Whether you are at the police station or in court, we know that it is vital you receive the right advice and support from specialised criminal solicitors at the earliest possible opportunity.

You are entitled to free legal representation if you are arrested or interviewed under caution by police.

You have the option of being represented by a ‘duty solicitor’, who is available to represent anyone. However, a duty solicitor is unlikely to have specialist expertise in the specific offence you are suspected of committing. They are often less experienced lawyers.

We recommend choosing your own legal representative, allowing you to select an experienced criminal defence solicitor with particular expertise in dealing with the types of charges you are facing. This gives you the best chance of defending your case.

Our dedicated criminal defence lawyers are ready and available to act in your defence.

We guide you throughout the process with clear, straight forward advice that helps you understand your situation, rights, options and possible outcomes.

We work hard to provide the best defence strategy to ensure your rights are defended.

As a testament to our strong commitment to client care and focus, much of our work comes from referrals and recommendations from clients who have been satisfied with our legal services.

Contact us for more information.

When you are arrested, the arresting officers must tell you:

• That they are police officers
• That you are being arrested
• What specific offence or offences you are believed to have committed
• Why it is necessary for your arrest
• That you are not free to leave

They must also caution you using the words:

“You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.”

When arresting you, police have the power to:

• Search you
• Use 'reasonable force' if you resist arrest, try to escape or become violent
• Handcuff you if the arresting officer feels this is appropriate

Following an arrest, you are normally transferred to a police station, held in custody (in a cell) and interviewed.

Following a police interview, one of the following happens:

• You are released with no further action
• You are released under investigation
• You are detained in custody
• You are charged with a specific offence

If you are charged with an offence:

• A hearing date is set
• You either are:
  • Released on bail
  • Kept in custody until your court hearing

Please note, if you are released under investigation or with no further action, you can be rearrested or summonsed to attend a court hearing.

Under current UK law, the police have the right to access the data in your phone where they have reasonable grounds to believe it contains evidence related to an offence.

The Information Commissioners Office has recently released a report into Mobile Phone Data Extraction by the Police in Northern Ireland. The report outlines a series of recommendations for changes in the use of mobile phone data extraction.

The report does not state that the police should not use data extraction but does outline that assessments on cases should be made.

If you have had your mobile phone data extracted during arrest our solicitors can advise you on your rights.

When applying for jobs, you are normally asked to provide information about your criminal record. If you are required to take a DBS check as part of your application, certain criminal convictions may affect your employment.

If you are unsure about your legal responsibly for disclosing a criminal conviction to an employer or potential employer, please take a look at the government’s guide to telling people about your criminal record.

We offer an initial free consultation. Once we have examined your case, we  provide a detailed action plan with a quote for our fees. Every case is unique and therefore we cannot quote until we have analysed your specific situation.

You may qualify for Legal Aid funding but if not then we offer options of fixed fee or hourly rates.

If a fixed fee, then the criminal defence specialist sets out the work covered within the fee.

If you are in receipt of benefits or your income means that you are unable to afford to pay for a lawyer, you may qualify for Legal Aid. Contact us if you think you may qualify for legal aid and we can apply on your behalf.

Where Legal Aid is not available we quote a competitive fixed price for our work.