Barry Stancombe
Call
Call
1983
Expertise
POCA & Asset Recovery
Insolvency
Corporate Crime
Criminal Fraud
Commercial Litigation
Civil Fraud, Asset Recovery & Enforcement
Private Prosecutions
Tax Litigation & Investigations
“Barry has an encyclopaedic knowledge of POCA law and real practical experience of cases before the courts.”
Barry is a specialist in asset forfeiture and proceeds of crime particularly in the areas of restraint, receivership, confiscation, civil recovery, commercial fraud and money laundering.
He advises on all aspects of proceeds of crime, asset forfeiture and in particular in cases where there is a cross over with insolvency proceedings. Barry’s practice also encompasses the complementary areas of commercial litigation, civil fraud and insolvency.
Barry is regularly instructed on behalf of court appointed management and enforcement receivers in high value receiverships and has been involved in most of the leading reported receivership cases.
His legal publications include - Joint contributor with David Ingram of the looseleaf practitioners’ text, Asset Recovery: Criminal Confiscation and Civil Recovery (OUP, Looseleaf) (next edition expected to be published in 2025), on the Chapter “Insolvency” in Part IV.
Other Language(s)
Other Language(s)
Barry Stancombe : Experience & Expertise
Barry advises on all aspects of proceeds of crime, asset forfeiture and in particular, cases where there is a cross over with insolvency proceedings.
He has been consistently recommended as a leading junior for POCA and Asset Forfeiture in the Legal directories.
View Cases
View Quotes
R v Gopee
Since March 2022 Barry has acted for the Enforcement Receiver (Barry previously acted for the Management Receiver) with an outstanding confiscation order of c£6m. There have been numerous applications and transactional issues involving the realisation of receivership assets, extending the receiver’s powers, with applications for permission to appeal still to be heard in the CACD from D and various companies.
FCA v Nascimento & others
Lead Counsel instructed by the FCA in confiscation proceedings in connected boiler room and fraud cases. After a two week contested hearing a confiscation order of c£1m was made against the main defendant.
FCA v Fabiana Abdel-Malek
Lead Counsel in confiscation proceedings concluded in July 2020 involving insider dealing.
SFO v Lexi Holdings Plc [2008] EWCA Crim 1443; [2009] 1 All ER 586
The Court of Appeal decided that the forfeiture regime is more stringent under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
R v RDS
Successfully acted for Liquidator in recovering the Company’s assets subject to S10A proceedings (Leeds CC 31 March 2022)
R v Phagura
Representing a private landlord in confiscation proceedings following conviction for planning breaches.
SFO v NA
Acted for the SFO in its first Account Forfeiture Order obtained on 15 March 2019.
"Barry has a thorough understanding of proceeds of crime in an insolvency context. He’s practical, helpful, great with clients and someone who knows just about everyone involved in the market."
Chambers & Partners 2025, Band 1
"Barry Stancombe possesses incredible writing skills and is a real force of nature. He gets on top of the facts in a case quickly and leaves no stone unturned, demonstrating a passion for the case he’s working on. I have learnt from him in how he drafts and presents in court."
Legal 500, 2025, Tier 1
"Barry is an encyclopaedia on POCA law and practice. He is a very well respected advocate by the courts in all POCA work."
Legal 500, 2025, Tier 1
"One of the best technical lawyers in the field. He’s a pleasure to work with and a very good advocate."
Legal 500, 2025, Tier 1
Barry often advises corporations, trusts, banks, IPs and private individuals on these specialist areas of law. He is also regularly instructed on behalf of court appointed management and enforcement receivers in high value receiverships and has been involved in most of the leading reported receivership cases.
In addition to dealing with general insolvency work, Barry often acts in many cases where there is a cross-over with POCA.
View Cases
R v James Stunt
Acting for Trustees in Bankruptcy in relation to CPS criminal proceedings.
Microsoft Corporation v Matthew Anness
Freezing Order discharged by Consent Order.
Hedge Capital Investments Ltd v Sustainable Wealth Investments (UK) Ltd (In Liquidation) [2015] EWHC 1674 (Ch)
Resisting pre-action disclosure against company in liquidation subject to restraint order.
Nutting & Others v Jonathan Dean France [2014] EWHC 2123 (Ch)
Search & Seizure Order under S 365 Insolvency Act 1986.
RCPO v Briggs-Price EWCA (Civ) 568
Legal costs under CJA granted.
Emery v UCB Bank Plc
Appeal reinstating claim concerning misconduct of receivership.
Timothy John Hargreaves v Salt & Hill [2010] EWHC 3549
Spanish property undervalue claim.
FCA v Gopee
Variation of restraint order to sell properties and recover costs under Insolvency Act 1986.
Craig Brookes & others
Liquidator obtaining release of c£300k in cash forfeiture proceedings.
Brandon Barnes v Eastenders Plc & CPS [2012] EWHC
Receivership costs decision.
Re J [2006] EWHC 3382 (Admin)
Order for sale of substantial mansion.
Re H & J [2005] EWHC 1297 (Admin)
Certificate of Inadequacy application resisted.
Ord v Belhaven Pubs Limited
Corporate veil substitution appeal.
His Financial Crime work often centres on fraud, bribery, and corruption, insolvency proceedings.
View Cases
R v Saghir Afzal
Acted for the SFO and the Enforcement Receiver in a novel joint application dealing with land subject to escheat.
Trafalgar Multi Asset Trading Co Ltd (IN Liquidation) v CGrowth Limited & Ors [2022] EWHC 641 (Ch)
Successfully acted for a defendant company in summary judgment application on bribery claim.
Windsor & Hare v CPS [2011] EWCA (Crim)143
Civil proceedings following arbitral award and freezing injunction; successfully varying restraint order.
R v James Stunt
Continues to act for the Trustees in Bankruptcy of James Stunt in relation to the CPS criminal proceedings.
SFO v Saghir Afzal & Others
Enforcement proceedings; ERO varied to add further assets.
C [2009] EWHC 380 (Admin)
Application for COI refused.
View Cases
CPS v P & FL
Acting for the Management Receiver in respect of a c£100m UK property portfolio.
Re Price (2013) EWHC 2859 (Admin)
Registration of French property held fabricated; not reason to vary restraint and management receivership orders.
CPS v X
Represented the main suspect in restraint proceedings alleging a £7m fraud involving 22 individuals. Successful application to discharge pre-charge restraint order.
View Cases
National Bank of Abu Dhabi v Mohammed & Others
Undue influence appeal dismissed.
Nikitin & Others v Richards Butler LLP and Others [2007] EWHC 173 (QB)
Norwich Pharmacal relief refused.
Treadwell v Dawkins
Fraudulent misrepresentation as to finance availability.
View Cases
R v Arif Patel & Ors
VAT/Tax fraud receivership valued over £100m; recognition in BVI and restoration of companies.
NCA v Nuttall & Others [2019] EWHC 10 (QB)
Setting aside Recovery Order obtained by NCA.
DCD Factors PLC v Ramada Trading Ltd [2012] EWHC 1277 (QB)
Release of monies subject to freezing injunction.
R v Ravjani & the Ravjani Pension Scheme
Enforcement receiver realising pension scheme property worth c£2m.
Alpha Sim Communications Ltd & Ors v Caz Distribution Services Limited & Ors [2014] EWHC 207 (Ch)
Multi-million MTIC fraud Chancery proceedings.
Re Telli [2006] EWHC 2233 (Admin); [2007] EWCA Civ 1385
COI refused in hidden assets case.
White Collar, Crime & Investigations
Private Prosecutions
Barry acts in the areas of restraint, receivership and confiscation, only in private prosecutions often in conjunction with claims where there are civil fraud proceedings.
View Cases
R (Hunter Worldwide Premium Sourcing Limited) v Gerrard Francis Lawless
Instructed in both the civil and in the confiscation proceedings in this private prosecution. The confiscation proceedings concluded on 23 November 2020 at St Albans Crown Court with a confiscation order granted in the sum of £340k.
Bartlett v Somaia 1 December 2020, HC [2020] 12 WLUK 11
Acted for the court appointed Receiver following this private prosecution. The court ordered the discharge of an enforcement receiver and a contingency sum of £10,000 to cover any costs or expenses incurred after her discharge.
View Cases
R v Arif Patel & Ors
Acting for the MR in VAT/Tax fraud criminal proceedings with a loss valued at plus £70m. Trial concluded April 2023 with D convicted.
HMRC v X
Account freezing proceedings; AFO applications withdrawn following representations.
Barry Stancombe : Experience & Expertise
Barry advises on all aspects of proceeds of crime, asset forfeiture and in particular, cases where there is a cross over with insolvency proceedings.
He has been consistently recommended as a leading junior for POCA and Asset Forfeiture in the Legal directories.
View Cases
Quotes
R v Gopee
Since March 2022 Barry has acted for the Enforcement Receiver (Barry previously acted for the Management Receiver) with an outstanding confiscation order of c£6m. There have been numerous applications and transactional issues involving the realisation of receivership assets, extending the receiver’s powers, with applications for permission to appeal still to be heard in the CACD from D and various companies.
R v RDS
Successfully acted for Liquidator in recovering the Company’s assets subject to S10A proceedings (Leeds CC 31 March 2022)
FCA v Nascimento & others
Lead Counsel instructed by the FCA in confiscation proceedings in connected boiler room and fraud cases. After a two week contested hearing a confiscation order of c£1m was made against the main defendant.
R v Phagura
Representing a private landlord in confiscation proceedings following conviction for planning breaches.
FCA v Fabiana Abdel-Malek
Lead Counsel in confiscation proceedings concluded in July 2020 involving insider dealing.
SFO v NA
Acted for the SFO in its first Account Forfeiture Order obtained on 15 March 2019.
SFO v Lexi Holdings Plc [2008] EWCA Crim 1443; [2009] 1 All ER 586
The Court of Appeal decided that the forfeiture regime is more stringent under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
"Barry has a thorough understanding of proceeds of crime in an insolvency context. He’s practical, helpful, great with clients and someone who knows just about everyone involved in the market."
Chambers & Partners 2025, Band 1
"Barry Stancombe possesses incredible writing skills and is a real force of nature. He gets on top of the facts in a case quickly and leaves no stone unturned, demonstrating a passion for the case he’s working on. I have learnt from him in how he drafts and presents in court."
Legal 500, 2025, Tier 1
"Barry is an encyclopaedia on POCA law and practice. He is a very well respected advocate by the courts in all POCA work."
Legal 500, 2025, Tier 1
"One of the best technical lawyers in the field. He’s a pleasure to work with and a very good advocate."
Legal 500, 2025, Tier 1
Barry often advises corporations, trusts, banks, IPs and private individuals on these specialist areas of law. He is also regularly instructed on behalf of court appointed management and enforcement receivers in high value receiverships and has been involved in most of the leading reported receivership cases.
In addition to dealing with general insolvency work, Barry often acts in many cases where there is a cross-over with POCA.
View Cases
R v James Stunt
Acting for Trustees in Bankruptcy in relation to CPS criminal proceedings.
FCA v Gopee
Variation of restraint order to sell properties and recover costs under Insolvency Act 1986.
Microsoft Corporation v Matthew Anness
Freezing Order discharged by Consent Order.
Craig Brookes & others
Liquidator obtaining release of c£300k in cash forfeiture proceedings.
Hedge Capital Investments Ltd v Sustainable Wealth Investments (UK) Ltd (In Liquidation) [2015] EWHC 1674 (Ch)
Resisting pre-action disclosure against company in liquidation subject to restraint order.
Brandon Barnes v Eastenders Plc & CPS [2012] EWHC
Receivership costs decision.
Nutting & Others v Jonathan Dean France [2014] EWHC 2123 (Ch)
Search & Seizure Order under S 365 Insolvency Act 1986.
Re J [2006] EWHC 3382 (Admin)
Order for sale of substantial mansion.
RCPO v Briggs-Price EWCA (Civ) 568
Legal costs under CJA granted.
Re H & J [2005] EWHC 1297 (Admin)
Certificate of Inadequacy application resisted.
Emery v UCB Bank Plc
Appeal reinstating claim concerning misconduct of receivership.
Ord v Belhaven Pubs Limited
Corporate veil substitution appeal.
Timothy John Hargreaves v Salt & Hill [2010] EWHC 3549
Spanish property undervalue claim.
His Financial Crime work often centres on fraud, bribery, and corruption, insolvency proceedings.
View Cases
R v Saghir Afzal
Acted for the SFO and the Enforcement Receiver in a novel joint application dealing with land subject to escheat.
R v James Stunt
Continues to act for the Trustees in Bankruptcy of James Stunt in relation to the CPS criminal proceedings.
Trafalgar Multi Asset Trading Co Ltd (IN Liquidation) v CGrowth Limited & Ors [2022] EWHC 641 (Ch)
Successfully acted for a defendant company in summary judgment application on bribery claim.
SFO v Saghir Afzal & Others
Enforcement proceedings; ERO varied to add further assets.
Windsor & Hare v CPS [2011] EWCA (Crim)143
Civil proceedings following arbitral award and freezing injunction; successfully varying restraint order.
C [2009] EWHC 380 (Admin)
Application for COI refused.
View Cases
CPS v P & FL
Acting for the Management Receiver in respect of a c£100m UK property portfolio.
CPS v X
Represented the main suspect in restraint proceedings alleging a £7m fraud involving 22 individuals. Successful application to discharge pre-charge restraint order.
Re Price (2013) EWHC 2859 (Admin)
Registration of French property held fabricated; not reason to vary restraint and management receivership orders.
View Cases
National Bank of Abu Dhabi v Mohammed & Others
Undue influence appeal dismissed.
Treadwell v Dawkins
Fraudulent misrepresentation as to finance availability.
Nikitin & Others v Richards Butler LLP and Others [2007] EWHC 173 (QB)
Norwich Pharmacal relief refused.
View Cases
R v Arif Patel & Ors
VAT/Tax fraud receivership valued over £100m; recognition in BVI and restoration of companies.
R v Ravjani & the Ravjani Pension Scheme
Enforcement receiver realising pension scheme property worth c£2m.
NCA v Nuttall & Others [2019] EWHC 10 (QB)
Setting aside Recovery Order obtained by NCA.
Alpha Sim Communications Ltd & Ors v Caz Distribution Services Limited & Ors [2014] EWHC 207 (Ch)
Multi-million MTIC fraud Chancery proceedings.
DCD Factors PLC v Ramada Trading Ltd [2012] EWHC 1277 (QB)
Release of monies subject to freezing injunction.
Re Telli [2006] EWHC 2233 (Admin); [2007] EWCA Civ 1385
COI refused in hidden assets case.
White Collar, Crime & Investigations
Private Prosecutions
Barry acts in the areas of restraint, receivership and confiscation, only in private prosecutions often in conjunction with claims where there are civil fraud proceedings.
View Cases
R (Hunter Worldwide Premium Sourcing Limited) v Gerrard Francis Lawless
Instructed in both the civil and in the confiscation proceedings in this private prosecution. The confiscation proceedings concluded on 23 November 2020 at St Albans Crown Court with a confiscation order granted in the sum of £340k.
Bartlett v Somaia 1 December 2020, HC [2020] 12 WLUK 11
Acted for the court appointed Receiver following this private prosecution. The court ordered the discharge of an enforcement receiver and a contingency sum of £10,000 to cover any costs or expenses incurred after her discharge.
View Cases
R v Arif Patel & Ors
Acting for the MR in VAT/Tax fraud criminal proceedings with a loss valued at plus £70m. Trial concluded April 2023 with D convicted.
HMRC v X
Account freezing proceedings; AFO applications withdrawn following representations.
News from this Barrister
News from this Barrister
News from this Barrister
Barry Stancombe speaks at R3 Southern & Thames Valley Technical Breakfast Event
POCA & Asset Recovery
Insolvency
Socialite James Stunt cleared in one of UK’s largest money-laundering prosecutions
For a confidential conversation please contact Chief Executive and Director of Clerking, Sam Carter.
“The clerks always go above and beyond to assist. They understand the needs of instructing solicitors, particularly in identifying suitable counsel for cases”
Chambers & Partners
“A friendly and integrated service. The clerks systems and client handling are excellent - with a can-do attitude, enabling easier planning on my side.”
Legal 500
People / Barristers
Address
For a confidential conversation please contact Chief Executive and Director of Clerking, Sam Carter.
“The clerks always go above and beyond to assist. They understand the needs of instructing solicitors, particularly in identifying suitable counsel for cases”
Chambers & Partners
“A friendly and integrated service. The clerks systems and client handling are excellent - with a can-do attitude, enabling easier planning on my side.”
Legal 500
People / Barristers
Address
For a confidential conversation please contact Chief Executive and Director of Clerking, Sam Carter.
“The clerks always go above and beyond to assist. They understand the needs of instructing solicitors, particularly in identifying suitable counsel for cases”
Chambers & Partners
“A friendly and integrated service. The clerks systems and client handling are excellent - with a can-do attitude, enabling easier planning on my side.”
Legal 500
People / Barristers
Address