Criminal defence lawyers London
If you have been asked to go for a voluntary police interview, the first thing you should do is get the details of the police officer who contacted you, if you can, and then call us.
Requests to attend a police interview come in many forms – by phone, email, letter or even a police officer knocking at your door.
The worst thing you can do is ignore it. Being asked to attend an interview is a serious matter and failing to attend, or leaving before the interview has concluded, could lead to your arrest.
We would never advise attending a police interview without a legal expert like Stryders Law. We have considerable experience in attending police interviews for all types of alleged offence, even the most serious.
Contact us straight away and let us manage the process for you and in your interests.
What to do if you are asked to attend a police interview
- Get legal advice as soon as possible and certainly before you are interviewed by the police.
- Call our 24-hour emergency line on 0333 577 2999.
- If you can, give us the name, number and details of the police officer who contacted you. This should be in the letter or email you received. If you were contacted by phone, it was probably a withheld number. Just give us whatever details you have.
- Make sure you present yourself at the police station on time on the day of your interview. Plan your route and allow plenty of time for traffic disruption. Have our number on you so you can tell us if you are delayed before you get there.
What is a police interview under caution?
Normally, it is an alternative to being arrested which makes it easier for both you and the police to plan. This does not mean that the alleged offence is not serious.
During the interview they will read you a cautionary statement, explaining that you have the right to remain silent but reminding you that anything you do say could be used in evidence.
They will also explain that if you don’t tell them something important that you intend to use as a defence, it could go against you in court.
We will explain all this to you, but the important thing to remember is that this is a formal police interview and a very critical moment for the case against you. It is following this interview where the presiding police officer decides whether to charge you, choose another means of disposing of the case, for instance a caution, or discontinue the case altogether.
It will also be the first time you start to understand the evidence they have against you and any defence you might have.
For that reason, it is essential you have a legal representative by your side to tease as much information from the police in advance and understand your best strategy.
How to prepare for your police interview
When you are contacted by the police, as a minimum you should be told the nature of the alleged offence and usually a date, time and the name of the police station you’re expected to attend.
However, you may not know much more about the case or evidence against you before you arrive at the police station. That’s why contacting a legal representative is very important.
Your Stryders solicitor will liaise with the police for you to arrange a date and find out as much information from the officer in advance so you can prepare adequately.
We will meet you at the police station and talk with the officer in charge of your case to get as much information about their case and their plans for dealing with it. Once we know this, we can sit down with you privately in the police station to discuss your situation and the best strategy for approaching it.
We will then sit with you in the interview room. We cannot answer questions for you, but we can indicate whether you should answer a question or not and make sure the interview is carried out correctly and within the law.
What will happen after the police interview?
A lot depends on the offence, the evidence the police have, your explanation or defence, and whether you choose to remain silent or give a statement.
In the best circumstances, where the evidence is weak, it is possible the matter does not continue any further.
For minor offences which you admit, you may decide to accept a Caution or a Community Resolution. This is a formal admission of guilt but it is not a criminal conviction. You may not have to disclose it to a potential employer, for instance.
Sometimes cautions come with conditions attached, like writing a letter to a victim or attending a training course. You must fulfil these conditions or the police will seek to prosecute you at court instead.
If police feel they already have enough evidence, they could report you for consideration of prosecution and you will be summonsed to court via a Postal Requisition. Alternatively,they could release you pending further investigation.
What to do if you are released under investigation
Police investigations can take months. In fact, unless you have a solicitor to keep track of them, you might even think the police have forgotten about you because no one has been in touch.
If the police do decide to charge you, you will receive a Notice of Criminal Charge through the post. This document, amounting to several pages, will detail your offence, unique case number and the date and place of the court hearing you must attend.
Getting your Notice can come as a bit of a shock, especially if you don’t have a solicitor to keep track of the police investigation. In some cases people will have moved house in the interim without thinking to give the police their new address, meaning the first they know about it is being arrested for failing to appear in court.
Having a solicitor like Stryders means you are always informed and prepared. Don’t leave anything to chance.
Why choose Stryders
The benefit of nominating Stryders is that you know you’re getting access to firm with exceptional expertise and experience for whatever the type and seriousness of offence you are suspected of.
All of our solicitors have particular expertise in supporting young and vulnerable people caught up in the criminal justice system. Stryders Law is a member of the Youth Justice Legal Centre.