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Conspiracy Charge Sentences in the UK

View profile for Danny Parkash
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  • Crime Solicitor

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 punishments can be severe.

We discuss conspiracy charges in detail in the following blog, including what conspiracy charge sentences look like and the corresponding sentences that can be handed out upon conviction.

While we hope this information is useful, please note that it should not be taken as legal advice. If you need detailed advice in relation to a conspiracy charge, then please get in touch and our team can advise you.

What is a conspiracy charge?

In a legal context, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more people to commit a particular crime. If you make such an agreement or commit any specific actions that form part of an agreement, you could be charged with a conspiracy offence. It does not matter whether the plan is ever actually carried out or if the crime it relates to is committed.

For a conspiracy charge to be brought, multiple individuals (or organisations) must have agreed to commit a crime and intent to complete said crime.

What constitutes a conspiracy will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, and how it relates to the crime in question. Examples of evidence that could prove a conspiracy include:

  • Telephone conversations
  • Emails, text messages, social media interactions
  • Witness testimony
  • Fingerprints and DNA
  • Mobile phone data
  • CCTV footage

It should be noted that the term ‘agreement’ is not defined by legislation and can be interpreted widely. This means simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time can result in a person being deemed ‘conspiring’ to commit an offence.

What are the main types of conspiracy charges?

There are various types of conspiracy charges you could potentially face, such as:

Conspiracy to defraud

Conspiracy to defraud involves an agreement to dishonestly deprive someone of their property or something they would normally be entitled to or to deceive someone into acting against a duty they owe to their employers or clients.

Conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH)

Conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm involves a plan to assault someone with the intention to cause them severe injury. Those accused of the offence do not need to have been directly involved in carrying out the attack in order to face charges.

Conspiracy to commit theft

Theft covers a number of offences involving the offender or offenders dishonestly taking another’s property with the intention to permanently deprive the legitimate owner of that property. Conspiracy to commit theft can cover any action or agreement to act that contributes to an offence of theft.

Conspiracy to commit robbery

Robbery involves stealing property from someone at a time, or shortly after a time, when force was used, or that person was put in fear of force being used. Conspiracy to commit robbery charges might be charged where two or more people planned a course of action that would involve a robbery taking place.

Conspiracy to commit burglary

Burglary involves an offender entering a building or part of a building without permission to steal, inflict Grievous Bodily Harm or commit unlawful damage. Conspiracy to commit burglary, therefore, is where two or more people are accused of working together to plan a course of action that involves burglary.

Conspiracy to rape

Being involved in a conspiracy to rape could involve a range of actions, such as providing a room or other location for the offence, supplying ‘date rape’ drugs or providing transportation.

Conspiracy to pervert the course of justice

Conspiring with another to pervert the course of justice might involve asking someone to fabricate or dispose of evidence, or to intimidate or threaten people involved with a case, such as witnesses, the jury or the judge.

Conspiracy to murder

Conspiracy to murder is a specific offence under the Criminal Law Act 1977 that involves two or more people agreeing to kill another person. Simply agreeing that a person be killed is sufficient to be conspiracy to murder, providing that was the intended outcome.

Conspiracy to supply

If two or more people plan to carry out a course of action that would involve the supply of drugs, this is referred to as a conspiracy to supply. Charges for conspiracy to supply Class A, Class B, and Class C steroids are all treated separately, carrying varying levels of severity when it comes to sentences.

What are the sentences for conspiracy charges?

The sentence related to conspiracy charges heavily depends on the crime it relates to. For example, the maximum penalty for conspiracy to murder could be a life sentence, compared to the maximum penalty for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, which is 14 years’ imprisonment.

There are various other factors which are likely to affect the sentence handed out for a conspiracy charge, including:

  • The role an alleged offender played in a conspiracy
  • The scale and scope of the offence
  • How serious the plan or agreement was
  • Whether there is any evidence of pressure or coercion
  • Previous convictions

What should you do if you are accused of a conspiracy?

Many people fail to realise that the potential sentences for conspiracies can be extremely serious. Even if the crime did not take place, the plan is often enough in itself to attract lengthy prison sentences in many cases.

At JD Spicer Zeb, our specialist criminal defence solicitors have over 45 years of experience in handling a wide range of criminal cases, including those involving conspiracy charges. Our expertise ensures that we will know the best way to approach your case and what steps need to be taken to secure the best possible outcome, whether this means having charges dropped altogether or having a sentence mitigated if conviction is unavoidable.

We regularly deal with all forms of evidence that are relied on in conspiracy cases, including digital evidence and witness testimony. This ensures we have the knowledge and tools at our disposal to build a strong defence case, and identify any flaws in the case being presented against you.

We have been accredited by the Law Society for Criminal Litigation. This highlights our strong track record of previous success. Additionally, we have also been able to establish strong relationships with many of the country’s leading criminal defence barristers, meaning that you will receive the highest standard of representation if a case ever proceeds to court.

Related matters

We provide support and guidance on various related matters, including:

Related cases

Fees and funding

We always provide straightforward advice with regard to fees.

Legal aid may be available for your case, depending on whether it passes a means test and whether the grant of public funding is justified.

Where you do not qualify for legal aid, the alternative will be to fund the case on a private basis.

To find out more about the way we handle fees (both legal aid public funding and private fees) for conspiracy offences please use the links provided below:

Contact our criminal defence lawyers today

If you are due to attend the police station, require any urgent specialist advice, or immediate representation for a conspiracy offence, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

You can contact our dedicated criminal defence lawyers in London, Birmingham, and Manchester by telephone on:

Or email: solicitors@jdspicer.co.uk

Alternatively, you can fill out our quick online enquiry form, and we will get back to you quickly.

24/7 legal representation for conspiracy charges

We are available to represent clients all over England and Wales at any time, so please contact our Emergency Number at 07836 577 556.