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28 May 2021

Legal representation by a criminal solicitor is critical to the outcome of a case and will highly influence the quality of the rest of your life, as the detrimental effects of a criminal charge can be substantial. The knowledge, strategies and expertise of a criminal solicitor have substantial influence over how the investigation process unfolds, including the decision on whether the police decide to prosecute you or not. We at ABV Solicitors can provide you with a criminal solicitor who will put forward a strong defence to bring about the best possible outcome for you.

The influence of a criminal solicitor in murder and manslaughter charges

Murder and manslaughter are extremely serious offences to be accused of, even if they are false allegations, this can be an extremely difficult and traumatic situation to find yourself in. Murder and manslaughter are two of the offences which constitute homicide, and can be sentenced very severely. If you find yourself arrested or called in for questioning for murder or manslaughter, it is vital that you contact your criminal solicitor straight away. It is essential that your criminal solicitor is contacted immediately, as anything you do say at the police station will be used as evidence in a court case. Any communication made to the police is recorded and even if the allegations are false, sometimes unethical and manipulative strategies and procedures can cause panic and confusion which can lead to mistakes and have detrimental effects on your defence from the outset. Contact us at ABV Solicitors immediately to ensure that we can buy you time to gather your thoughts and feelings, find out your exact situation and speak to the police on your behalf using our knowledge and experience. Our top priority is protecting your rights and rest assured we have your best interests at heart.

Sentencing for murder and manslaughter

Sentencing for murder charges involves fixing a minimum term of imprisonment. Schedule 21 Criminal Justice Act 2003 sets out a hierarchy of seriousness and appropriate starting points, from 12 years if the accused is under 18 years old, and then 15 years, 25 years, 30 years or life imprisonment for adults. After having chosen a minimum term, the court then goes on to consider aggravating or mitigating factors which may impact your sentencing further. It is vital to have one of our specialist solicitors from ABV Solicitors with the right knowledge and experience of dealing with murder charges, to present all the evidence correctly and display you in the best light possible to ensure that the prosecution are unable to increase negative aspects further. Sentencing for manslaughter is based on culpability and identifying high medium and low culpability factors. Gross negligence manslaughter can result in 12 years imprisonment, for loss of control 14 years, unlawful act manslaughter is 18 years and diminished responsibility can result in 24 years custody. The expert knowledge of our solicitors will ensure that you have the best possible chance of identifying as of the lowest culpability, according to your individual situation. Rest assured with ABV Solicitors that your best interests are our priority, we will be with you from the outset, guide you all the way through and defend you with our skills, knowledge and experience to get you the most positive outcome we possibly can.