Historic Sexual Abuse Solicitors

Are There any Time Limits on Historic Sexual Prosecutions?

Understandably being asked to attend the Police Station interview or receiving a charge sheet regarding an allegation of a sexual nature which is said to have occurred some 30 years earlier is a worrying thought, and one which would also raise many questions regarding why the Police are investigating the allegation many years later and whether they can do this.

The Criminal Justice System takes into account that potential victims of these offences may have struggled to report the incident at the time due to emotional issues and potentially their age, in addition to this, the allegation may have been reported however the Police had failed to investigate the allegation. In recent years there have been many high-profile prosecutions regarding historic sexual abuse, which have resulted in an increase in historic allegations.

Allegations of this nature are very serious and for that reason, there is no time limit on when the Police investigate or when a prosecution is brought.

Possible Sentence for Historic Sex Abuse

The precise sentence a Court would impose upon a Defendant will depend upon the individual circumstances of the offence, the number of allegations, the severity of the offence and the impact upon the complainant. However, all historic sexual allegations are regarded as very serious criminal offences and a prison sentence is a realistic possibility in all cases. In addition to a possible prison sentence, a person would also be added to the sex offenders register.

Due to the very high possibility of a prison sentence and registration on the sex offenders register, these types of prosecutions are very serious, and it is important to appoint the very best legal representation available, regardless of the cost.    

Defending a Historic Sex Abuse Prosecution

Whether there is scope to defend the prosecution will depend upon the evidence and your account of when the incident(s) are said to have taken place.

In certain cases, prosecutions can be defended due to an outright denial, this would occur if a Defendant disputes the allegation entirely and denies any wrongdoing taking place whatsoever. In other cases, there could be a factual defence such as the Defendant not knowing the complainant at the time when the offences are said to have taken place.

What if a Defendant has health issues?

In certain prosecutions the Defendant could be elderly and may now be experiencing significant physical or mental health difficulties. A serious prosecution involving allegations of historic sexual abuse can increase frustration for the Defendant to exacerbate current health concerns. Where appropriate, we can consider if there are any issues concerning whether you remain fit to plead or if you are fit to stand trial. We work closely with top expert psychiatrists that specialise in assessments about whether our clients have enough capacity to properly defend the allegations and continue with the prosecution.

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.

Consequences of a Criminal Conviction

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

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 specialist 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.

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.

Why Instruct Kang & Co?

Clients choose us to represent them for their criminal law case because of our excellent track record and understanding approach towards their case, we understand and appreciate the impact of a conviction on your professional and personal life.

We have an outstanding reputation in the industry and regularly receive positive feedback from our clients. Regardless of how serious or minor the offence, our team of skilled criminal law solicitors are well trained, and highly motivated to protect your rights. If you instruct us to defend your case, we will explain everything to you about your prosecution and will discuss your bespoke defence strategy with you in detail and will advise you on all the possible outcomes.

• Fixed Fees: We offer competitive fixed fees for a wide range of budgets;
• Skilled Solicitors & Barristers: Our Criminal Defence Solicitors & Barristers have an excellent record in successfully defending criminal charges in the Magistrates’ and Crown Court.
• Tailored Bespoke Service: We meet all our clients at our offices, so that we can properly understand the individual needs and requirements of each client, and prepare a bespoke defence strategy;
• Top-Tier Representation: Due to our skill and expertise in representing professionals charged with criminal offences, our lawyers are frequently appointed to defend clients from all walks of life including prominent business owners, high level professionals and sports personalities;
• Highly Experienced Lawyers: Our clients pay privately, and this enables us to instruct some of the leading criminal defence barristers in the country that have decades of experience, including leading Queen’s Counsel;
• National Coverage: We have offices in Birmingham, Milton Keynes and London and are ideally located to represent clients nationally at Courts throughout England and Wales;
• Best Rated Solicitors: We are recognised as one of the leading law firms in Private Criminal Defence cases;
• 5 Star Law Firm: Our clients frequently leave positive feedback and reviews, as we keep our clients updated and provide honest and skilled advice from the outset;

In addition to having our own in-house barristers and advocates, we also have strong working relationships with very senior members of the Bar (including QC’s) and other leading legal experts in their field who can form part of your legal defence team.