Criminal & Motoring Law Solicitors — England & Wales
A criminal charge puts everything at risk — your liberty, your livelihood, your reputation. The time to instruct a solicitor is not when the case reaches court. It is the moment you are contacted by police.
Criminal and motoring offences range from a fixed penalty notice for speeding to a serious charge with a custodial sentence. At every point in the process — police station, magistrates' court, Crown Court, or appeal — the quality of the legal advice you receive determines the outcome. A specialist solicitor attends the police station, advises on plea, prepares the defence, and fights for the best possible result at every stage.
Services
Criminal and motoring law — the matters we advise on.
Whether you are at the police station, facing court, or have already been convicted — choose your area below for specific advice on your situation.
Police Station Advice
Immediate representation at the police station — duty solicitor or your own solicitor, 24 hours a day.
Learn more →Drink & Drug Driving
Excess alcohol, drug driving, failure to provide — defending the charge and avoiding disqualification.
Learn more →Speeding Offences
Fixed penalty notices, Notice of Intended Prosecution, speed awareness courses, and totting up disqualification.
Learn more →Assault & Violent Offences
Common assault, ABH, GBH, and affray — from police station to Crown Court, with a full defence strategy.
Learn more →Theft & Fraud Offences
Theft, handling stolen goods, fraud, computer misuse, and benefit fraud — advice from the first interview.
Learn more →Drug Offences
Possession, possession with intent to supply, and supply — defending the charge at every court stage.
Learn more →Licence Points & Disqualification
Totting up, exceptional hardship arguments, and short-period disqualification avoidance strategies.
Learn more →Sexual Offences
Allegations of rape, sexual assault, and other sexual offences — specialist representation from first interview.
Learn more →Bail & Court Representation
Bail applications, conditions of bail, and full representation at the magistrates' court and Crown Court.
Learn more →Appeals Against Conviction & Sentence
Appeals to the Crown Court, Court of Appeal, and Magistrates' Court against conviction or an excessive sentence.
Learn more →Why Instruction Timing Matters
What a criminal solicitor does — and when to instruct them.
Police station — before you say anything
Anything you say in a police interview can be used against you in court. The right to legal advice at the police station is free, immediate, and absolute — it cannot be denied by the police. A solicitor attends, takes instructions, and advises whether to answer questions, give a prepared statement, or exercise the right to silence — based on what the police have disclosed. This single decision shapes the rest of the case.
Early instructions build the best defence
The defence case is built from the earliest available evidence — police disclosure, witness statements, CCTV, forensic evidence, and the client's own account. Evidence fades and CCTV is overwritten. Witnesses become harder to trace. Instructions taken early allow the defence to identify weaknesses in the prosecution case before they are masked by the passage of time.
Plea advice — before any admission
A guilty plea at the earliest opportunity attracts a one-third reduction in sentence. But it is only worth entering where the evidence is truly overwhelming — and not before a solicitor has reviewed the prosecution disclosure, identified any defence, and explained the full consequences of a conviction, including ancillary orders and the long-term impact on employment. A solicitor advises on plea only after a full review.
Specialist advocacy in court
Crown Court trials require a defence barrister instructed by the solicitor. A specialist criminal solicitor maintains relationships with the best criminal barristers in the relevant area — and selects the right advocate for the specific charge, the specific facts, and the specific judge. The quality of the advocate is as important as the quality of the solicitor preparation.
Legal aid — funded representation
Legal aid is available for Crown Court cases (means and merits tests apply) and for police station representation (free regardless of means). A solicitor will confirm eligibility at the first consultation and, where legal aid is not available, advise on private fee options. Representation in criminal proceedings is too important to go without because of cost — there are routes to funded representation for most serious charges.
Motoring offences — protecting your licence
A driving disqualification is not just an inconvenience — for many people it means losing their job. A solicitor who specialises in motoring law will identify any technical defence (procedural failures, device calibration, notice defects), advise on special reasons and exceptional hardship, and ensure that where disqualification cannot be avoided, it is as short as possible.