A CRIMINAL SOLICITOR CAN DEFEND
YOU IN THE WORST OF CASES
ABV SOLICITORS
Being accused of a serious criminal offence like murder
or manslaughter is not a joke or a laughing matter. The
reality is that it can have a terrible impact on your life,
especially if you are found guilty of such a serious
offence. If you are innocent, the onus is on the
prosecution to prove your guilt and you should be
considered innocent until they do so. The state must prove
your guilt beyond reasonable doubt and this burden of
proof is crucial, as the results of a conviction can be life
changing and devastating. However, to ensure that there
is reasonable doubt and to reduce the chance of
conviction, it can help to have a strong defence. A
criminal solicitor will be able to support you in all stages of
the legal process to reduce the possibility of charges
being brought against you, as well as convictions.
The first steps
If you know that you are a suspect in a murder case, getting a criminal solicitor can be highly
important. They may advise you to go in to speak to the police voluntarily as this shows that you
have nothing to hide and it can sometimes remove the need for DNA samples and photographs to
be taken of you. Once you are questioned by the police, your criminal solicitor will be able to ensure
that you are interrogated fairly and they can advise whether or not you should answer the
questions you are asked. Any questions that you remain silent on should not be considered as an
admission of guilt as it is not your responsibility to prove your innocence, but the state’s. Having
your criminal solicitor present can therefore make the difference between whether or not any
charges are brought against you or how severe the charges are.
Going to court
Once you have been charged with murder or manslaughter - a lesser charge - you will have to go
to a magistrates’ court as a formality. Here, you will need to confirm your personal details and the
Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will state what the charges are that have been made by the