Do I need Legal Representation at a Police Interview?
Understanding Police Interviews Under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) At Bell Lamb & Joynson, we are regularly asked about what to expect during a police interview and what rights individuals have under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE). Whether you’ve been invited to attend a voluntary interview or have been arrested, it’s […]
Case Review – Suspended Sentence in Paternity Fraud Case
Peter Haney of this firm, successfully involved in a rare case at Liverpool Court involving allegations of forged paternity tests. On this case we instructed Mr Tom Worsfold of Lincoln House Chambers. Originally, the Crown alleged nearly two years of fraud and over £10,000 in financial gain. Following an application to dismiss and written representations […]
Liverpool FC Parade attack – Why Hasn’t the Suspect been Charged with Attempt Murder?
Attempted murder is a notoriously difficult offence to prove in the UK due to the high threshold of intent required, among other legal and evidential complexities. Here’s a breakdown of why it’s challenging, and some real-life examples where individuals were convicted of lesser offences instead. 🔍 Why Attempted Murder Is Hard to Prove in the UK […]
Fail to Provide a Sample – What You Need To Know
What Is the Offence? If the police suspect you’ve been drink driving or drug driving, they can ask you to give a breath, blood or urine sample. If you refuse or fail to do so without a good reason, you can be charged with a criminal offence: failing to provide a specimen. This offence is just as serious as being caught drink […]
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill – Does it impact you?
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill was introduced in the House of Lords in early July and awaits a second reading. The Bill is formed of thirteen parts, including provisions to: introduce measures for the protection of the police; introduce legislation for the prevention, investigation and prosecution […]
Modern slavery – sentencing guidelines
Modern slavery – sentencing guidelines There has been a recent case at Bristol Crown Court where a Couple were jailed for enslaving 29 people – http://https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jun/22/bristol-couple-jailed-for-enslaving-29-slovakian-people How do Judges determine the Sentence? The Sentencing Council has the responsibility of developing and monitoring sentencing guidelines. The aim is to promote consistency in sentencing while maintaining the […]
Released Under Investigation
In April 2017 new provisions relating to pre-charge bail were introduced. The idea being suspects were not left waiting around for months of end whilst the police carried out their investigations. The new rule in a nutshell allows suspects to be released on pre-charge bail for 28 days to begin with. This can be extended […]
‘Just A Chat’ – The Dangers Of Voluntary Interviews With Police
‘Just a chat’, ‘nothing to worry about’, ‘procedure’…just some of the things you could hear from the police if your accused of a criminal offence that the police would like to speak to you about. Due to various reasons such as budget cuts, low staffing levels and closures of police custody suites, we have seen […]
What is a Police Station Representative?
I recently attended a wedding abroad with a large group of people I did not know and spent a large chunk of the holiday trying to explain what I did for a living. It was interesting to see the varied responses from the Community nurse who was empathetic about the long hours and lack of […]