Domestic Violence

Have you been accused of domestic abuse?

At Old Bailey Solicitors, our criminal defence solicitors have been supporting clients facing domestic abuse allegations for over 20 years. Whether you have been arrested, charged with a criminal offence or are worried that you may be accused of domestic abuse and are looking for clear, proactive legal advice and representation, we can help.

Our specialist domestic abuse solicitors can assist you every step of the way by providing police station representation, supporting you during a police investigation and representing you in court where required.

Not only can our solicitors help you guide you through legal proceedings, we can also help you to understand the domestic violence disclosure scheme.

Are you under investigation or facing prosecution for domestic violence?

With offices based in central London, Brighton and Horley in Surrey, we are conveniently located to represent clients across the South of England and beyond.

Our legal services offer 24/7 advice and representation for allegations of domestic abuse, please contact your local Old Bailey Solicitors office in London, Horley or Brighton or email [email protected].

Our expertise includes defending allegations of:

• Assault (including common assault (battery), ABH & GBH)

• Controlling and Coercive Behaviour (emotional abuse and psychological abuse)

• Threats to kill

• Harassment / Stalking

• Communications Act & Malicious Communications Act offences (including sending indecent or offensive message and threats by email or social media)

• Criminal damage

Our criminal defence solicitors know how devastating it can be to find yourself accused of domestic abuse concerns. Not only is your liberty at risk, but you could also lose access to your children, impact your other family members, have to leave the family home and be made homeless. A domestic abuse allegation can also have a potential impact on your reputation and relationships with your family, friends and co-workers.

Expert Advice

Many of our clients have never experienced the criminal justice system before and have successful careers and personal interests they need to protect. Please be assured, we will do everything possible to safeguard your legal rights, defend your freedom and get you the best available outcome for your case.

Recognition for our exceptional criminal defence expertise includes:

• Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority
• Band 1 ranking for Crime from leading client guide Chambers & Partners
• Criminal Litigation Accreditation from the Law Society
• Very high client satisfaction
• A strong track record of securing the best available outcome for our clients

Whether you have been arrested, charged or are facing prosecution following allegations of domestic violence or abusive behaviour our domestic abuse solicitors can provide the best possible defence.

How our criminal defence solicitors can help you with allegations of domestic violence?

Police station representation

You are entitled to free legal advice while at the police station.

If you are worried about being arrested or you have been invited to the police station for a voluntary interview under caution, get in touch straightaway.

You should never answer police questions without the confidential advice of a defence lawyer as any mistakes made at this early stage can be very damaging to your defence.

Support during a police investigation

If you have been released under investigation, our dedicated team can provide confidential advice regarding your legal options and how to effectively deal with a police investigation for domestic abuse.

The right advice can reduce the likelihood of you being charged with an offence, as well as help you to start building an effective defence in case you are ultimately charged.

Trial advocacy

Our legal team includes a number of Higher Courts Advocates with many years of experience representing clients in Crown Courts across the country and in the Court of Appeal.

We can therefore provide highly skilled representation for every stage of a domestic abuse prosecution, giving you the best chance of securing a not guilty verdict or reduced penalties where conviction is unavoidable.

We can also advise and represent you if you wish to appeal a conviction for domestic violence.

Appealing a domestic violence order

If you have been made the subject of a restraining order or Domestic Violence Prevention Order, we can advise you on your legal options. Whether you may be able to appeal the order and have it overturned, have the length of the order reduced or the conditions varied, our experienced domestic violence solicitors will guide you through the process.

If you have been served with a Domestic Violence Prevention Notice by the police, we can assist you with refuting this application in court. This can be essential if, for example, you have been accused of physical violence or controlling behaviour / coercive behaviour and barred from seeing your children or are required to leave your home due to the allegations against you.

Domestic Abuse Disclosure Scheme

The Domestic Abuse Disclosure Scheme, also known as ‘Clare’s Law’ enables the police to disclose information to victims or potential victims of domestic violence about their partners previous abuse or violent offending.

Our team can advise and help you to understand the potential consequences of a conviction or charge for domestic violence.

Our criminal defence team can offer you:

Clear, effective legal advice

We make sure you fully understand the accusations against you and the potential consequences. We will always be open and honest about your prospects for success so you can make informed decisions about how you want to proceed.

Sensitive, understanding personal support

Facing accusations of domestic abuse can be very stressful, confusing and upsetting. We will be there every step of the way to offer you legal protection. Our team will take your side, provide friendly, personal support and do everything we can to make things easier on you.

Robust representation

We will always be ready to fight your corner, making sure your interests are strongly protected and that the accusations against you are effectively countered.

A diligent approach with no detail or angle of defence overlooked

Our domestic violence criminal defence solicitors take a forensic approach to defending our clients, making sure every relevant detail is identified and that any potential flaws in the case against you are exposed.

Tried and tested criminal defence expertise

With decades of experience across our team, we know exactly what is needed for a successful defence and all of the likely opportunities to find holes in the case against you, giving you the best chance of a positive outcome.

An early conclusion to your case wherever possible

We will always seek to end the proceedings against you as soon as possible. In some cases, that means helping you to avoid charges, in others it may mean seeing charges dropped or securing an early acquittal.

The best available outcome for your case

Whatever the situation, we will work relentlessly to get you the best possible outcome. Wherever we can, we will help you to avoid charges, see charges dropped, secure an early acquittal or win a not guilty verdict at trial. In some cases, it may be possible to plead guilty to a lesser offence to avoid a trial and secure reduced penalties.

Why choose our domestic abuse defence solicitors?

Our firm is led by Rod Hayler, a solicitor with 20 years’ experience defending clients against a wide range of criminal charges, including those related to domestic abuse. Rod is supported by a very strong team with an exceptional track record of success.

Our team includes a range of qualified solicitors, court advocates, accredited police station representatives and other legal professionals. We also enjoy close links with a number of skilled barristers who we can instruct to represent you if required.

We are members of the Law Society’s Criminal Litigation Accreditation scheme providing independent assurance that we meet the highest levels of knowledge, skills and experience across all areas of criminal law.

Leading client guide Chambers & Partners rank us Band 1 (the highest band) for Crime in Brighton and the surrounding areas based on feedback from clients and other criminal law professionals we have worked with.

We regularly receive very positive feedback from clients – to see for yourself, please take a look at our client testimonials.

Legal Aid

Old Bailey Solicitors represent both Legal Aid (public funding) clients and privately funded clients when Legal Aid is not available. Our registered Legal Aid criminal defence solicitors can assess your circumstances and tell you whether you are entitled to public funding for representation in court and take you through the application for public funding.

While there are different criteria for Magistrates Court and Crown Court, we can assess you eligibility by reviewing your financial information and personal circumstances.

Contact us today to find out if you are eligible for financial support through public funding.