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Criminal Defence
Under investigation
or charged?
Facing a criminal investigation or being charged with an offence can be very stressful. Get advice before you say anything — what happens in the first interview often shapes everything that follows.
What we do
We defend people at every stage of the criminal process, from the first phone call after an arrest through to trial and, where necessary, appeal. If you are arrested or invited to an interview under caution — at a police station or elsewhere — we will be by your side throughout.
We advise and represent clients across England and Wales. Our rates are competitive and can be tailored to your ability to pay.
- Driving offences — drink driving, speeding, using a phone at the wheel, totting up, exceptional hardship and special reasons
- General crime — assault, burglary, theft and the full range of everyday offences
- Serious crime — including murder, rape and kidnapping
- Sexual offences
- Terrorism offences
- Financial crime and asset recovery — money laundering and fraud, confiscation and forfeiture proceedings
- Extradition — the UK has extradition relations with over 100 territories
- Regulatory offences — trading standards, health & safety, environmental damage, director disqualification, GMC, NMC and GDC investigations, and licensing
Advice at the police station is free
Whether you have been arrested or asked to attend a voluntary interview, you are entitled to free and independent legal advice at the police station. That right does not depend on your income and it does not make you look guilty. You can ask for us by name.
If you have been asked to attend an interview and have not yet taken advice, call us before you go. A short conversation beforehand costs you nothing and can change the course of the case.
What happens next
First contact
Tell us what has happened and what stage things are at. If you are due at a police station or court, tell us when — that governs everything else.
Disclosure and advice
We obtain what the police or prosecution are prepared to disclose, go through it with you, and advise on how to respond — including whether to answer questions.
Preparation
Evidence is reviewed, witnesses traced where relevant, and experts instructed if the case calls for it. Where a plea is the right course we prepare properly for sentence.
Hearing or trial
We represent you at court, or instruct and work alongside counsel in the Crown Court, and keep you informed at every stage.
Fees
We are required by the SRA Transparency Rules 2018 to publish information about our fees. Depending on the nature of your case we can offer fixed fees and, in some matters, an hourly rate. We agree the basis in writing before we start work.
General criminal defence
| Service | Fixed fee |
|---|---|
| Representation at the police station — advice on the allegations, attendance at your initial interview and all subsequent interviews, and written representations seeking discontinuance where appropriate | £1,500.00 |
| Magistrates’ court — guilty plea, no trial preparation required | £1,500.00 |
| Magistrates’ court — not guilty plea, trial preparation required | £2,500.00 |
| Crown Court — committal for sentence and early guilty plea | £3,500.00 |
| Crown Court — not guilty plea, trial preparation required | £6,000.00 |
Motoring offences
| Service | Fixed fee |
|---|---|
| Written representations — for example writing to the police to dissuade them from taking you to court, or drafting written mitigation against a discretionary disqualification | £1,500.00 |
| Representation at court — including exceptional hardship and general mitigation | £2,000.00 |
| Contested hearings and special reasons — including writing to the CPS to seek discontinuance, and advice on appeal | £2,500.00 |
| Crown Court — committal for sentence and early guilty plea | £3,500.00 |
| Crown Court — not guilty plea, trial preparation required | £6,000.00 |
Hourly rates and additional hearings
| Service | Charge |
|---|---|
| Hourly rate — where a case is extremely complex or the allegation particularly serious | £200.00 per hour |
| Each additional hearing in the magistrates’ court | £500.00 |
| Each additional hearing in the Crown Court | £700.00 |
What the fixed fees include. The figures above cover our own fees and the fees of a barrister or external advocate we may instruct on your behalf. They do not include the fees of an expert if one is instructed, and they do not include VAT where it applies. Any expert fee is agreed with you in advance.
Legal aid may be available in some cases — we will tell you if we think you may qualify.
Common questions
Yes. A voluntary interview is still an interview under caution and what you say can be used in evidence. The right to free legal advice applies just as it does after an arrest.
No. Taking legal advice is a right, not an admission, and it cannot be held against you. Officers are used to it and it is expected.
Yes. Contact us as soon as you can. There is usually a good deal that can still be done, particularly before a charging decision is made.
Yes. We accept cases from all parts of the country. Travel outside the North West is subject to reasonable disbursements agreed with you in advance.
Arrested or due at a police station?
Call now. We are available every day, including out of hours.
0161 241 6309
Fixed fees from
- Police station — £1,500
- Magistrates’, guilty plea — £1,500
- Magistrates’, trial — £2,500
- Crown Court, guilty plea — £3,500
- Crown Court, trial — £6,000
Other practice areas
Contact
Speak to us before you speak to them
Advice at the police station is free. If you have been arrested or asked to attend an interview, call us first.
0161 241 6309