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Crime

Armed Robbery

Robbery is a very serious offence carrying a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment. Where a weapon is used during a robbery – whether to cause harm or threaten harm – the penalties on conviction are likely to be particularly severe. Having the right legal representation as soon as possible is therefore essential.

 

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For more than 40 years, our criminal defence solicitors have been advising and representing people accused of robbery and weapons offences. We can support you from your first contact with the police, through every stage of investigation and prosecution where required.

We understand how distressing and confusing it can be facing these types of serious charges, so as well as offering our extensive legal expertise, we can also provide the sympathetic personal support you need to get through this difficult time.

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Why choose JD Spicer Zeb?

  • 1000's of Cases Dropped
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In many cases, we are able to help clients avoid charges or get charges dropped early in an investigation. If you are charged with offences related to armed robbery, we can support you through a prosecution, making sure you have the best possible legal representation.

If you have been arrested or charged for a robbery offence involving a weapon, you can contact us 24-hours a day, seven days a week for an immediate free initial consultation, expert legal advice and representation.

We speak a variety of languages across our team and work with a number of accredited interpreters, so we can give clear legal advice in any language. We are available to clients across England and Wales round the clock, so you can always get the best possible advice and representation for your case.

For a free initial consultation on dealing with armed robbery charges, please contact our local offices in London, Birmingham or Manchester.

Need immediate legal support for a robbery arrest? Our accredited Police Station Representatives and solicitors are available 24 hours a day 365 days a year using the emergency numbers listed at the top of the page.


How can we help?

Common questions

We always work with the most experienced and best leading UK barristers, KCs (Kings Counsel). We cover all criminal cases 24/7 at the police station and court. Offices in London, Birmingham, and Manchester cover cases across England and Wales. We can offer Legal Aid and affordable Private fee agreements. We can see you the same day, including virtually. Our Senior Partners supervise all of our cases.

How quickly do you respond?

We respond quickly even during out of hours. We do not get our work by paying for online adverts but based on the fact that few criminal law firms can match our 45 years of experience. Most of our cases are still from word-of-mouth recommendations from satisfied clients. We are called daily by dissatisfied clients from firms with less experience than us. We respond very quickly to new enquiries. We know what clients seek and so we update clients rapidly.

Can you get cases dropped?

Yes, read about the recent cases we've helped our clients with here.

We always keep you updated and give straightforward advice. We will get cases dropped early where the case is weak or should not be prosecuted. We will be upfront with you about where you can benefit from a good result with an early guilty plea, such as a discount on your sentence. As we work on cases across all levels with clients from all walks of life, we are excellent at giving clear, spot-on advice. As an established firm, we can allocate a whole team to your case often at short notice to secure evidence to minimise the damage to you. 

Have you won any awards?

OUR PROFESSIONAL BODY THE LAW SOCIETY AWARDED US IN OCTOBER 2020 WITH THE EXCELLENCE IN CLIENT SERVICE AWARD AND STATED - 

"JD Spicer Zeb demonstrated a clear commitment to client service through their work with vulnerable and diverse individuals in what can be severely traumatic circumstances".

Do you offer free consultations?

Where it is possible, we aim to provide an initial consultation to you. If we can speak to you, we can if required inform you about  –

  • Whether we can take the case on and our relevant experience.
  • Public and private funding benefits.
  • Assistance in applying for legal aid where we are likely to accept instructions.
  • An outline of options in police interview only. We will not advise you on which option to adopt.
  • Providing our free written guide explaining the police station process.
  • The gravity of routine and day-to-day offences you face.
  • Consequences of not attending the court or police station.
  • Consequences of interfering with any witnesses.
  • Retaining any evidence in support of your case.
  • If possible an outline of the elements of the offence that the police or CPS must prove.
  • This consultation will normally be by telephone or email and will only be for as long as we deem necessary to establish if we can act for you. If we cannot usefully give you any advice in this manner then we will not continue with the consultation. We will not discuss the case in depth for you to be able to decide on your plea or any significant aspect of the case, as this cannot be undertaken informally.
  • Referring you, if possible, to other firms for matters out of our specialism or if we cannot help.

Consultations do not apply to the following cases –

  • If we do not intend to take the case on.
  • Road Traffic cases, drink driving, drug driving, driving bans, speeding, no insurance, mobile phone use, points etc.
  • In all cases where we do not have the capacity to take your case or the availability of suitably qualified staff to provide an initial free consultation. This is applicable in all cases but especially where a more senior lawyer is required because of your personal needs or the complexity of the case.
  • Harassment/stalking/ coercive behaviour/malicious communications or road traffic cases and most sensitive cases. These cases are often too complicated to assess in short consultations.
  • The locations concerned may be too distant to represent you adequately or it may not be cost-effective for you or us.
  • The case is too complicated to assess or raises various charges or facts, complexity, or history to be considered informally or in a short consultation.
  • In most Legal aid transfers where legal aid is granted to another firm except in very grave cases, we may assess the case and merits for a transfer.
  • If your relationship has broken down with your existing solicitor or several solicitors.
  • If you have been released under investigation and have already had a police station attendance. 
  • If you hold legal aid with another firm and seek a second opinion.
  • If you are calling on behalf of the client as a friend or family member unless you have full authority and full facts.
  • To businesses.
  • Advising whether you were given good advice by your other solicitor.
  • Whether to decide to plead guilty or not guilty.
  • Whether you have an arguable defence in law or factually complicated defences.
  • Any advice you have had after your first court appearance.
  • Any advice on appeal on conviction or sentence.
  • If we feel we are unable to communicate with you.
  • If we are likely to be conflicted or breach our professional rules.

Our expertise with armed robbery charges

We have decades of specialist experience defending clients against all types of offences connected to armed robbery, including:

  • Robbery
  • Assault with intent to rob
  • Burglary
  • Aggravated burglary
  • Possession of an offensive weapon
  • Threating with an offensive weapon in a public place
  • Assault occasioning Actual Bodily Harm (ABH)
  • Wounding/causing Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH)
  • Firearms offences

Our detailed understanding of the law around the various types of offences that may be involved in an armed robbery mean we can ensure all relevant factors are considered and no opportunity to see charges dropped or secure lesser charges is missed.

We work with a number of the UK’s leading criminal defence barristers specialising in armed robbery offences. This means that, alongside are own legal expertise, we can also ensure that you have the very best representation if your case goes to trial.

What to do if you are arrested for a robbery involving an offensive weapon

When arrested in connection with armed robbery, you need to keep your basic legal rights in mind to help ensure that you do not say or do anything to unintentionally undermine your defence.

The following are the four key points you need to remember when arrested:

  1. You do not have to answer any questions asked by the police.
  2. You should never answer any police questions without a solicitor present.
  3. You have the right to free legal representation.
  4. You can use the duty solicitor available or choose your own lawyer.

If you are arrested on suspicion of committed an armed robbery, the arresting officers must tell you the specific offences you are accused of committing and they must caution you using the words:

“You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.”

Following a police interview for robbery involving an offensive weapon, one of the following will occur:

  • You are released with no further action
  • You are released under investigation
  • You are charged with a specific child sexual offence

If you are charged with offences related to an armed robbery:

  • A date will be set for a court hearing
  • You will either be:
    • Released on bail
    • Kept in custody until your court appearance

Please note, even if you are released with no further action or under investigation, you can be still be rearrested or summonsed to attend a court hearing at any time.

What is considered armed robbery?

There is no specific offence of ‘armed robbery’, instead there are several different offensives you could be charged with if you are suspected of committing a robbery while armed with an offensive weapon.

Robbery is an offence under the Theft Act 1968 where a person steals and during or immediately before the offence, they use force or give someone reason to fear they might use force.

Burglary involves an offender trespassing into a building or part of a building and stealing (or inflicting GBH or committing unlawful damage) or where they had the intention to carry out such an act.

There are separate offences for domestic burglary (burglary of a residential property) and non-domestic burglary (burglary of commercial or other non-residential property).

If the offender is armed during the offence, they may be charged with additional offences, including:

  • Possession of an offensive weapon
  • Possession of a firearm
  • Possession of a firearm or ammunition with intent to endanger life
  • Possession of a firearm or imitation with intent to cause fear of violence
  • Entering a building or part of a building as a trespasser without reasonable excuse whilst having with him a firearm or imitation

If an offender uses a weapon during a robbery or burglary to threaten or cause harm to someone else, they could also be charged with offences including:

  • Threating with an offensive weapon in a public place
  • Threats to kill (even if there was no intent to carry out the threat)
  • Assault with intent to rob
  • Assault occasioning Actual Bodily Harm (ABH)
  • Unlawful wounding/inflicting Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH)
  • Attempted wounding or attempted Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH)
  • Aggravated burglary

Penalties for armed robbery offences

The penalties on conviction for armed robbery will depend on exactly what offences are considered to have been committed during the robbery.

The maximum sentences on conviction for some of the common offences associated with armed robbery are:

Robbery – Life imprisonment

Domestic burglary – 14 years’ custody

Possession of an offensive weapon – 4 years’ custody

Possession of a firearm – 7 years’ custody

Threating with an offensive weapon in a public place – 4 years’ custody

Threats to kill – 10 years’ custody

Assault with intent to rob – Life imprisonment

What defence is there against armed robbery charges?

There can be various defences against charges for armed robbery, depending on the circumstances involved.

If you dispute that you were involved in the robbery, various types of evidence can potentially be of significance, including CCTV footage, DNA evidence, fingerprint evidence, mobile phone records and other digital data, and witness testimony.

If you accept you were involved in the robbery, but dispute the version of events put forward by police and the prosecution, establishing your version of events can potentially see you face significantly lower penalties.

For example, if police and the prosecution claim that you threatened to kill someone during the robbery, but you dispute this, whether or not the prosecution can prove this beyond reasonable doubt will make a significant difference to your sentence on conviction.

By carefully examining and questioning the evidence against you and finding flaws in the case of the police and prosecution, it is often possible to see more serious charges dropped.

Our expert criminal defence solicitors are highly experienced with the various potential charges connected to armed robbery, and can ensure any flaws in the case against you are identified, giving you the best chance of avoiding charges or facing lower charges as appropriate.

Contact our armed robbery defence lawyers today

For a free initial consultation, urgent specialist advice, immediate representation or to speak to us confidentially about an arrest or charges related to armed robbery, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

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

  • Brent & Camden London Office: 020 7624 7771
  • Manchester Office: 0161 835 1638
  • Birmingham Office: 0121 614 3333
  • City of London: 0207 624 7771 (our senior Solicitors and Partners can meet by appointment in the City)

Or email: solicitors@jdspicer.co.uk

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

24/7 legal representation for armed robbery charges

Please get in touch for a free initial consultation with one of our expert criminal defence solicitors, as well as immediate representation and advice on dealing with an arrest or charges connected to an armed robbery.

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


How can we help?

  • Umar Zeb
      • Umar Zeb
      • Senior Partner - Head of Private Client Crime
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  • Lisa Nicol
      • Lisa Nicol
      • Managing Partner - Head of Crime & Serious Cases
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  • James O'Donnell
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  • Sanjay Cholera
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