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Senior Crown Court litigator Caine Ward and in-house counsel Steve Gosnell provided crown court representation to a client charged with a serious sexual offence.

The offending was said to have occurred over a period of two days and the alleged victim was known to  Caine’s client.  Originally there were two allegations made by the same complainant.  He was in his forties and of previous good character.

Free and independent police station advice

Caine’s client took the opportunity to have free and independent legal advice in the police station.  He answered all questions put to him.  He maintained that they were in a relationship and any contact was consensual.

Further, he went on the state that there would be material on both his and her phone that would support his account.  In particular, there would be messaging between her and her friends that would corroborate what he said.

Our client was released on police bail.  He was told that this was to permit the interrogation of the mobile phones in the case.  He remained on police bail for seven months.

Following investigation, the police and prosecution made a bizarre decision not to charge the most serious offence, but simply proceed with one of the allegations.  Bearing in mind both allegations hinged on the credibility of the same complainant this was hard to understand.

Prosecution pressured to review the case

When the case was first before the court statements were served.  It became clear why the prosecution were not proceeding with one of the charges as the complainant had changed her account in a significant way.  It remained hard to see why the prosecution were continuing with the second allegation in the circumstances.

Of greater concern was that requests for the phone evidence that the police had had seven months to secure went unheeded.  Caine drafted a defence statement.  This demonstrated the importance of the phone evidence.  He repeated the request when the defence statement was served.

Again, the prosecution delayed in providing the information.  Eventually, it was confirmed that the complainant had refused to hand over her mobile phone to the police so downloads could not be obtained.

The matter was listed for two pre-trial reviews so that pressure could be placed on the prosecution to review the case.  On both occasions, different Judges raised concerns about the wisdom of proceeding with the case.  In having the case listed we were able to keep up pressure on the prosecution to drop the prosecution.

Missing phone evidence

The prosecution finally confirmed that not only had the complainant’s phone not been handed to the police but that she had disposed of it and now had a new one.  As a result, all of the evidence had been lost.  The complainant maintained that she had never been asked for her phone.  This was at odds with unused material that Caine had seen.

In the end the prosecution were compelled to review the case one further time and decided to offer no evidence in the week before the trial.  A not guilty verdict was entered. This was clearly the right decision and removed any risk that our client would be convicted before a jury.

All of this was achieved with our client having the benefit of Crown Court criminal legal aid.

Instruct experts in Crown Court representation

We have an experienced team of crown court litigators and in-house advocates to provide you with expert crown court representation.  An important part of the preparation of your case will be to see whether the prosecution can be put in a position where it has to drop your case before trial.

If you wish to instruct Caine in a case then please telephone him on 0115 9599550 or use the contact form below.

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High-Risk Offenders – The Hidden Peril of Drink Driving

Many people convicted of drink driving leave court with a pretty clear idea as to the length of their driving disqualification, but for a significant number, there is a shock further down the line.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no ‘right’ to hold a driving licence, merely by having passed a driving test, and not otherwise be disqualified. The Secretary of State for Transport has the right, where the circumstances justify it, to withhold a licence. One of the circumstances where this arises if after a drink drive conviction if the offender is deemed ‘high-risk’.

What is a high-risk offender?

The high-risk offender scheme applies to drivers convicted of the following:

• one disqualification for driving or being in charge of a vehicle when the level of alcohol in the body equalled or exceeded either one of these measures:

87.5 mcg per 100 ml of breath
200.0 mg per 100 ml of blood
267.5 mg per 100 ml of urine

• two disqualifications within the space of 10 years for drink-driving or being in charge of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol
• one disqualification for refusing or failing to supply a specimen for alcohol analysis
• one disqualification for refusing to give permission for a laboratory test of a specimen of blood for alcohol analysis.

If I fall into one of those categories, what does it mean?

It means that at the end of your disqualification period, your licence will not be returned.

How do I get my licence back?

There will need to be a medical assessment of your suitability to hold a driving licence; this will consist of:

• questionnaire
• serum CDT assay
• any further testing indicated.

If a licence is awarded, the ’til 70 licence is restored for Group 1 car and motorcycle driving. Consideration may be given to a Group 2 licence.

If a high-risk offender has a previous history of alcohol dependence or persistent misuse but has satisfactory examination and blood tests, a short period licence is issued for ordinary and vocational entitlement but is dependent on their ability to meet the standards as specified.

A high-risk offender found to have a current history of alcohol misuse or dependence and/or unexplained abnormal blood test results will have the application refused.

What does this mean in practice?

You need, if you are regularly consuming large quantities of alcohol (which may be much less than you believe it to be), to reduce your intake significantly, otherwise, this pattern of alcohol abuse will reveal itself when the blood sample is analysed (for liver function markers).

I wish I had been told this at the time?

Unfortunately, our experience shows that clients are not advised of this hidden consequence of drink driving.

Is there any appeal mechanism?

Fortunately, yes there is. We have a dedicated team of road traffic experts ready and able to assist you with any drink driving query.

If you would like further advice about this topic, then please contact one of the solicitors at your local office or use the form below.

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Education Law and Criminal Defence Solicitor Clare Roberts was welcomed by students at West Bridgford School on the afternoon of Monday 21 September.  Following an invitation she delivered a talk about ‘Routes into Law’ to sixth form students who are contemplating studying law at university.

The talk focused on university applications including what to do if you do not get your expected grades, as well as the proposed changes in the route to qualification as a result of the proposed scrapping of the Legal Practice Course in 2020.

Clare also spoke with students about ‘a day in the life of a solicitor’ so that they had a sense of what a day at court was like, including the unpredictable hours!  Further information about the unpredictable nature of the work can be found here.

The students who attended the talk had lots of questions to ask about studying law at university.  Clare was also able to help with how the training within a firm thereafter will work.

Clare was really impressed with how knowledgeable the students were about their career options but also impressed by the careers education scheme run by Caroline Nolan at the school, which sees a variety of different professionals give talks to sixth form students at the school over the next few months.

It appears that the students were equally impressed by Clare, who received some positive feedback.  We hope we will be able to assist this and other schools again in the future.

If you think your students might be helped by a presentation such as this one then please contact us using the form below.  It is likely that we will be able to provide a solicitor local to your school or college to assist with any information you might need.

Contact

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…With the Police

Every graduate remembers Freshers week well! It is your first real taste of total freedom from your parents. You have money, friends to make and a desire to prove your drinking prowess in the form of a variety of crazy drinking games just to get accepted into the rugby, rowing or hockey club.

Ten pints in and it is suddenly fun to lie in the road, rugby tackle a few passers-by for a laugh or run naked down the street.

The problem is that whilst you are out, carelessly stumbling around, CCTV cameras in city centres are watching your every move.

Arrested during Freshers Week?

Sadly, year after year, we represent students arrested, especially during Freshers week, for offences such as assault, criminal damage or causing harassment, alarm or distress in a public place, as well as possession of an illegal drug.

It is unlikely that most first offences will result in a prison sentence. The consequences, however, of the conviction on your future career may be great. It may even affect your ability to continue with your degree where the university instigate disciplinary proceedings.

This will be more likely when you are studying a vocational degree where as part of your learning, you have contact with the public. We have represented students studying medicine or nursing degrees, where their criminal conviction has brought them before the Fitness to Practice Panel of their regulatory body.

Free and independent legal advice

If you are unfortunate enough to get arrested during your degree, remember that everyone, regardless of their financial means, is entitled to free legal representation at the police station. The cost of this advice will be paid for by legal aid. This service can be accessed 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.

If you are under investigation for a criminal offence or recently convicted AND your university is looking to bring proceedings against you, it is always worth contacting a solicitor to know and understand your rights and how best to proceed.

Contact a criminal law specialist

A specialist lawyer can be contacted through any of our office numbers at any time of the day or night to provide you with free and independent legal advice at the police station.

People being spoken to by the police for the first time might not think that they need a lawyer.  Speaking without one would be a mistake.

Here are 10 good reasons why you will want to take advantage of our advice.

 Details of your nearest office can be found here.

Alternatively you can use the contact form below.

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Nottingham crime and duty solicitor Jameel Malik represented a client who had been arrested of intentionally supplying a psychoactive substance into prison.  The recipient of the drugs was said to be her son in HMP Nottingham.

Supply of a psychoactive substance?

Following a prison visit from his mother, our client’s son had been randomly selected for a search.  He was wearing two pairs of boxer shorts and was in possession of green vegetable matter.

Once forensically examined, this was found to be a psychoactive substance with a weight of 103g.  The value of the substance if sold in prison by the gram was a little over £10 000.

Free and independent legal advice in police interview

Jameel had first met his client in the police station when she had requested the free and independent legal advice of the duty solicitor.  She had given an account to the police in interview denying passing her son the psychoactive substance.  She did accept that she might have passed him a note or a bar of chocolate.

CCTV footage of the prison visit was produced by the police in interview. This showed his client and her partner in the visiting hall.  Both sat down at the table with our client’s son.  The CCTV footage clearly showed Jameel’s client pass something to her son who then placed two packages in his boxer shorts.

Proceedings at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court

Our client was charged with supplying a psychoactive substance.   The issue for trial was whether she had passed her son the substance during the visit.

Jameel provided advice about whether the case ought to remain in the Magistrates’ Court or be allocated to the Crown Court.  He successfully argued that trial could be dealt with before the Magistrates’ Court.

The matter proceeded to trial.  The CCTV footage was played.  Agreed evidence was read as to how the prison officers had retrieved the psychoactive substance.  The expert report proving the nature of the substance was also read, as were procedural issues relating to visitor searches.  Finally, our client’s interview with her denials were read out.

Submission of no case to answer

Having considered the evidence, Jameel then decided that it was appropriate to make a submission that there was insufficient evidence to allow the case to proceed.

He argued that even taking the prosecution case at its highest there was simply insufficient evidence to show that it was his client who had supplied the substance to her son.

He highlighted the following:

• the amount of the substance was of significant size.  This was not discovered upon his client’s entry into the prison
• the CCTV footage did not show what was passed
• his search was actually two hours after the visit rather than immediately after the visit had taken place
• there was a significant opportunity for the substance to have been acquired at another time during the morning.

Case dismissed

The Magistrates retired to consider the submission.  Upon their return they stated that they did not believe that the prosecution had  sufficient evidence to provide a case for Jameel’s client to answer.  The case was dismissed.

Instruct a criminal solicitor in Nottingham

If you are investigated for an offence then you will want to instruct a firm of solicitors that will try and provide you with continuity of representation between your initial arrest and final disposal in the Magistrates’ court.

We will try to make sure that you keep the same solicitor throughout your case to avoid you seeing a number of new faces and having to explain your account on more than one occasion.

Don’t forget that our independent advice and representation in the police station will always be free of charge, and you may be entitled to free Magistrates’ Court representation under our legal aid contracts.

If you want to instruct Jameel in a case then please call him on 0115 9599550 or use the contact form below.