Criminal Law

Our specialist team are members of the Criminal Defence Service in North Devon. We cover all the criminal courts (as well as court martial) in the North Devon area and are on hand, day or night, to offer you practical advice and representation should you have a brush with "the law".

Led by our in-house criminal law advocate Christopher Jones we are equipped to provide you with a full range of services. To find out more about what we can offer just click on the following headings:-

The Criminal Defence Service:
You never know when you might need it.

Our criminal justice system is being overhauled to make it easier for the police to secure a conviction. As a result of recent reforms: -

  1. If you exercise your right to remain silent, a court can conclude from this that you are guilty.
  2. The prosecution can now refer to any previous convictions.
  3. New offences are being created, criminalising activities that were previously lawful (the Hunting Act being a prime example).
  4. Laws enacted for one purpose are being used to stop entirely unrelated activities.

It's easy to think this won't affect you and that the police should be supported in their efforts to tackle crime. But involvement with the Police is often unexpected and no one is immune. There were over 3000 interviews under caution at Barnstaple Police Station last year, so chances are you know someone who has been interviewed.

If you are asked to attend the station for interview then you should remember that you have the right to receive free legal advice from an independent solicitor specialising in criminal law. Several firms of solicitors in North Devon have a member of the Criminal Defence Service (CDS) on their staff. The quality of CDS lawyers, and therefore the advice given by them, is assured by rigorous selection and monitoring. There is always a CDS solicitor on duty who can go to the police station, day or night, to make sure you know what your rights are and help you deal with the interview process.

It can be a big mistake to say 'I have nothing to hide , I don' t need a Solicitor' .The fact that someone is not guilty doesn't mean they don't need good legal representation. Hopefully you will never find yourself in this situation but if you do, remember the CDS is here to help.

Motoring Offences

Slee Blackwell knows that your driving licence is important to you. With the spread of both manned and unmanned speed detection devices across the country it is even easier for the most careful of drivers to experience the embarrassment and frustration of an envelope through the door requesting confirmation that they were driving and committing an offence.

According to the Home Office, Police are involved in a staggering 1.8 million speed limit offences every year. That accounts for over 30% of the offences they deal with!

For most of us it may be the only time we have to deal with the Police or the Courts but it can be unsettling particularly if the points endorsed on your licence could mean losing your licence, your job or even your liberty.

Peace of mind comes at a cost but you are up against the forces of Law and Order, hard-nosed and cynical as they can sometimes be. Speedy specialist advice can put your mind at rest and by assisting you with the completion of the Court forms we may prevent you saying something you ought not to.

For traffic offences, Slee Blackwell operates a standard fee system.

For a full discussion concerning the traffic offence and review of any papers served on you (with our advice set out in a letter) there is a standard fee of £80.00 plus VAT.

For a court appearance where the matter is dealt with at the first hearing (subject to the availability of an advocate) there is a fee of £200.00 plus VAT.

Our contacts for this department are:

Chris Jones Partner Barnstaple More Info
Zara Svensson Solicitor Barnstaple More Info