Monthly Archives: December 2019
As businesses prepare for Christmas, it is customary to inform clients of seasonal opening hours. For many, it will simply be a case of announcing the days on which the business will be closed, but for us, as criminal defence solicitors, the position is a little more complicated than that owing to the need for emergency legal advice.
We close our offices, but of course we don’t close down our emergency services.
Our offices across the East Midlands will be closed on the following dates:
24 December 2019
25 December 2019
26 December 2019
27 December 2018
31 December 2019
1 January 2020
Emergency legal advice
However, if you need emergency legal advice in relation to a criminal law related issued, at any time of the day or night, we have a team of people to assist.
You can contact us for emergency legal advice by calling any of our usual office numbers.
For example, the Nottingham number is 0115 9599550. You will be able to speak to one of our on call solicitors.
The work of a criminal lawyer does not lend itself to regular working hours, nor is there any time, day or night when we are not available. We offer a level of accessibility that few other professionals can match, and we are immensely proud of that fact.
When arrested on Christmas Day, as some people inevitably will be, we will be there by their side to offer timely legal advice to protect their interests.
You can read more about the benefits of instructing us to give emergency legal advice in police interview here.
Even the criminal courts are open for business during at least part of the festive period, allowing for bail applications and other urgent court business. Again we will provide representation at those hearings.
And of course, those in prison can experience particular difficulties as they are reminded of families far away, also impacted by the trauma of custody.
We take this opportunity to wish all of you a peaceful and restful holiday season, but if for any reason you need us, we will be there at the end of the phone and in person.
Monthly Archives: December 2019
When people think about those being caught drink or drug driving, the cliche involves a man leaving a pub late at night, being seen to be driving erratically and then being stopped by the police. Although this scenario may often be the the backdrop to an arrest for drink or drug driving, often the story is quite different.
The morning after the night before begins with a headache, followed by groans as the body and mind adjusts to the horrible thought that this is not a weekend and work beckons.
A quick shower revives the senses and off to work you go. Traffic is heavy as usual, drivers as intolerant as ever, and the rain contributes only to a sour mood amongst drivers. Then bang – a relatively minor shunt causing minimal damage to really kick off the day well.
It is, however. often this kind of minor road traffic incident that will cause traffic chaos at a peak time and attract the attention of the police with the result that there is roadside testing for drink and drugs.
The fact that you look great, feel fine and are not responsible for the accident will do nothing to mitigate the alcohol or drug levels in your body. Anyone who tells you that you can confidently predict alcohol or drug levels the morning after is not telling the truth.
What happens next may make the earlier headache pale into insignificance.
An arrest, charge and court appearance resulting in a minimum period of disqualification.
Will you keep your job? What will your partner say?
The safest message remains ‘none for the road’.
In some cases, there are legal defences available, and we can discuss these with you.
Sometimes there are arguments to avoid a disqualification.
When a legal defence is not possible, we work hard to mitigate the sentence and get your life back on track.
The Christmas drink drive campaign 2019
Your local police force will now have in place its Christmas and New Year drink and drug driving campaign, roadside testing will increase, and officers will be extra vigilant. You can read about the Nottinghamshire campaign here.
We hope that you do not need our services over the festive period, but if you so please be assured that we are here, on your side 24 hours a day.
Contact a drink drive specialist lawyer
If you do make a mistake and find yourself in trouble, there is a lot we can do to assist you.
In some cases the police will want to interview you about the offence. If this is the case, whether under arrest or as a volunteer, always make sure you seek our free and independent legal advice. You can read about the benefits here.
The police must follow complex procedures to establish a case against you. Our lawyers will be able to analyse the evidence to ensure that the procedures have been followed. We can successfully challenge the evidence in your case.
A road traffic solicitor can also investigate issues such as ‘laced drinks’ which can raise the opportunity to avoid disqualification. We will also consider other ‘special reasons’ that could be raised on your behalf. This might include the shortness of distance that was driven.
Well-presented mitigation can make a real difference to the outcome. Even where a disqualification cannot be avoided, we can often achieve a reduction in length.
Legal aid might be available dependent upon your means and the circumstances of your case. Alternatively, you will be able to fund your case through an affordable fixed fee.
Contact one of our drink drive solicitors at your nearest office if you are being investigated by the police or taken to court as a result of the Christmas drink drive campaign. They will, of course, be able to discuss and other driving matters that you face.
Alternatively you can use the contact form below to ask for a call about your case.
Contact
Monthly Archives: December 2019
None for The Road – the Christmas drink drive campaign
With Halloween and Bonfire Night behind us it now won’t be long before Christmas is in our sights and the Christmas party season gets underway. It means that it is now time for the Christmas drink drive campaigns from your local police forces.
We will now all be familiar with the national police initiative that coincides with this time of year. Once again the police will be targeting drink driving. Forces across the country prepare for a spike in the numbers of those tested and arrested for drink driving and drug driving offences. This in part is due to an increase in police patrols dedicated to seeking out drink drivers and part as a result of the time of the year.
The more visible presence is in order to deter those who may think about drinking and driving.
The impact of a drink drive conviction
People may not view these offences as particularly serious when judged against other types of offences. What is not often understood is the very real impact that the consequences of a drink drive conviction can have.
Research shows that the loss of a driving licence leads, in a great many cases, to loss of employment. This in turn can lead to a loss of housing as bills cannot be paid. Sometimes a disqualification from driving could be the final straw that breaks a relationship. The financial costs flowing from a driving ban will be felt for many years thereafter. Insurance premiums will be greatly increased.
Driving the morning after
As experienced road traffic solicitors we also see a great many people who come before the courts with alcohol readings that are not particularly high. This might be where offences have been detected the ‘morning after’. In such cases, offences can be said to have been committed perhaps more out of ignorance than due to a wilful disregard for the safety of others.
A single error of judgment can have devastating consequences.
What is a safe level of drinking if I propose to drive?
No alcohol at all is the safest approach to adopt. It ensures that when a driver gets behind the wheel, their reactions will not be impaired to any degree at all.
Crucially it also prevents the driver getting the guesswork wrong as to how much can be drunk before a person is over the limit. It is this mistake that brings so many people before the courts.
There are urban myths in circulation such as ‘2 pints are ok’. These have long since been proved to be false, as have back of the envelope calculations as to how long it takes alcohol to leave the body. Sleeping of a heavy drinking session will not speed up the rate at which alcohol leaves your body. A big meal may slow down the rate at which you absorb alcohol, but you will end up with the same amount of alcohol in your system.
Different people will deal with alcohol in different ways. This can even vary for one person depending on a multitude of factors. Merely feeling okay to drive is not a reliable indicator as to whether a driver is below the legal limit or not.
As we get merry, we reach a tipping point. We can make foolish choices that will prove costly, sometimes not just measured in financial terms but in injury and even loss of life.
Think, before you drink, before you drive.
You do not hear a lawyer say this often – but we do not wish to see you this Christmas as a result of the Christmas drink drive campaign.
How we can assist with your drink drive case
If you do make a mistake and find yourself in trouble, there is a lot we can do to assist you.
The police must follow complex procedures to establish a case against you. Our lawyers will be able to analyse the evidence to ensure that the procedures have been followed. We can successfully challenge the evidence in your case.
A road traffic solicitor can also investigate issues such as ‘laced drinks’ which can raise the opportunity to avoid disqualification. We will also consider other ‘special reasons’ that could be raised on your behalf. This might include the shortness of distance that was driven.
Well-presented mitigation can make a real difference to the outcome. Even where a disqualification cannot be avoided, we can often achieve a reduction in length.
Legal aid might be available dependent upon your means and the circumstances of your case. Alternatively, you will be able to fund your case through an affordable fixed fee.
Contact one of our drink drive solicitors at your nearest office if you are being investigated by the police or taken to court as a result of the Christmas drink drive campaign. They will, of course, be able to discuss and other driving matters that you face.
Alternatively you can use the contact form below to ask for a call about your case.
Contact
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