Useful Information
A common concern for anyone facing a criminal allegation is how long after being charged do you go to court. The time between charge and the first court appearance varies depending on whether the person is released on bail or kept in custody, as well as the...
For anyone accused of a sexual assault, one of the most common and distressing questions is: How long does a sexual assault investigation take? The uncertainty surrounding the police process can cause immense anxiety. While some cases may be concluded...
Senior Partner and Head of Private Client Crime, Umar Zeb, returns this week from New York. Mr Zeb attended the Manhattan courthouse upon the invitation of the New York County Defender Service. The visit facilitated a valuable exchange between expert...
In the final week of November, I had the opportunity to visit the New York City Criminal Court in Manhattan, hosted by the New York County Defender Services (NYCDS). As a London defence lawyer, observing another major criminal justice system in operation...
If you are convicted of or plead guilty to speeding, your sentence will depend on the severity of the offence. It is likely to include points on your licence and a fine, and in more serious cases, you could face disqualification. The court will look at a...
JD Spicer Zeb has analysed the latest UK Government road safety statistics for 2024 to understand where collisions occur, who is affected, and what this means for road safety across the country. The data covers local authorities in the UK, detailing the...
In the UK, the legal framework categorises indecent images into three distinct categories (A,B and C) and are based on the severity and nature of the depicted content. These classifications, determined by police and guided by the Sentencing Council ,...
Receiving a court summons can be a very distressing experience. If you find yourself in such a situation, you will likely have several questions about what this means and what is going to happen next. In the following blog, our criminal law experts explain...
The consequences of a rape charge are significant. Even where a charge doesn’t lead to a conviction, your personal and professional lives can both be affected, often permanently. Understandably, having rape charges dropped altogether would appear to...
Being falsely accused of sexual assault or rape is an extremely distressing scenario. Even an accusation, let alone a charge or conviction, can have devastating consequences for every aspect of your life. It is essential that, if you are facing a false...
If you have been accused of controlling and coercive behaviour, it is extremely important that you understand the nature of the offence and the corresponding sentencing guidelines. The type of sentence that could be handed out for coercive and controlling...
The Metropolitan Police Service has announced plans to close nearly half of its front counters, leaving only eight in London open 24 hours a day. This decision, driven by a reported £260 million funding shortfall, marks a significant change to public...
Having your bail extended means that the police require more time to continue their investigation before deciding whether to charge you. An extension is not necessarily good or bad for your case, but it does mean that your obligations under bail conditions...
Obstructing a police officer is a criminal offence that can have serious consequences, even in cases where no physical force is used. Defined under Section 89(2) of the Police Act 1996, ‘obstruction’ covers any deliberate act that hinders an...
Malicious communications offences involve sending messages intended to cause distress or anxiety, whether by letter, email, text, social media or other electronic means. These cases are taken seriously by the courts, and sentences can range from fines and...
Allegations of perverting the course of justice are treated seriously by the criminal justice system and can carry severe consequences, including lengthy custodial sentences. In this article, we outline what constitutes perverting the course of justice, the...
The Home Office announced on 5 July 2025 that the organisation Palestine Action will become a proscribed group under UK terrorism law . This makes it a criminal offence to be a member of this group or to express support for them. Palestine Action is an...
Being released on bail is an important step in a criminal investigation or court case, but it is not the end of the process. Whether bail was granted by the police or the court, you will usually be required to follow certain conditions while your case...
Stalking is a serious criminal offence which can result in significant penalties upon conviction. A Stalking Protection Order (SPO) is a civil court order designed to restrict the behaviour of someone suspected of stalking, even if they have not been...
Administering a substance with intent is a serious criminal offence that carries significant legal consequences. This offence involves deliberately giving another person a substance, such as drugs or alcohol, without their knowledge or consent, with the...
If you have been accused of drink driving, understanding the sentencing guidelines is crucial. In England and Wales, the courts follow clear rules when deciding your sentence, based on how much alcohol was in your system, the circumstances of the offence,...
While using a smartwatch while driving may seem harmless, under UK law, it could potentially result in legal penalties. Although smartwatches are not specifically mentioned in mobile phone legislation, the law prohibits holding and using any device capable...
If you are on bail or have a pending court case in the UK, you may be wondering whether you can leave the country. This can be a complex issue, as bail conditions and court orders often include specific restrictions on travel. Understanding your rights and...
Mr Jonathan Lynn, one of our most senior and experienced criminal defence solicitors recently represented a privately paying client with their case preparation leading up to trial in Staines Magistrates Court listed on 22 nd May 2025. Our client was...
While some people may assume that a caution will not form part of their criminal record, this is not true. A police caution is usually kept on record indefinitely and will appear on a DBS check for at least six years. We understand how worrying this can be,...
In the UK, police records are kept on the Police National Computer for 100 years, and these can only be removed under certain circumstances. At JD Spicer Zeb, we understand that having your records kept indefinitely can be concerning, particularly if you...
Losing your driving licence due to a motoring offence can seriously impact your freedom, livelihood, and daily life. In this article, we explain how you may be able to get your driver’s licence back early after disqualification and who may be...
Over the past years, JD Spicer Zeb Solicitors has earnt a strong reputation for successfully defending those accused of rape and other sexual offences . One of the reasons why JD Spicer Zeb has had such success is because of the tactical use of written...
In Brief Section 20 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 defines Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) as the unlawful and malicious wounding or infliction of serious bodily injury. Unlike the more severe Section 18 charge, a Section 20 offence does not...
Updates to the Highway Code specify the amount of room you need to leave when overtaking a cyclist. However, not all road users are aware of these changes to the legislation and failing to leave enough room when overtaking a cyclist can have legal...
Jeremy Dein KC is widely regarded as one of the most formidable defence barristers operating in the criminal justice system. His impressive career, which began when he was called to the Bar in 1982, has seen him establish a reputation for being both highly...
The Power of police in uniform to stop vehicles is contained in S163 of the Road Traffic Act This offence occurs when (1)A person driving a motor vehicle on a road must stop the vehicle on being required to do so by a constable in uniform. (2)A person...
The concept of a statute of limitations in the UK is a highly contentious subject, especially when considering historic sexual offence cases. In the following article, we discuss the situation surrounding a statute of limitations for sexual assault and rape...
Domestic assault cases are often heard in UK courts. These are serious matters, and anyone facing a charge could be liable for a tough sentence. We are often contacted by victims who wish to retract statements, but we can only act for suspects in these...
Domestic battery is an offence which is seen often throughout the UK courts. However, there are several misconceptions about domestic battery, which we will address in this article. In the following article, we clarify the definition of domestic...
In the UK, criminal offences are divided into three categories based on their seriousness: summary, indictable, and either-way offences. The process for handling these categories of offences is different, as are the corresponding severity of sentences. We...
If, following a police investigation, a decision is made to prosecute, you will receive what is known as a postal requisition (also known as a postal charge). A postal requisition is a legal document that summons you to court at a specified time and date. ...
False imprisonment is an extremely serious common law offence in the UK, with the potential punishments being severe for anyone facing a conviction. It is important to be aware of what actions could be classed as false imprisonment in the UK, and what could...
In the UK, if you accumulate more than 12 penalty points within three years, you will be disqualified from driving for six months - or two years if you have already been disqualified in the past. It may be possible to persuade the courts not to disqualify...
The consequences of a drink driving charge can be extremely serious. Therefore, it’s only understandable that you may be wondering how to get off a drink driving charge if you find yourself in such a situation. While you should not expect there to be...
From 24 th September 2024, a change to the Criminal Justice Act 1988 will extend the current law, making possessing all forms of zombie-style knives and machetes in the UK illegal. This is an extension of the current ban on zombie knives, widening the...
In the UK, making an agreement to commit a crime is a crime in itself, referred to as a conspiracy. Being charged with conspiracy to commit a crime is very serious, and depending on the circumstances of the case and the plans that allegedly took place, the...
If you are being investigated for a criminal offence, the prospect of your case proceeding to trial can be daunting. It is natural to look for signs that your case may be dismissed by the police or CPS, as this is often the best possible outcome. If the...
If you are accused of an offence such as assault or concerned in violence during protests or a riot, it is essential to consider self-defence. This is different to ordinary self-defence, which cannot be avoided. You may reasonably defend yourself if...
There are many steps to the police investigation procedure in the UK. If you believe that you may be subject to an investigation, it is important to be aware of what to expect and what you will need to do. We discuss the general police investigation...
During criminal proceedings, the prosecution may attempt to admit ‘bad character evidence’ to support their case. If it is admitted, bad character evidence can potentially have a major impact on a criminal trial. We discuss what bad character...
A new offence of causing death or serious injury by dangerous cycling is set to be introduced in the UK. When introduced, the offence will penalise cyclists who are deemed responsible for harming pedestrians and other road users. Like the similar existing...
Statutory rape is an extremely serious sexual offence. Being convicted of statutory rape can therefore have severe consequences. In Brief In England and Wales, statutory rape is a sexual offence where a victim is deemed legally unable to provide...
The fact that many police forces allow road users to upload footage and complaint details online has led to a rise in so-called traffic ‘vigilantes’. One notable traffic vigilante, known as Cycling Mikey, is said to have reported over 1,000...
There has been plenty of discussion surrounding rap and drill lyrics and whether they can be utilised as evidence in criminal trials. In Brief In the UK, rap and drill lyrics, music videos, and social media posts are increasingly used by the Crown...
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The emergency numbers are limited to emergency police station assistance, inclusive of immediate arrest or voluntary surrender only. For all other matters please contact us at solicitors@jdspicer.co.uk or ring our offices during office hours. We do not accept instruction via WhatsApp or text message. Correspondence must go through the aforementioned official channels, and data sent to us by WhatsApp or text will not be retained under any circumstance.
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