of Appeal.
R v M 2018
Prosecution of a 25-year-old convicted of serious sexual assaults of five children aged 5 to 11. 25-year sentence imposed
R v D 2018
Madam controlling prostitutes.
R v T 2018
Successful defence of male in mid-30s for sexual assault of female aged 14.
R v C and S 2018
Prosecution of male in breach of SHPO in relationship with female permitting her children to video the pair having sex.
R v P 2018
Prosecution of ancient sex with significant psychological harm.
R v M and others 2012
Successful prosecutionof kidnap and false imprisonment of a local drug dealer’s son.
R v S and R 2018
Successful prosecution for abduction Section 18 and false imprisonment
R v S and S 2018
Prosecution of substantial car thefts and disposal overseas.
Burglary conspiracies 2017 R v G and others
Multi-handed burglary of over 20 Co-op stores throughout the Midlands. Followed by a similar case in 2018 R v D.
R v M 2018
Thefts of commercial vehicles throughout the UK prosecuted using extensive ANPR and cell-site evidence
R v C 2012
Leading counsel for the defence in serious Class-A drug-dealing operation in the midlands.
R v B and others 2018
Prosecution of county lines Class-A drug supply
R v M 2018
Prosecution of lorry driver using mobile telephone and sat nav immediately before fatal impact. Convicted of death by dangerous driving.
R v 2018
Defence of mother aged 30. Momentary loss of concentration. Death by careless driving.
R v O 2012
Successful defence of three companies and two directors accused of serious breaches of environmental offences in S Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
R v K 2016
Successful defence of farmer charged with serious environmental offences.
Richard Sheldon’s regulatory and public law background experience covers court martial matters and a small amount of ecclesiastical law.
Significant Cases
R v Campbell [2006]
Defence counsel acting for man charged with importing firearms and supplying class a drugs to front line troops in Iraq.
