Get post from body in Laravel

get_post_from_body.php

    /**
     * getPostFromBody
     *
     * Returns an array obtained from reading and decoding the post body
     * Optionally supply an array of fields that are required to be present
     *
     * @version 1.0.0
     * @author Andy Beak
     * @since 1.0.0
     * @param array $requiredFields
     * @access public
     */
    public function getPostFromBody(array $requiredFields = []) {

        $post = Request::getContent();

        Log::debug(__METHOD__.' : Body content is ' . print_r($post,true));

        if (empty($post)) {
            throw new UserException('Please supply json encoded array of parameters in the request body');
        }

        $post = json_decode($post, true);

        if (false === $post) {
            throw new UserException('Could not decode the request - is it valid json?');
        }

        $post = $this->sanitizeArray($post);

        if (!empty($requiredFields)) {

            // check that all fields are present

            $missingFields = [];

            foreach ($requiredFields as $requiredField) {

                if (!isset($post[$requiredField])) {

                    $missingFields[] = $requiredField;

                }

            }

            if (!empty($missingFields)) {

                throw new UserException('Missing compulsory fields : ' . implode(',', $missingFields));

            }
        }

        return $post;
    }