Police or PACE interview.
We have attended the police station on countless occasions about all sorts of offences from drink driving to serious criminal conspiracies, including, minor allegations of public order, serious drugs, conspiracies, murder, criminal damage, fraud, money laundering and terrorist funding.
As we offer a privately funded service, we can attend the police station at any time for legal advice or pursue a complaint about the conduct of the police. We do not have to wait for the police to call us and we can stay for the duration our client remains in detention.
We do not merely stop assisting our client once they are released from the police station as we fully appreciate and acknowledge that there is work that can be done during the intervening period which will have an impact on the outcome. It should be noted that the police have a duty under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (also known as PACE) to follow all lines of enquiry and to investigate the matter impartially. In reality, this seldom happens as the police will focus on the complainant and the allegation made against the suspect. We will conduct your investigation, secure your evidence and present your case so that the police have all the information before they come to any decision about charge.
We have been instructed in the past to collate a defence file of evidence for our client, and we have made representations to the police throughout the investigation. We have been privately instructed by clients to; attend on witnesses, draft testimony, find and secure CCTV evidence, submit photographs, instruct experts to prepare plans and preserve electronic evidence. We have found that taking a proactive approach early on has the greatest impact on the investigating officer's attitude against, which has either culminated in some allegations not being pursued or charges being dropped altogether.
We do not behave like other lawyers, and if we are asked to attend a police station then we will do so, and will stay until our client releases us. We are aware that a vast majority of solicitors and legal representatives will only attend for the police interview and then disappear as soon as that meeting has ended. We will make representation's as to the time and purpose of detention throughout the period of detention and we will submit comments on bail and conditions on the release of our client.
We have also been instructed to attend the police station with witnesses and clients who wish to make a complaint of criminal wrongdoing against others. Our very presence at the police station has had an impact on how any investigating officer views the complaint.
We offer a fixed fee service for attending the police station based on length of time we anticipate we will be in attendance.
For further advice and action, please call or e-mail us.
