Harassment and Stalking Defence Solicitors

If you are facing a prosecution for Harassment or Stalking, our specialist Private Funded criminal defence solicitors are available to help. We can advise, guide and represent you at the Police Station, through to a Trial at Court. If you would like to speak with one of our lawyers regarding a prosecution for harassment, please call us on 0345 222 9955 or complete our Contact Form and we will call you back to discuss the options available and the cost of legal representation.

Our lawyers are specialists in Defending individuals that are being investigated for, or have been charged with the offence of Harassment or Stalking. If you believe you are the victim of Harassment or Stalking, our lawyers are unable to assist, and we recommend that you contact the Police for assistance.

What is Harassment?

Harassment is a Criminal Offence which is contained within Section 2 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. This is defined as the repeated attempts to impose unwanted communications and contact upon a victim in a manner that could be expected to cause distress or fear in any reasonable person.

For a person to be convicted of this offence, the prosecution must prove, beyond reasonable doubt that the Defendant pursued a course of conduct which amounted to ‘harassment’ of another person and that it was known that harassment would be caused.

A prosecution for this offence requires proof of harassment. In addition, there must be evidence to prove the conduct was targeted at an individual, was calculated to alarm or cause the other person distress and was oppressive and unreasonable.

Collective Harassment

The primary intention of collective harassment is not specifically directed towards an individual but at members of a group. This may include members of the same family, residents of a neighbourhood, groups of a specific identity including ethnicity or sexuality or specific trades and professions.

Harassment of an individual can also occur when a person is harassing others connected with a individual, knowing that this behaviour will affect their victim as well as the other people that the person appears to be targeting their actions towards. This is known as ‘stalking by proxy’. Family members, friends and employees of the victim may be subjected to this.

Elements of The Offence

For a person to be prosecuted, the following elements must be satisfied:

• Harassment has taken place
• The conduct was unreasonable
• The conduct was oppressive
• The conduct was targeted at an individual
• The conduct was calculated to cause alarm or distress

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 a crime 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 a relatively minor conviction, such as harassment, 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.

A criminal record for an offence such as harassment could also cause difficulties in family law / care proceedings. 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.

To contact one of our specialist private crime lawyers, phone us on 0345 222 9955 for an initial telephone case assessment and a no obligation fixed fee quotation or fill out our contact form and we will get back to you.

Sentence for Harassment

You will only receive a ‘sentence’ if you plead guilty or are found guilty after a trial. It is important to appreciate that a conviction for this offence will result in a criminal record and the repercussions of a criminal record are individual and based upon your particular career or profession. In some professions a criminal record can result in dismissal from work.

A conviction under Section 2 can result in a prison sentence of up to 6 months and a Court fine.