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Criminal Defence Blog

New Court Charges For Criminal Cases

Posted on: May 15th, 2015 by steve

 

 

Court Charges For Criminal Cases

 

New Court Charges For Criminal Cases

 

New Court charges for criminal cases have been introduced in the UK.

 

These are payable by all defendants who plead guilty or are found guilty after trial, and are in addition to the prosecution costs, fine and victim surcharge already applied for in such cases.

 

The court charges for criminal cases are as follows:

 

Magistrates Court

 

Guilty plea on a summary only offence – £150

Guilty plea to an either way offence – £180

Conviction after trial for a summary offence – £520

Conviction after trial of an either way offence – £1000

 

Crown Court

 

Guilty plea – £900

Conviction after trial – £1200

Losing an appeal – £150

 

Forrest Williams are specialist criminal defence solicitors.  If you have been charged with an offence, please contact our expert team on 01623 397200 for a free 30 minute consultation.

 

 

 

 

Criminal Solicitors Aren’t Just For Court

Posted on: April 16th, 2015 by steve

Here at Forrest Williams, we are proud to offer a bespoke service for all clients.

 

While Legal Aid firms are limited in terms of the type, and amount, of services they can provide, one of the many benefits of instructing a private firm such as Forrest Williams is that we can offer the exact type and amount of assistance that your case requires.

 

This can include preparing your case before you have been formally charged, something that is a very worthwhile investment especially when you are at risk of being charged with a serious offence.  This preparation work, and specialist representation at police station interview, is a great pro-active approach to take to give yourself the chance of avoiding a formal charge being laid against you.

 

Similarly, instructing a criminal defence solicitor to prepare a case and represent you can assist with many other situations, including meetings with HMRC, County Council offices, the RAF, Army or Navy, and other organisations.  Our regulatory law department also assist with all regulatory and disciplinary matters.

 

Additionally, and particularly regarding allegations of fraud, you may be asked to provide information in writing or attend meetings with various organisations such as Gateley Solicitors or FRP before any formal proceedings begin.  In serious cases like this, it would be a real error to wait until formal proceedings were instigated before seeking legal help.

 

Our advice if you are being investigated for a criminal offence is to be pro-active.  An investment of time and money in the early stages of your case can save you much larger amounts of time and money by avoiding the case progressing.

 

A recent example of this was a client who instructed us to begin building his defence before he was formally charged with two counts of possessing firearms.  Due to the in depth preparation that had been completed during the initial, crucial days immediately after the alleged offences took place, we were able to secure the withdrawal of these charges against our client without the time and expense of a full trial.  Naturally, our client was delighted.

 

To see how our bespoke services can help you, call us for a free discussion on 01623 600645.

Can I Go To Prison For Not Paying Tax?

Posted on: April 1st, 2015 by steve

Can I Go To Prison For Not Paying Tax?

 

We are asked this question frequently and sadly it is an area where we have to give people an answer they do not want to hear.

 

Yes, you can be sent to prison for not paying tax.

 

Generally speaking, tax evasion is not a common problem. HMRC estimates that 93% of tax due is paid and this is largely due to the fact that most people are taxed at source – the correct sums are paid at the correct time automatically, usually out of wages.

 

Where tax evasion does occur however, it is dealt with harshly, and especially during a recession. Tax evasion is a somewhat political issue, with the general public being outraged by the subject at a time when most people are struggling financially but still being taxed.

 

The Crown Prosecution Service, the HMRC and the court systems are well aware of this, and will respond to public demand to handle such cases robustly.

 

Tax evasion is estimated to cost the UK economy £14 billion each year and, with this in mind, it is not surprising that the response to tax evasion is being ramped up, including the HMRC and prosecution service’s recent focus on prosecuting those who set up tax avoidance schemes as well as those who evade tax.

 

Tax evasion is fraud, and it is treated as such. While the media reports on larger, interesting cases such as Operation Galaxy, individuals can find themselves being investigated for, and charged with, tax evasion for much smaller amounts and custodial sentences are a very serious risk.

 

If you are being charged with or investigated for a revenue fraud, it is vitally important that you seek expert advice immediately. Call our dedicated team now on 01623 397200.