Our Crime Team service covers advice prior to charge or summons, through attendance at the Police Station to assist and advise during interview, onto representation by our Solicitor Advocates or Barristers at Magistrates and Crown Court. We also advise in relation to Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings, Prison Law issues such as external Adjudication hearings, Home Detention Curfew, Sentencing Calculation, Appeals Against Sentence and Conviction, attendance during interviews in relation to Department of Work and Pension issues, and also Public Health issues. Much of that work is supported by Legal Aid. We also deal with privately paid motoring cases.
- Free attendance at police station interviews
Under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act most of those arrested or volunteering to attend at police stations should have a legal representative with them to advise and guide them. You should always use this right. It costs you nothing. All you have to do is contact us in advance if it is a voluntary attendance, or, when arriving at the police station, request the police custody sergeant to contact us. We aim to arrive within 45 minutes of receiving such a request, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Under pressure, it is easy to say the wrong thing, particularly if you are not aware of your legal rights. We suggest you should use your right of silence until your legal representative attends upon you at the police station and gives you the appropriate advice. Give the police your correct name and address and then ask the policy Custody Officer to contact us.
- Out of Office Hours 24-hour Emergency Service
Tel: 0800 083 4472 (between 5.00 pm and 9.00 am, Monday to Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday, Bank holidays and Public holidays).
This is designed to deal with attendances at police stations.
- Public Funding and Costs
For those receiving State Benefits most legal advice talked about in this leaflet is free. Similarly, public funding is usually available for representation at court, following the assessment of a Representation Order application by the Court. We will complete the forms for you. Where Public Funding is not available, we can provide an estimate of our costs. We tell you how we calculate our costs. We can sometimes agree instalment payments with our clients. Unexpected and unjustified bills are against our clients’ interests and against our firm policy.
- Motoring
Losing your driving licence is always inconvenient, but if you are in business it can also be very expensive. Liability to disqualification under the totting-up procedure often need not mean inevitable disqualification – proper presentation of your case is important. If a guilty plea is appropriate, the right kind of mitigation can significantly reduce (i) the size of the fine, (ii) the number of penalty points imposed and (iii) the risk and or length of disqualification. We can sometimes deal with Summonses by post and save the cost and inconvenience of attending Court. For ordinary motoring summonses public funding is not usually granted for representation at Court.
For further information please contact:
Sandy Washbrook (City Centre office) on 0121 624 1111
Want to stay in touch? Then follow us!