Richard Dawson and Brendan O’Leary Conclude 10 Year Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) Prosecuted Case

Richard Dawson and Brendan O’Leary finally concluded a case prosecuted by the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), just short of a decade after the MHRA commenced its investigation.

POCA proceedings concluded the case. Through the input of both Richard and Brendan, a claimed benefit of £2 million was negotiated down by nearly 25% and confiscation orders were made in the sums of £1,125 and just £1 for Richard’s and Brendan’s clients respectively.

The case concerned the illegal sale and supply of a variety of controlled drugs and prescription only medicines; including hypnotics, narcotics and psychotropics. The Defendants, who are not healthcare professionals, were involved in selling these prescription-only medicines over the internet, without any medical or healthcare authorisation. Their websites were not registered with either the MHRA or the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), so were not licensed to sell, supply or dispense any type of medicine in the UK.

The MHRA investigation commenced in 2016. Although arrests were made in 2017, prosecution proceedings were not commenced until 2020 and finally concluded in 2025.

Richard Dawson and Brendan O’Leary are expert trial lawyers, specialising in regulatory law and professional misconduct; defending corporate and professional Defendants facing regulatory investigation and prosecution.

To view Richard’s full profile, click here.

To view Brendan’s full profile, click here.