We provide privately funded criminal defence representation and advice for individuals who are faced with criminal allegations, investigations, charges and prosecutions relating to sexual offences.
Please note: we do not offer legal aid services.
For queries relating to advice and representation, please contact the Regulatory & Crime department.
Our expertise
Our criminal defence solicitors are able to assist clients in navigating the hazardous journey through police and criminal proceedings relating to allegations of sexual offences.
We provide clients with specialist advice and representation on a broad spectrum of sexual offences. Such offences may include allegations of rape, sexual assault, sexual offences relating to children, historic sexual abuse, abuse of trust, revenge porn, voyeurism, prostitution, soliciting and the keeping of brothels.
Before criminal charges can be brought, the CPS must faithfully follow the Full Code Test; this requires a sufficiency of evidence and consideration of the public interest in bringing a prosecution. Unlike other criminal offences, serious sexual offences such as rape will usually be followed through to charge, despite occasions where there is a prima facie lack of evidence, as such allegations are routinely deemed to be in the public interest to pursue.
Sexual offences are also unique in relation to the majority of other criminal offences due to the complex issues that invariably arise in the course of proceedings. For example, the primary issue in such matters is usually an absence of third-party eye-witness evidence, as most sexual assault allegations arise in a closed context situation. In other words, where it is accepted that only the defendant and complainant were present, the matter usually rests on the dreaded ‘he said/ she said’ conundrum. Further, unlike an offence such as GBH or similar, the fundamental issue of consent is also at play, which none but the two parties can ever know for certain.
In order for a jury to unpick this seemingly impossible dilemma to reach a conviction or acquittal, a vast array of factors need to be presented by opposing legal counsels. Such considerations usually include evidential issues (forensic, digital, interviews, victim impact statements and expert psychiatric evidence); issues relating to intoxication, partial admissions, consent, capacity, mental health, domestic setting, defendant’s good character, inconsistencies in account of events, witness reliability, age of the parties, failure to give intimate samples and adverse inference. All relevant considerations are essential for proper jury direction to ensure judicial due process and the avoidance of unfair prejudice.
Whatever stage of the criminal proceedings you may be faced with, our criminal defence team can assist in the provision of impeccable legal advice and representation in your case. In sexual offence allegations, the early stages of proceedings (such as police interview) must be handled with great care and expert advice should be sought immediately; we therefore recommend contacting our defence solicitors at the earliest opportunity.
Contact our Regulatory & Crime department in East Anglia
For queries relating to advice and representation, get in touch with your local Ashtons Legal team in Cambridge, Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich, Norwich and Leeds.
To set up an initial consultation:
- Give us a call on 0330 404 0767; or
- Fill in our simple online enquiry form and we will be in touch shortly.
Please note: we do not offer legal aid services.