Representation for Minor Offences in UK
Updated on Friday 11th November 2022
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Local or foreign persons charged with various types of minor offences should know that they can request legal assistance provided by our criminal solicitors in London. Any person, who is accused of committing an act prohibited by the United Kingdom’s legislation and is detained or simply questioned by the UK Police Department, has the right to ask for a criminal defence lawyer and ask for complete legal assistance and advice in front of the authorities.
How are minor offences classified?
According to the local legislation in the UK, a minor offence can be classified minor by their nature, and minor regarding the particular facts of the case. As an example, the theft offence may either be considered minor or serious, the fact covering in this way a large range of offendings.
The police can consider a minor offence the theft of a lower amount of money. If the facts are considered minor, depending on the circumstances of the case, the prosecutor will decide what measure will be applied to the suspect. In some cases, a minor offence can involve prosecution. Any person involved in a minor offence can request assistance from our team of criminal solicitors in London.
Alternatives of disposals for minor offences
A prosecutor has other alternatives instead of sending an offender to custody such as:
- cautions or conditional cautions which can be issued for adults and youngsters;
- reprimands and final warnings issued in the court of law;
- penalty notices for disorder which can be issued by the police officers;
- no further action if there is no evidence to sustain the case.
According to the legislation in the UK, a prosecutor has the legal power to take any action, that he considers appropriate, against the defendant. Although you should know that for some minor offences the prosecution will depend on the particularities of the case and here we can mention:
- the nature of the offence, whether violence or weapon threatthreatsused;
- what led the suspect to commit the offence and the way this was committed;
- previous offences of the suspect, if there is a case;
- the harm caused or the losses that appeared to others, after the offence.
Minor theft offences, explained by our criminal defence solicitors in London
Pickpocketing, shoplifting, street robbery or robbery with no serious implications are considered minor theft offences in the UK. But this doesn’t mean you cannot be kept in custody by the police. If you find yourself in this situation you have the right to defend yourself and to be released on bail until the first hearing in the court of law where you can receive a fine, a sentence, or both, depending on the circumstances and if you have a criminal record.
Criminal charges can be of several types. but in the case of fraud, a specialist in the field who knows the legislation is needed. That is why we recommend the services of our fraud solicitors in London, who have experience in the cases mentioned above. We are here to explain your rights and represent you before the authorities.
How can our defence solicitor help you with minor offences charges?
If you have been caught and arrested by the police for a minor offence charge, it is best to ask for legal advice and representation from our defence lawyers in London. Our team has a vast experience in these matters and can help you obtain the best possible result. You can be released on bail and pay a fine instead of going to jail. We remind you that if the charges involve a crime, the situation complicates and enters the category of the serious offence where a full investigation will be mandatory. No matter the accusation, our advisors are able to provide you with complete legal support until the charges have been dropped.
The video below can explain how our team of criminal defense solicitors in London can help persons accused of minor offences in UK:
Legal representation in the court of law
Dealing with minor offences in the UK still means you have broken the law, a case where penalties will be enforced. If you are released on bail and you will attend the court of law to solve your case, make sure to ask for legal representation in front of the magistrates. Our criminal defence lawyer in London will analyze your case and the circumstances, in order to offer a suitable approach in the court of law and to help you obtain a fine instead of imprisonment. If you are involved in a minor offence case you should know that our team can assist you during this process by providing you recommendations during the meetings with the authorities or applying for bail and, in the case of the prosecution, our lawyers can negotiate upon your case.
Minor offences and the public interest
The authorities in UK can decide if a case involving minor offences affects the public or not. There are situations in which the offences have minor consequences and less impact on the public. This means that if the case goes to a court of law, a nominal penalty on conviction might be imposed. Moreover, the costs and the uncertainty of the result concerning the criminal proceedings might not be a comparable response to the offence, leading to a prosecution which will not affect the public interest. Taking no action or initiating the proceedings will determine the case is of public interest or not. There are often cases of minor offences in UK where no further actions are the correct clearances of the authorities.
Cautions for minor offences in UK
Cautions are issued for offenders of 10 years of age and more if they recognize the accusations brought to them. It is good to know that a caution does not represent a criminal conviction, but it will weigh much in the court of law for further crime accusations. If the minor offences you have been accused of are subject to conditional cautions, this means that certain rules must be respected.
This means that individuals might be sent to particular centers for drug abuse treatments or they can be involved in repairing the damage to property. A criminal defence lawyer in London can explain your legal rights when receiving a simple or a conditional caution for minor offences in UK and can give the necessary legal support in such a case. One should bear in mind that a conditional caution which is not respected might lead to criminal charges and a serious case.
Penalty notices for minor cases
Individuals of 18 years of age or more accused of minor offences like possession of cannabis, shoplifting, or public disorders can receive penalty notices from the police. These fines will not lead to a criminal conviction if they are considered and paid. However, offenders who do not want to pay such penalties have the right to ask for a trial and send the case to a court of law. In any case, whether you have received a penalty notice you agree with or if you do not want to pay the fine, it is best to talk to our criminal defence solicitor in London and find out how we can help from a legal point of view. Having a case of minor offences in the court of law definitely involves the help of our lawyers who can act in the best interest of their clients and in respect with the applicable legislation.
Representation for theft charges
Theft charges like burglary or robbery, whether with the use of force or not are considered minor offences for which penalties and/or imprisonment are issued. A strong legal representation is often the solution for getting rid of such charges, especially if evidence is not provided or it cannot sustain the case. It is strongly recommended to bear in mind the importance of legal advice and then get in touch with a defence lawyer in London. He/she can decide on the defence strategy for your case, in the court of law, analyzing the evidence presented by the prosecution.
The common sense in a minor offence
Prosecutors are often guided by common sense in a minor offence, in order to decide on further actions. This means that the prosecutors must analyze the offences and balance them in the background of everyday life by deciding on the gravity of the offence. The right presentation of circumstances in a minor offence case will in most situations decide whether the charges can sustain the case or not. In-depth information in this direction can be provided by our team of solicitors in London.
If you need to be represented in a minor offence case, please contact our team of criminal solicitors in London.