Have you been accused of a criminal offence? If you have been arrested, questioned or asked to attend an interview with the police or fear you might be, you need the help of a criminal defence solicitor. Our criminal law defence team is among the most highly rated in London, and we defend people accused of crimes in the Crown Court, Magistrates' Court and High Court daily.
We can provide immediate specialist criminal legal advice and criminal defence representation at every stage of the criminal law process. If you need a criminal lawyer, contact Lewis Nedas today.
If you are the subject of a criminal investigation, contact us today. To speak to one of our expert criminal defence solicitors, please telephone us on 020 7387 2032 or complete our online enquiry form.
Award-Winning Criminal Lawyers in London
From your first interview at the police station to legal representation by a criminal defence lawyer in court, we will be by your side. No matter the offence, our team will have a criminal law solicitor who can help. Our criminal defence team is one of the best in the UK and has extensive experience appearing in criminal trials. We can help you with any of the following::
Corporate Crime & White Collar Crime Defence
- Account Freezing Order (AFO) and Account Forfeiture Orders (AFOO)
- Bribery & Corruption Compliance & Investigations
- Deferred Prosecution Agreements
- Employee Fraud
- Environmental Crime
- Extradition, Mutual Legal Assistance & International Investigations
- FACT (Federation Against Copyright Theft) Prosecutions
- FCA Investigations & Prosecutions
- Fraud Defence
- Health & Safety Prosecutions
- Insider Dealing & Market Manipulation/Abuse
- Money Laundering
- SFO Investigations & Prosecutions
Motoring Offences & Road Traffic Lawyers London
- Careless and Dangerous Driving
- Death by Dangerous Driving
- Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Drugs
- Driving Whilst Disqualified
- Driving With a Foreign Licence
- Driving Without Insurance or Driver's Licence
- Speeding
- Tachograph offences
Sexual Offences Defence Solicitors
- Cold Case or Historic Allegations Defence
- Cyber/Computer Crime (Pornography) & Fraud
- Sexual Offences
We can also help you with:
- Contempt Proceedings
- Cybercrime and Online Offences
- Firearms Law
- Serious Crime
- Tax & VAT Prosecutions & Investigations
- Violent Crime
- Youth Crime
We have been defending clients against criminal charges for over 40 years. If you need legal advice or criminal defence representation, contact us as soon as possible. See our main criminal defence page for more information on our criminal defence lawyers based in central London.
HOW DO I PAY FOR MY CRIMINAL DEFENCE?
If you are being interviewed by the police under caution or have been arrested, then you are entitled to free, non-means tested, legal help. This may be from a duty solicitor or one that you choose yourself.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM PROSECUTED? HOW DO I PAY?
If you are being prosecuted for an offence, then you can make an application for a “Representation Order”. This is often referred to as legal aid. The amount of financial help you can get depends on the court your case appears in. For a case in the Magistrates’ Court, you must pass both a “means test” demonstrating you need help with funding and a “merits test” showing it would be unjust for you not to have legal representation. If your case appears in the Crown Court, a Representation Order will usually only cover a proportion of your costs.
What happens if I get arrested?
The police must first be certain that it is “necessary” to arrest you. It is an important aspect of arrest that the police give full consideration to this test. There are strict time limits for detaining someone at a police station (usually 24 hours). The police must comply with specific rules, namely Code C of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE).
What happens when I get to the police station?
You will be taken to the custody suite and “booked” in by a Custody Sergeant or their assistant. The Custody Sergeant ensures all those detained are cared for appropriately and their continued detention is lawful. They will also open a Custody Record and ask you questions about your identity and health so you can be looked after while you are at the station. You will be asked to empty your pockets and remove you socks and shoes. Any items of value, such as jewellery, cash, or keys will be “bagged up” and stored securely.
Do I need a solicitor if I get asked by the police to attend a voluntary interview?
Voluntary interviews are an alternative to arrest. Anyone who has been asked to attend a voluntary interview under caution is entitled to receive legal representation. Our expert criminal solicitors at Lewis Nedas Law can advise and represent you if you find yourself in this stressful situation.
Do I look guilty if I say “no comment”?
When you are being questioned you might decide, or be advised, to say “no comment”. It is widely believed that anyone who does this, is signposting their guilt. This comes from the perception that if you were innocent, you would say so from the outset. There are many reasons not to answer police questions, and our experience has shown that it can sometimes be best to advise our clients to exercise their right to remain silent.
What is being released under investigation (RUI) mean?
This means that you have been released pending the police conducting further investigations into the offence. You will not be subject to bail or bail conditions or under any obligation to return to the police station on a particular date and time. The investigation will continue and when it is complete, you will be advised of the decision.
Can someone drop the charges against me?
If you have been informed that a witness wishes to drop the charges against you, it is sensible to proceed with caution in case you breach your bail conditions or expose yourself to the serious allegation of witness intimidation.
If I have been disqualified from driving, can I get my licence back early?
There are some instances when someone can ask the court to end their driving ban early and we are often approached by clients who want to know the answer. Whether someone can get their licence back early depends on the individual circumstances of the case, and the length of the ban. If the application is refused, you can reapply but must wait at least three months from the date of the refusal.
Our Specialist Criminal Lawyers in Central London
Our team of expert solicitors in this area includes: Jeffrey Lewis, Unan Choudhury, Fiona Grandy, Miles Herman,Paul Mason, Tony Meisels, James Reilly, Sean Reilly, Laura Saunsbury, Keith Wood.
