Criminal law

If you have been charged with a crime or motoring offence, you should get legal advice. In our blog we’ve covered current news on the UK criminal justice system. We also cover your frequent questions about speeding fines, driving offences and penalties.

If you need legal advice or representation at court, Contact Law can put you in touch with specialist criminal law solicitors in your local area.

David Cameron to look again at US-UK extradition laws

In amongst the banter and diplomacy, a controversy has dogged David Cameron’s state visit to the United Sates this week. It comes on the heels of court decisions to extradite two British citizens to face trial in America. Richard O’Dwyer, the young proprietor of TVShack.net has been charged with criminal copyright infringement, and businessman Christopher [...]

Sex Offenders allowed to appeal against lifetime registration

The Home Office has been obliged to draft a proposal in answer to a Supreme Court decision in 2010 concerning sex offenders in England and Wales. The Court ruled it was a breach of human rights for convicted sex offenders to be placed on the sex register for life, without the right of review. The [...]

Stalking to become an imprisonable offence

This week the Prime Minister, David Cameron, is expected to back a proposal that will see stalking categorised as a crime for the first time in England and Wales. He has been receptive to inquiry findings from the independent Justice Unions Parliamentary Group, which has heard evidence from several people who have lost loved ones [...]

Charity raises awareness of male rape

Amid Government figures indicating an increase in the number of men being victims of rape, a charity has for the first time launched an advertising campaign to increase awareness of the issue. The campaign involves adverts which feature on the London underground as the Six Nations rugby tournament is taking place. The adverts show a [...]

Human rights committee urges abolishment of surgical castration for sex offenders in Europe

The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) is urging Germany and the Czech Republic to abolish surgical castration of sex offenders as the practice might be in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights. The countries are the only two in Europe which still occasionally resort to such practices. According to the [...]

Concern over increased use of force at young-offender institution

Ashfield, a privately run young offender institution, is being heavily criticised after a yearly inspection discovered that there has been a significant increase of instances in which staff used force on inmates. The prison inspectors found that in many cases staff used force after inmates’ “failure to obey staff instructions”. The Chief Inspector of Prisons, [...]

Court of Appeal considers quashing abused woman’s conviction

A 29-year-old mother is looking to have her conviction for perverting the course of justice quashed by the Court of Appeal. The woman accused her husband of having raped her several times but subsequently retracted her allegations and was accused of having made a false complaint. Niall Quinn QC, representing the woman, told the court [...]

Hundreds of Britons victims of online romance scams

Vicky Fowkes, 59, is one of many women who have been the victim of an online romance scam. She was tricked by a Nigerian conman, who claimed to be a British man in his fifties temporarily working in Nigeria. Fowkes had started using online dating websites after her divorce and came into contact with the [...]

Government to tackle gang violence against girls

The Government is investing money in a scheme protecting vulnerable girls from gang violence. The scheme was launched yesterday in a school in Kennington by Lynne Featherstone, the Home Office Minister for Equality. Featherstone announced that so-called Young People Advocates will be working in targeted areas with girls who are at risk of becoming romantically [...]

Barrister resigns after private meeting with victim

It has transpired that a barrister had to resign after he obstructed a trial by arranging a private meeting with the concerned victim. Prosecuting barrister David Jones met Dana Baker, a vulnerable victim of rape, at his home for over two hours. No record was kept of the meeting and neither the police nor the [...]

Radical Islamic group planned attacks on London

This week the Woolwich Crown Court heard that a group of radical Islamists had planned terror attacks, targeting some of London’s landmarks. The men were arrested in 2010 and all were found to be in possession of radical literature. Amongst the targets were the Parliament and the London Stock Exchange. Lists of addresses of two [...]

Owner of breast-implant company charged

Jean-Claude Mas, the owner of the French company producing PIP breast implants, has been questioned by police and is facing charges for involuntary injury. When the interrogation was over he was released on bail, which was set at 100,000 euros and he was told that he is not permitted to leave France. The implants have [...]

New flexible guidelines issued for drug-related offences

Today the Sentencing Council published guidelines for how courts and judges should handle those found guilty of drug offences. The guidelines will come into force during February and will provide a more flexible approach as a sentencing judge is allowed to distinguish between victims of drug trafficking and organised gangs. The guidelines, for instance, recommend [...]

Another juror found guilty of contempt of court

Last week three high court justices, including the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, sentenced a female university lecturer to six months in jail as she was found guilty of contempt of court. The justice system is increasingly tackling misbehaving jurors. For example, at the end of last year a young juror was sentenced for contempt [...]

Lord Chief Justice recognises crime-of-passion defence to murder

A man who was convicted of having murdered his wife is to get a retrial as the trial judge was wrong not to take into account his wife’s extramarital affairs, according to the Lord Chief Justice. The law previously provided a defence for so-called ‘passion crimes’, through the common law defence of provocation. However, the [...]

Overall decrease in crime for England and Wales

New numbers indicate that crime has overall declined in England and Wales between September 2010 and September 2011. During the twelve months, crime decreased by 4%. However, there was an 11% increase in personal crime which for example includes robberies and bag snatches. According to researchers, the summer riots did not impact the data considerably. [...]

Higher standards imposed on prosecuting advocates

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is looking to improve the standard of prosecuting counsels after they observed several court hearings where the quality of work varied. Unfortunately, some prosecuting barristers did not perform at their best. In order to ensure that the quality of work remains high and consistent, the CPS has selected just over [...]

MPs urge for clarification of legal doctrine targeting gang violence

The law has developed different forms of liability in order for it to deal with gang-related crimes. The legal doctrine on joint enterprise serves to ensure that all those involved, to some degree, in a crime get punished. Recently, two men were convicted for the murder of Stephen Lawrence under this legal doctrine. However, a [...]

New plans suggest limiting availability of jury trials

Ministers are considering limiting the availability of jury trials for small-time offenders. The proposed change comes after the 2011 summer riots, which saw many defendants handled speedily and cost-effectively by the justice system. Moreover, crown court jury hearings carry significantly higher costs than magistrates’ proceedings. This is an attractive incentive for the Ministry of Justice [...]

Celebrity chef caught pilfering on Tesco surveillance cameras

The TV-star and celebrity-chef Antony Worrall Thompson has been caught shoplifting items from a Tesco supermarket. According to a statement released on the celebrity cook’s website, “I am not the first, and I certainly won’t be the last person to do something without rhyme or reason — what went through my head, only time will [...]