Criminal Solicitor Birmingham

Contacting us at the earliest opportunity can result in matters being resolved in a way other than having to go to Court. It also allows for your case to be thoroughly reviewed and advice given on the best course of action. We know being arrested or being questioned can be a shattering experience and can leave you vulnerable. Getting legal advice can help you understand your rights and use them.

• ASSAULT
• ASBO’s
• DRUGS OFFENCES
• PUBLIC ORDER OFFENCES
• CRIMINAL DAMAGE
• THREATENING BEHAVIOUR
• THEFT OFFENCES AND FRAUD
• ROBBERY
• RAPE AND SEXUAL OFFENCES
• INDECENT IMAGES
• MURDER AND MANSALAUGHTER
• MANSLAUGHTER
• BLACKMAIL
• BURGLARY
• CHILD NEGLECT
• CRIMINAL DAMAGE
• DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
• DANGEROUS DOGS OFFENCES
• BENEFIT FRAUD
• OFFENSIVE WEAPONS AND FIREARMS
• ANIMAL CRUELTY
  

It is not just individual people that can commit a criminal offence. We regularly help organisation, companies and businesses who are being investigated or prosecuted for a whole range of offences. Seeking professional advice early on can help resolve matters without going to Court.

• COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESS FRAUD
• SERIOUS ORGANISED CRIME
• MONEY LAUNDERING
• ASSET SIEZURES AND CONFICATION PROCEEDINGS
• HEALTH AND SAFETY PROSECUTIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS
• TRADING STANDARDS OFFENCES AND INVESTIGATIONS
• REVENUE AND CUSTOMS INVESTIGATIONS
• CORPORATE MANSLAUGHTER
• FOOD HYGIENE OFFENCES
  

Free Initial consultation. Whatever your case no matter how big or small we won’t charge you for an initial consultation to see if we can help

Police stations

We provide free advice and assistance at police stations all over England and Wales.

We are available to cover Police station call outs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year

Our team of lawyers have vast experience of acting for clients at the police station. We always aim to fight to clear the client’s name and avoid or defend any allegations made. In the event that a client accepts guilt or is found guilty we will do everything possible to minimise any penalty.

Courts
We are a quality assured supplier of criminal legal aid advice and we can deal with all types of cases in court on ‘legal aid’ (subject to financial eligibility) and we also deal with cases privately on a fixed fee or hourly rate basis if legal aid is not available

-Criminal Legal aid
There are strict rules and regulations governing who can and can’t receive legal funding assistance.
There are two tests applied
1.The Interests of Justice test
2.Financial eligibility test
Criminal Defence

We have vast experience of the following types of case (this list is not exhaustive):
• police interviews
• police station attendances
• Fraud and deception cases
• Police and Criminal Evidence Act procedures
• Theft ,burglary,robbery,forgery,money laundering
• Violence Offences against the Person Act cases
• Drugs cases from simple possession up to supply and cultivation
• Proceeds of Crime Act cases
• Sexual cases
• Indecent image cases
• Terrorist cases
• Bail applications and associated issues
• seizure and retention of property
• Extradition cases
• VHCC cases
• Intellectual property cases

The Criminal System

Police stations
Every person detained for questioning at a police station is entitled to free and independent legal advice. We offer an emergency call out system 365 days a year 24 hours a day.

Complaint
The Police normally will receive a complaint that someone has committed a crime and they are then under a duty to investigate that offence. The Police make enquiries and may at some point arrest a suspect and detain them for questioning and capture of other evidence such as DNA samples or for an identification procedure.

Arrest
If you are arrested or asked to attend the police station to give a statement then you should contact us straight away. It won’t cost you anything to ask for our help and it might just make all the difference. The Police duty is to investigate and gather evidence. There are strict rules about what the Police can and can’t do in the course of an investigation. Most of these rules are contained in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and the codes of practise which are attached to it. You need expert help to protect your rights. If you or someone you care about is arrested then there is nothing to lose in contacting us straight away. The sooner you make the call the sooner we can help.

The Police Investigation
The Investigating officer will gather evidence such as
-Taking a statement of complaint from the complainant-for example this could be someone who has been assaulted or someone who has had there purse stolen.
- The officer will take statements from any other relevant witnesses such as an eye witness to a robbery
-The officer may obtain CCTV evidence
- There may be forensic samples such as blood ,fingerprints or DNA
-The officer may seek to obtain evidence from a suspect by interview under caution

Charge/Release or bail pending further enquiries
Once all the relevant evidence has been gathered the officer will present this to the custody officer who will then decide between 3 options
(a) Charge with a criminal offence-if there is sufficient evidence to charge the suspect
(b) Bail to return to the police station pending further enquiries
(c) Release No further action-if there is clearly insufficient evidence the custody officer may decide that no further action against the suspect is warranted

Bail or held in custody
If charged the Custody officer has to decide whether to grant bail or hold the detained person in custody pending a court appearance. The decision whether to grant bail will generally revolve around the seriousness of the allegation and the previous history of the detained person. A person who has never been in trouble with the police is very unlikely to be given bail on a murder charge. In contrast someone who has lots of convictions for theft over the last 10 years may well still be granted bail if they have a good record of answering bail at Court.

Appearance in Court