Criminal Litigation & Motoring Offences Solicitors in Coventry, Warwickshire & Oxfordshire

You should contact a criminal defence solicitor as soon as you become aware that the police, or another organisation, are investigating you. Early legal advice can make a significant difference and helps ensure your rights are protected from the very beginning. Even if you have not been arrested or charged, speaking to a solicitor early can help you understand the process, prepare for a police interview and avoid making decisions that could affect your case.

If your case proceeds to court, we can continue to represent you throughout the criminal proceedings.

If you believe you are under investigation or have been asked to attend a police interview, contact our criminal defence solicitors as soon as possible.

If you have been arrested, you have the legal right to free legal advice from a solicitor while you are at the police station.

As soon as you arrive, ask the Custody Sergeant to contact Alsters Kelley Solicitors so one of our experienced criminal defence solicitors can attend and represent you. Receiving legal advice before answering police questions is important, as anything you say may be used as evidence.

Our solicitors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to protect your rights and provide expert representation from the earliest stage of the investigation.

You may be able to receive Legal Aid for a criminal case, but eligibility depends on both your financial circumstances and the seriousness of the offence. If your disposable income or capital is above certain limits, you may not qualify.

The court will also consider the nature of the case. Legal Aid is generally available for more serious criminal offences, while minor offences may not qualify unless there are additional circumstances that justify funding.

Our solicitors can assess your eligibility, explain the application process and help you apply for Legal Aid where appropriate.

If you receive a court summons for a motoring offence, you should seek legal advice as soon as possible. Contact us immediately with the details of your hearing so we can review the allegation, explain your options and begin preparing your defence. Motoring law can be complex, and the prosecution is often represented by an experienced prosecutor.

Having an experienced motoring offence solicitor on your side can help you understand the process and achieve the best possible outcome. We can provide initial advice over the telephone and make all the necessary arrangements to represent you in court.

Most motoring offence endorsements remain on your driving licence for four years from the date of conviction. However, some more serious offences remain on your record for 11 years, including drink or drug driving, causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs, and causing death by careless driving after failing to provide a specimen.

The length of time an endorsement remains on your licence depends on the specific offence and can affect your insurance and future driving record.

If you’re unsure how a conviction may affect your licence, our motoring offence solicitors can advise you.

A voluntary police interview is a formal interview under caution where the police ask you questions about a suspected criminal offence without placing you under arrest. Although attendance is described as voluntary, the interview can still have serious consequences and anything you say may be used as evidence. You have the right to free legal advice and can ask for a solicitor to be present during the interview. The police should normally allow you to speak to your solicitor before questioning begins.

Having legal representation does not make you look guilty. A criminal defence solicitor can explain the allegation, advise you on how to respond and make sure your rights are protected throughout the interview.

If you have been invited to a voluntary police interview, contact us as soon as possible so we can advise and represent you.

After you are charged with a criminal offence, you will be given details of the allegation and told when you must attend court. Your first hearing will usually take place at a Magistrates’ Court, even if the case may later be sent to the Crown Court because of its seriousness.

You may be released on bail until the hearing, sometimes with conditions such as living at a particular address, reporting to a police station or not contacting certain people. At court, you may be asked to enter a guilty or not guilty plea, and the next steps will depend on the offence and your response.

It is important to seek legal advice promptly so your solicitor can review the evidence, explain the court process and begin preparing your case.

Our criminal defence solicitors can represent you from charge through to the conclusion of the proceedings.

Reaching 12 or more penalty points within three years will usually result in a driving disqualification under the “totting-up” rules. A first ban is normally at least six months, although the exact period can depend on any previous disqualifications.

In some cases, the Court may decide not to impose the usual ban, or may reduce it, if you can prove that disqualification would cause exceptional hardship.

This must involve consequences beyond the normal inconvenience of losing your licence and will depend on your individual circumstances. Evidence may be needed to show the effect a ban would have on other people, your employment, caring responsibilities or a business.

Our motoring offence solicitors can assess your circumstances, help prepare an exceptional hardship argument and represent you in Court.

Drink and drug driving are serious motoring offences that can lead to a criminal conviction, a driving ban, a fine and, in more serious cases, imprisonment. A conviction for driving or attempting to drive while over the alcohol limit normally carries a minimum driving ban of 12 months, while drug driving can also result in a minimum one-year ban.

The penalties will depend on factors such as the level recorded, the circumstances of the incident, any previous convictions and whether anyone was injured.

You should seek legal advice as soon as possible so the evidence and police procedures can be reviewed and you can understand the possible plea, sentence and defence options available.

Our motoring solicitors can advise you and represent you at every stage of the case.

Whether you should plead guilty or not guilty depends on the evidence, the legal issues in your case and whether you accept committing the offence. You should not enter a plea without understanding the consequences and obtaining legal advice. If you plead guilty, the Court may move to sentencing and an early guilty plea can sometimes reduce the sentence. If you plead not guilty, the case will usually be prepared for trial, where the prosecution must prove the allegation.

A solicitor can review the evidence, identify any defence or procedural issues and explain the likely outcomes of each option.

Contact our criminal and motoring solicitors before entering a plea so you can make a properly informed decision.