Recent Cases and News

These are the more serious offences relating to drugs that can lead to lengthy custodial sentences.   What drugs are illegal to supply? It is an offence to supply a controlled drug. This includes the ones that immediately spring to mind such as...

If you have provided a statement for the prosecution or for the defence you may be called to court to give evidence at the defendant’s trial.   Is there help available for me? The Witness Service can provide assistance for any witness who has...

In recent years legislation has been enacted to ensure that crimes demonstrating a hostility towards certain groups of people are treated more seriously than before. If an offence is said to be racially aggravated, then you should expect a heftier sentence....

Who is Ben Stokes? He is the England cricketer who was charged with affray and acquitted by a jury.   But the video showed him hitting someone? It did, his defence was that he was acting in self-defence, you can hit someone and still be not...

This article refers to adults, the law for youths is different.   Do I have a right to bail? The starting point is that you have a “right” to be granted bail. This right can only be taken away in certain circumstances. These...

Agent provocateur is French for “inciting agent”, an entrapment situation where a person is enticed, incited or encouraged into committing an offence that he would not have otherwise committed.   How does it relate to criminal law? The...

The Sentencing Council, responsible for setting sentencing guidelines in England and Wales, has today issued a new guideline in relation to manslaughter offences.   Which offences are covered? The guideline covers: •   ...

The government has announced its intention to use new roadside breathalysers, in a move that could see a further 6,000 convictions per year for drink driving. At the moment, the breath test procedure is in 2 stages, a person who tests positive at the...

In July 2014 the BBC filmed a search of Sir Cliff Richard’s property by the South Yorkshire Police. He was not arrested for any offence. South Yorkshire Police provided the BBC with information that enabled them to be present at the scene. The...

It should be easy enough, shouldn’t it? Yes or no? As always, life and the law are more complicated than that, and the issue of consent is not so simple.   What is consent? A person consents if she or he agrees by choice and has the freedom...