Right to a Lawyer at the Police Station

Being arrested can be a terrifying stressful situation and the first thing on anybody’s mind is when will I or indeed will I be released from the police station. On arrival at the police station you are given your ‘rights and entitlements’, the most important of those is your right to free and independent legal representation. Once you have asked for a solicitor, the police will either contact a solicitor of your choice or the duty solicitor who will contact the police station and will initially advise you over the telephone before attending the station if you are to be interviewed.

This right is not restricted to the police station; you have the right to legal representation during any interview under caution; these take place in different circumstances, for example when under arrest at the police station, by appointment at the police station or in the offices of the Department for Works and Pensions or a Local Authority. At the start of any interview the interviewer must inform you that you have the right to independent legal advice. It is therefore vital that you know your rights.

It is so important to have a lawyer with you when you are interviewed because they will obtain ‘disclosure’ from the interviewer, this is information about the allegation. The lawyer can advise you on the law and what is said to have happened; which will enable you to make an informed decision of how to proceed with the interview. This can be the difference between you being charged/summonsed for an offence or nothing further happening. We have many years of experience and an outstanding reputation for providing quality advice.

If you were interviewed whilst under arrest, the following can happen: no further action, charged to attend court, released under investigation or bailed to return to the police station. No further action means the matter is finished with, being charged means that you have a date to go to court and being released under investigation means that whilst you are released from the police station the police will continue to investigate the matter further and will contact you in the future if necessary. If you are bailed to return to the police station, this is usually because the police have given conditions of bail, for exampled not to contact a witness or not to go to a certain area. There are very specific rules about the length of time you can be kept on bail, we take a pro-active approach to assist you with challenging those conditions or the length of time you are subject to bail.

For more assistance or legal representation, contact us now.