Criminal Law Articles
As one of the North West’s leading Criminal Solicitors, this section has all the useful articles we have collated which relate to criminal law. In this section you will find out about new laws, amendments to existing laws and precedents set – as well as opinion and lot’s of great advice from our award-winning crime team.
Stalking
New offences of stalking (in addition to existing offences of harassment) were introduced in 2012. The offences are harassment which involves a course of conduct that amounts to stalking. There are two offences, stalking involving fear of violence and stalking involving serious alarm or distress.
Visual Identification Procedure
A critical evidential issue for courts is how much weight to place upon identification evidence where that evidence is weak or based on a very brief encounter.
Under Duress
There is a defence in law known as necessity or duress of circumstances. Find out more about being under duress and the implications for your defence.
Drugs Importation
It may be an offence to fail to provide information as the identity of a driver when you receive a written request to do so from (or on behalf of) the police. If convicted, you face a large fine and 6 penalty points.
Getting Tough on a Public Disorder
The Sentencing Council, which is the organisation responsible for setting sentencing guidelines in England and Wales, has today circulated proposed new guidelines in respect of public order offences.
Parole Board – The Changes
Following on from the Parole Board decision to release John Worboys, the taxi driver rapist, there has been an evaluation of its functions, in particular a review of Rule 25 of the Parole Board Rules 2016 that prohibited the Parole Board disclosing any information relating to its hearings.
Court Fines
In the crown court, while a fine is not the most common punishment meted out, when they are imposed they tend to be very large.
Sentencing, The Hidden Penalty
The High Court has given ruling in the first of what are referred to as ‘right to be forgotten’ cases.
Burglary and Self-Defence
The law of self-defence is again in the public eye following the case of 78-year-old Richard Osborn-Brooks who was briefly investigated after the fatal stabbing of a burglar who entered his property.
Barristers On Strike
You may have read in the news that Barristers are on strike, it is inevitable therefore that you may be concerned as to how this will affect your case.
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