Recent Cases and News

If you are over 17 years of age, the easiest answer is that it could. These days, press reporting via social media can happen very quickly and it is often one of the things not thought about by those facing criminal proceedings. Youth Court Anyone aged...

In the crown court, while a fine is not the most common punishment meted out, when they are imposed they tend to be very large.   Do I have to pay the fine all at once? Sometimes a court will order full payment (and may give a period of time for...

When clients turn their mind to what punishment they might receive if they plead guilty to, or are convicted of, a criminal offence, in most cases the thought is whether it might be a prison sentence, a community penalty, or a hefty fine. While the...

A lot has been written in recent days about the sentence passed following Ant McPartlin's (of 'And and Dec' fame) conviction for drink driving, in this article, we examine the case in a little more detail.   What offence was he charged...

The High Court has given judgment in the first of what are referred to as 'right to be forgotten' cases. Two applicants referred to in the judgment as NT1 and NT2 had been convicted in the past of a criminal offence. In both cases, the convictions...

You may have read in the press that barristers are on strike, it is inevitable therefore that you may be concerned as to how this will affect your case.   Why are barristers on strike? It is more or less agreed across the board now that the...

We are often asked questions about QCs, most probably because the image of leading barristers has been epitomised over the years in leading television dramas such as Silk and Kavanagh QC, it is therefore not surprising that you may want to discover more and...

There is a specific offence of dangerous driving, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 2 years. If that driving is a cause of someone's death, the maximum sentence rises to one of 14 years. In each case there are minimum disqualification periods,...

The Sentencing Council has today published new guidelines that courts must have regard to when sentencing for a range of terrorism offences.   Who will be affected by the new guidelines? The guidelines apply to all offenders over the age of 18 and...

The Sentencing Council has today (27 March 2017) published proposed new guidelines covering arson and criminal damage offences. The guidelines, for courts in England and Wales, will help ensure consistent and proportionate sentencing for these offences. ...