Being investigated by the police can be extremely stressful, particularly when you have not been charged with an offence and do not know what will happen next.
Our pre-charge solicitors in Manchester provide specialist advice and representation throughout criminal investigations. We can assist from the first contact with the police through to interviews under caution, pre-charge engagement and decisions about whether charges should be brought.
Getting legal advice at an early stage can help you understand the allegations, protect your position and consider whether proactive steps can be taken before a charging decision is made.
You do not need to wait until you have been charged before speaking to a solicitor.
If you have been contacted by the police, invited to a voluntary interview, released under investigation or are waiting for a charging decision, our criminal defence team can advise you.
Call us on 01525 376 611 or email hello@fmtsolicitors.co.uk to arrange an initial appointment.
The period before charge can be an important stage of a criminal case. Depending on the circumstances, there may be opportunities to address issues while the investigation is still ongoing.
Our Manchester criminal defence solicitors can assist with:
We will explain what is happening and advise on the approach that best protects your position.
If you are asked to attend a voluntary police interview under caution, it is important to take the situation seriously. Although you have not been arrested, you are being interviewed as a suspect and what you say during the interview can be used as evidence.
You are entitled to free and independent legal advice in connection with a voluntary police interview.
Our solicitors can advise you before the interview, obtain information about the allegation where possible and represent you during questioning.
Following a police interview, you may not immediately know whether you will be charged. The police may need to carry out further enquiries, obtain statements, examine digital devices or review other evidence before deciding what happens next.
Depending on the circumstances, the investigation may result in no further action being taken, or the case may progress towards a charging decision. In some cases, the police will seek charging advice from the Crown Prosecution Service.
Having legal representation during this period means that you can continue to receive advice as the investigation develops. Where appropriate, we can liaise with investigators and consider whether further information, evidence or representations should be provided before a decision is reached.
Evidence gathered during a criminal investigation can include witness statements, CCTV, mobile phone data, messages, emails, social media material, financial records and other digital or documentary evidence.
There may also be evidence relevant to your defence that investigators have not yet obtained or considered. Seeking advice at an early stage can help identify material that may need to be preserved or brought to the attention of the police.
Where appropriate, our solicitors can consider the evidence available, identify further reasonable lines of enquiry and advise whether relevant material should be raised as part of pre-charge engagement or representations.
Pre-charge engagement is a voluntary process that can take place between a suspect’s legal representatives and investigators or prosecutors after the first police interview and before charge.
Where appropriate, it can provide an opportunity to raise matters relevant to the investigation before a charging decision is made. This could include identifying further lines of enquiry, highlighting evidence relevant to your defence or addressing disputed issues.
In some cases, representations may also be made concerning whether charges should be brought.
The fact that you are being investigated does not necessarily mean that you will ultimately be charged. We can review the circumstances of your case and advise whether proactive engagement or representations are appropriate.
If you have been interviewed and allowed to leave without being charged, the police may continue investigating while further evidence is gathered or a charging decision is considered.
Waiting for an investigation to conclude can create considerable uncertainty. Our solicitors can continue representing you during this period, liaise with investigators where appropriate and advise you on any developments or steps that may need to be taken while a decision is awaited.
Early specialist advice can be particularly important when you are facing a serious or complex criminal investigation.
Our criminal defence team has extensive experience representing individuals facing serious allegations and complex criminal proceedings. The team includes Jeremy Moore, a highly experienced criminal defence solicitor who has represented clients in serious and high-profile criminal cases.
We understand the importance of providing clear, strategic advice from the earliest stages of an investigation and protecting your position before a charging decision is made.
We can advise on investigations involving serious violence, sexual offences, fraud and financial crime, drug offences, domestic abuse, theft and other criminal matters.
Where appropriate, we will consider whether proactive steps can be taken during the investigation rather than simply waiting for a charging decision.
If you are under investigation, have been contacted by the police or are waiting for a charging decision, our pre-charge solicitors in Manchester can advise you on your position and next steps.
Call 0161 300 2128 or email hello@fmtsolicitors.co.uk to speak to our criminal defence team.
