If you or someone close to you has been arrested and accused of a crime you need expert advice quickly. We provide a 24-hour service to individuals arrested throughout the UK. Wherever you are detained, we can provide expert advice and representation at any time.

Please call our Crime Out of Hours Emergency Contact number on 07595 117 421. Supporting you

We will support you at every stage of the criminal process – from initial detention and questioning over an allegation, right through to defending you in court proceedings, whether in Magistrates’ or Crown court. We are well aware of the the pressures you are under at this time and, as well as always being friendly and approachable, we work with you to ensure you understand the implications of the advice we give and are fully informed and well prepared at every stage of your case.

You can be confident that we have the knowledge and expertise to represent you effectively, no matter what the nature of the crime you have been accused of. Our team of criminal defence lawyers have extensive experience of the full range of criminal matters and we have a very successful track record in representing defendants in everything from motoring offences through to high-profile, complex criminal cases.

You can also rely on our attention to every detail throughout the progress of your case. Our case preparation and presentation is second to none – from investigation through to trial – as evidenced in our inclusion on the panel of firms selected to undertake Very High Cost Cases.

Criminal Lawyers

Our Criminal Law department is headed by Neville Gray and Peter McGovern, supported by a team of experienced criminal lawyers. We pride ourselves on our dedication and our commitment to providing you with the the highest level of service possible, based on our expert knowledge and attention to every detail of your case. We are particularly proud of our in-house advocacy teams, who achieve the best possible results for our clients. Our firm’s inclusion in the Legal 500 directory is testament to the quality of work the firm provides.

We undertake both publicly funded (Legal Aid) and privately funded criminal defence and provide an agency service to other solicitors’ firms requiring assistance in local Youth, Magistrates’ and Crown Courts.

For general information on our fees, please refer to our fees page. You can also get full details of our fees from your solicitor.

How Can We Help?

If you have been arrested or being questioned in a police station about a criminal act, it is a serious and sometimes frightening process to go through. Likewise, if someone you know or care about is in custody and needs help, please contact us as we can offer immediate personalised help, no matter what time of the day or night.

Please contact us immediately on 020 3012 1482.

If you have been arrested out of working hours, please use our Crime Out of Hours Emergency Contact number 07595 117 421.

When you are arrested

You are entitled to free legal advice when you are questioned at a police station. This can be from a Duty Solicitor, an on-call solicitor, or you can ask the police to contact FMW Law on your behalf.
We provide a 24-hour service to offer you support from expert defence solicitors with the experience to advise on the wide range of matters you may have been accused or, or be questioned about.
We have the knowledge and experience to help you every step of the way. All of our communications with you are completely confidential and we will do everything we possibly can to help secure the very best possible outcome for your particular situation.

Your rights in custody

There is information on the gov.uk website on the process that occurs when you are arrested. In particular, you have the right to:

• get free legal advice
• tell someone where you are
• have medical help if you’re feeling ill
• see the rules the police must follow
• see a written notice telling you about your rights, e.g. regular breaks for food and to use the toilet (you can ask for a notice in your language or an interpreter to explain the notice)

You’ll be searched and your possessions will be kept by the police custody officer while you’re in the cell. For more information on what is involved when you are arrested or questioned, please refer to https://www.gov.uk/arrested-your-rights/when-youre-arrested Please contact us immediately for expert assistance and advice on 020 3012 1482.

If you have been arrested out of working hours, please use our Crime Out of Hours Emergency Contact number 07595 117 421.

Financial crime is a complex, specialist field and when you or someone close to you has been accused of financial crime you need effective, expert advice from a team you can trust.

Our specialist financial defence team are recognised as leaders in the defence of financial crime and we can help you no matter now serious the charge is. We have successfully defended numerous clients accused of financial crime — people who may have been in very similar circumstances to those you now face — including working on high-profile, extremely complex cases.

In addition, we have a strong track record in dealing with the wide range of matters included in financial crime, including (but not limited to):

• Tax evasion (as distinct from tax avoidance)
• Theft
• Counterfeiting or forgery
• Embezzlement
• Money laundering
• Financial fraud, including personal fraud such as credit card fraud, cheque fraud, mortgage fraud, bank fraud and medical fraud; corporate fraud, including bank fraud, insider dealing and insider trading; and electronic fraud, including identity theft.

We can support you from the very first interview at the police station right through to the trial itself (if it happens), ensuring that you understand the process in detail and are fully prepared at every stage. You will benefit from our experience in defending cases similar to yours, with the confidence that our financial crime team will do their utmost for you.

Where possible we will endeavour to get proceedings against you resolved without having to face crime, but no matter what the circumstances you face, we can help.

Please contact us as soon as possible for specific advice tailored to your situation.

“Mr Moxon is a true credit to his profession – which is rare nowadays – and I would like to thank him for everything he and the barristers did for me… At all times I had every confidence in Mr Moxon and his legal advice”

If you have been accused of a motoring offence, the potential consequences – including disqualification, fine or potentially a prison sentence – can be extremely serious. We can provide you with expert advice and assistance for the range of offences under the Road Traffic Act, including:

• Driving while disqualified
• Failing to conform to a traffic sign
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Leaving the scene of an accident
• Causing danger to other road users
• Forgery of driving documentation
• Obtaining a license while disqualified
• Speeding
• Dangerous driving
• Causing death by dangerous or careless driving

Our specialist motoring law solicitors provide you with a comprehensive service and will explore all options to attain a successful outcome for you. We will advise you on the implications of your situation, the potential lines of defence – and provide you with confident, robust representation in court, where that is necessary.

Members of our Crime team have a particular interest and expertise in prison law – and a strong commitment to assisting our clients to appeal and review criminal convictions and sentences.

If you have been convicted of a crime – or are concerned about someone who has been – we can review the case in painstaking detail to uncover grounds for appeal or review.

If you are currently serving a sentence, or have been recalled following an alleged breach of parole terms, we have a strong track record in achieving a successful outcome in front of parole boards – challenging unjust recalls and gaining earlier release for our clients.

We also challenge other decisions made by public authorities and advise on judicial review.

Please contact us to discuss your situation.

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If a young person in your care commits a crime, you need expert advice from a solicitor who is experienced in dealing sensitively and effectively with the legal processes for young people.

You can be confident that our youth crime solicitors are specialists in this area of criminal law. We offer you the reassurance of working with a solicitor who can advise you and the young person confidently about your options at all stages of the legal process.

We know that this is a very challenging situation for everyone involved and take particular care to ensure that you and the young person fully understand the options at every stage, and their consequences.

Please contact us for more information on our experience with working with young people.

Children under 10

The age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales is 10. This means a child under 10 cannot be arrested or charged with a crime, although they may be given a local child curfew or a child safety order. There may also be consequences for the parents of children under 10 who regularly commit crimes.

Youths aged 10–17

Between the ages of 10 and 17, a child is classed as a youth in the eyes of the law. They can commit crime and be arrested and charged with a crime. It is vital that their criminal defence is as expert as for an adult charged with a crime. The consequences of a criminal conviction are, of course, serious for anyone, but particularly so for young people who may find their choices later in life are affected by the crime. In general, children between 10–17 will be treated differently from adults in the criminal justice system. They will be: • Dealt with by youth courts • Given different sentences • Sent to special secure centres for young people, not adult prisons on conviction

Young people aged 18

Young people aged 18 are treated as an adult by the law. If they’re sent to prison, they’ll be sent to a place that holds 18 to 25-year-olds, not a full adult prison.

For more information on young people and the law, you may want to read the pages on the gov.uk website.

We can help

Our specialist youth crime solicitors can help you, your child or the child you are responsible for to navigate the legal process, advising you throughout on the best course of action.
No matter what the circumstances, we can help you. Please contact us as soon as possible.

Trial in the Youth Court

A youth court is a magistrates’ court with the jurisdiction to try juveniles.

A youth court is presided over by either a district judge or a bench of two or three lay magistrates, which must (unless there are unforeseen circumstances), include both a man and a woman. The magistrates and district judges who sit in the youth court receive specialist training in dealing with young people.

A youth court is not open to the public. Any victim(s) of the crime, however, can make a request to the court to attend the hearings if they want to. The needs and wishes of victims will always be considered by the court and, through the youth offending team (YOT), they often have the opportunity to have an input into the sentencing process.

Where a child is under 16, the court must (unless it would be unreasonable) require a parent or guardian to attend court and where the child is aged 16 to 18, the court may do so.

There is a useful information leaflet for young people on preparing for a court appearance at the gov.uk website.

We can help

Our specialist youth crime solicitors can help you, your child or the child you are responsible for to navigate the legal process, advising you throughout on the best course of action.
No matter what the circumstances, we can help you. Please contact us as soon as possible.