Pre Charge Engagement

At The Johnson Partnership we aim to ensure that as few of our clients as possible actually have to go to court. It is easy to advise somebody at the police station, have them bailed to return 2 or 3 months later and then let everything go to sleep.

In recent times, the Legal Aid Agency has encouraged solicitors to get involved in discussions with the police at an early stage to try to ensure that clients are released without charge.

By putting forward material that has been gathered on a clients behalf at an early stage, it is often possible to allow the police to see the weakness of the allegations that are being made or indeed the strength of the clients assertions.

We live in times where evidence of telephone calls, texts, WhatsApps and social media posts, evidence from Ring doorbells and CCTV, as well as good old fashioned witness statements, banking details and alibi’s are available to prove the truth of what a client has to say.

Evidence that supports suggestions that a Complainant is acting in bad faith can mean that police officers are persuaded that a Complainant who was thought to be believable is infact unreliable.

Funding is available for this work from the Legal Aid Agency. You need to make sure that your solicitor is being proactive when it comes to having an allegation against you put to bed at the earliest opportunity. We have recently had firm wide training from Euan Edwards, one of our most experienced and enthusiastic Partners, to ensure that everyone is up to speed with the Pre Charge Engagement Protocols and Practice.