Criminal Damage Solicitors

Paying Privately for Representation

We have been covering only private client criminal cases for many years and the benefits to our clients are clear. Our clients receive a much higher level of legal expertise and attention, because they are funding their cases privately. This enables us to dedicate more time in preparing the case, compared with firms that may also offer legal aid. Legal aid lawyers (Duty Solicitors) are often over-worked and are covering more cases than they should, as the nature of their work is reactive, and this can result in your case not receiving the time and attention it deserves.

Our private client solicitors are specialists in their field, have significant experience and will have dealt with other cases like yours in the past and will know the best strategies to achieve a not guilty verdict.

Advantages of Paying Privately for a Specialist Criminal Defence Lawyer

1. Expertise: There are very limited number of law firms throughout the country that only accept criminal cases on a private fee-paying basis, these lawyers will usually only accept such cases because they possess superior legal knowledge and expertise.
2. Communication: Paying for legal representation privately will usually result in better and more frequent communication with your Solicitor and Barrister. Lawyers paid privately will usually respond to e-mails and phone calls quickly.
3. Preparation: The amount of time a lawyer spends preparing a case and considering the evidence will have an impact upon the result. Paying privately will ensure that the lawyer can spend enough time on case preparation, which will have a positive impact on the overall outcome of the case. We prepare thoroughly for each case.
4. Service: Clients that instruct lawyers via private funds will receive a substantially better service than those using legal aid.   
5. Quality: The overall quality of legal representation from private client solicitors is significantly superior.
6. Consistency: We provide all our clients with consistency and continuity, the lawyer dealing with your case will be the same person from start to finish.

Consequences of a Criminal Conviction

Our top-rated criminal defence team understand that being prosecuted will have a devastating impact upon your career, future income and your professional profile. For that reason, we leave no stone unturned when it comes to scrutinising the evidence and planning a strong defence strategy.

We appreciate that for many white-collar workers and regulated professionals a conviction for criminal damage could result in a professional regulatory body such as the Solicitors Regulation Authority, General Medical Council or Financial Conduct Authority assessing whether you remain suitable to continue in your profession given the criminal conviction on your record. We aim to secure the best possible outcome for all our clients, as a conviction could result in life changing consequences or prevent you from continuing your chosen career path.

It is important to appreciate that even relatively minor convictions may not result in a custodial sentence (prison) however, a conviction could potentially result in the end of your career or issues with other aspects of your life, such as travelling to other countries for holidays or work. Our lawyers understand that being prosecuted can be a tough time and your case is a priority for us. Instructing our specialist top-ranked criminal lawyers to represent you will give you the best possible chance of a successful outcome and we will fight your corner to win.

Our solicitors appreciate that if you are a public figure or sports personality, a criminal conviction or even investigation could potentially result in suspension from public office or cancellation of sponsorship/advertising deals. It is, therefore, crucial that you instruct a qualified and experienced criminal defence law firm that has previously represented many high-profile clients and professionals, as this will provide you with the best chance of a not guilty verdict.

A criminal record for an offence such as criminal damage could also cause difficulties in family law / care proceedings as a criminal conviction will create a further obstacle to overcome in those proceedings. The lawyer you choose to instruct to defend your case will have a significant impact upon the direction and outcome of the case, therefore you should take serious consideration when choosing the law firm.

Sentence for Criminal Damage

This is an offence which can be heard before the Magistrates’ or Crown Court. The value of the property alleged to have been damaged is the factor which will determine whether the case remains at the Magistrates’ Court or is sent to the Crown Court.

If the value of the property alleged to have been damaged is below £5,000 the offence is regarded as ‘summary only’ and will remain in the Magistrates’ Court where the Court can impose a prison sentence of up to 3 months. In cases where the value of the damaged property is above £5,000 the offence becomes and ‘either-way’ offence and will usually be transferred to the Crown Court where the Court can impose a prison sentence of up to 10 years.

Whilst criminal damage is an offence where the Court has the power to impose a sentence of up to 10 years, the sentence impose will depend upon the individual circumstances of the offence, the value of the property and the quality of legal representation you have secured.

Do you Need a Solicitor for Criminal Damage?

If you are in a position to appoint a skilled law firm to advise and represent you for criminal damage, then you should certainly appoint a solicitor to advise and represent you, as this can in certain circumstances result in the prosecution deciding not to charge. Our lawyers have represented many clients on fixed fees for representation at the police station which has resulted in no charges being brought against our clients. Securing representation at an early stage such as attending the police station for an interview, can often provide a favourable result.

If you have already been charged or have received a postal requisition, if appointed our lawyers will scrutinise the prosecution evidence to identify any weakness and will advise you on whether you ought to progress the matter to trial. If the evidence is strong and you decide to enter a guilty plea, our experienced barristers can put forward strong and compelling mitigation which will result in you receiving a far more lenient sentence than attending Court without legal representation. Attending Court with legal representation can often be the difference between receiving a community order as opposed to a prison sentence.