Homicide is a most serious criminal offence that involves the killing of one person by another. There are two types of homicide: murder and manslaughter. In general terms the most basic difference between murder and manslaughter is the intention. You will be found guilty of murder if you had the intention to kill or at least intended to cause serious bodily harm, whereas you can be convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter if a person dies but you had no intention to kill or cause harm. If you are found guilty of murder in the UK then you will be subject to a mandatory life sentence.
To be charged with murder, a jury has to be convinced beyond reasonable doubt that you have unlawfully killed someone. This means that you did not kill a person in self-defence or for other justifiable reasons such as lawful killing in wartime, rather you set out with the intent to kill or cause grievous bodily harm as a result of uncontrolled anger, jealousy, vengeance or similar causes. The prosecution will need to show that your actions, or sometimes lack of action, were a substantial cause of the death of your victim. If you are charged with murder you need to remember that this carries a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment. In some cases you may not be eligible for parole and you will have to serve the rest of your life in prison. If you are accused of attempted murder then this is also treated very seriously and can also result in a lengthy prison sentence.
Speak to us at ABV Solicitors
It is vital that you get in touch with us at ABV Solicitors so that we can delegate a top criminal solicitor to your case. Any mistakes or discrepancies can have serious implications for you, therefore you need to consult our solicitor from the very beginning. Here at ABV Solicitors our criminal solicitor has helped defend many murder cases over the years and we will be with you at every step of the process and help you take the best approach at each stage. We are here to make sure that you do not incriminate yourself any further so that we can achieve the best possible outcome in your circumstances. We have been recognised as a leader in a criminal defence by Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500 so you can rest assured that you are in safe hands. We will put together a strong defence for you by consulting with the leading barristers in the country as well as the King’s Counsel. With our knowledge, expertise and teamwork we will help achieve the best result for you. We understand that this is one of the most traumatic situations a person can find themselves in and we will be here to provide you with our unwavering professional support. We are also here to support your friends and family and provide expert legal advice as required. This is because it is highly likely that the case will affect them all too. Speak to our criminal solicitor here at ABV Solicitors sooner rather than later and let us put together the best defence that we can for you.