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The Police Interview. The Crucial Decision - Should you answer the police's questions? This is the crux of any interview. To decide on what to do you really need legal advice from a Criminal Solicitor or Accredited Police Station Representative. They will get "Disclosure" from the police officer and explain the police evidence to you in a pre-interview consultation. In deciding whether to advise you to answer questions or not they will need to hear from you, your version of events. Remember if you dont tell them the truth as to what has happened they will give you the wrong advice. The consultation with you is legally privileged. This means that no-one can use what you tell your solicitor in that consultation what you said without your permission. Even if the police were to accidentally hear it or record it, it cannot be used in court as evidence against you. The Criminal Solicitor or Police Station Representative will consider: The offence or offences you are suspected of committing. 2. The strength of the police case in relation to that offence. 3. Your explanation of what happened. 4. Legal defences that may be available. 5. Police powers and range of possible outcomes. Any police station criminal solicitor or accredited police station representative will probe the police for further details having received the officers disclosure. The police cannot lie in their disclosure but will frequently not provide information unless asked outright. For instance the police may say that they have a statement from the complainant but frequently leave out the fact that he or she are not supporting a prosecution. They may for instance imply they have a strong case against the person being interviewed but further probing may reveal that there are for instance no witnesses! This type of probing is the job of a legal representative. The Criminal Solicitors or police station representative first duty is to act in your best interests. This is not the same as the police's. They will then advise you as to whether or not to answer the police's questions. They will advise you as to what will happen in the police interview, the legal implications of the police's procedures, the police caution, timescales and range of outcomes. They will also monitor the interview to check that the police are conducting it legally and lawfully intervening as necessary when they think that the police are doing things that they should not be doing. If you have a voluntary police interview in England or Wales and want free legal representation either at a voluntary interview or if you have been arrested please contact police station agent on 07535 494446 for free police station representation by Robert Cashman a fully qualified criminal solicitor who works on behalf of Tuckers solicitors. Representation can be by remote attendance if you are outside our local area or in person in Kent and South East London.

The Police Interview The police interview is the crucial part of the investigation - at least as far as the police are concerned. Everything up to this point had been to make sure that from now on all the questions and the answers that you give are admissible in a court of law. Why are police interviews crucial as far as the police are concerned? Why do they always want to interview you? In a properly conducted police interview anything that you say which is against your interests is assumed to be true. Let me give you an extreme example. There is a robbery. You are arrested. The robber is alleged to have had a knife. You say in your interview "I did not do the robbery, but yes I do carry a knife" (thats illegal by the way). The statement is called a exculpatory statement. The prosecution can seek to admit it to prove that you indeed carry a knife. Despite your denial you have made an admission. Admissions help the police to prove a case against you and help the deciders of fact decide if you have done an offence. They can be devastating at trial. In extreme cases they can prove the whole of the prosecution case against you. How long should a police interview last? There is no set time for a police interview to last. Though the codes of practice suggest that breaks should be given at regular intervals i.e. 90 mins. Neither is there any guidance as to what questions should be asked. Why should I have a solicitor? Won't the police think I am guilty if I do? A solicitor is a basic legal right in all police investigations where the police are interviewing a suspect. Criminal Solicitors and Criminal police station reps or representatives are experts in criminal law. To give you a idea, to become a criminal solicitor most criminal solicitors in England and Wales will have successfully passed a law degree. They will then have embarked on a legal practice course which is at least two years in duration and spent two years undertaking a training contract in a solicitors practice. To become a police station criminal duty solicitor you will have to pass a portfolio demonstrating your competence at advising clients at police stations; a critical incident test and complete a specified number of police station attendances both on your own and being supervised by your training solicitor. To be a criminal solicitor at court you will also need to be tested on advocacy; produce a portfolio and prove your competence. Criminal solicitors and police station representatives are experts on criminal law. The police are not. Their job is to deter crime. This means ultimately investigating and obtaining convictions. A Criminal Solicitor can tell you whether you are guilty in law. The police cannot. Frequently in police interviews the police will try and drive a wedge between you and your solicitor by saying things like." Your solicitors advice is only advice. You dont have to take it. You will be the one before the court". My reply to that is think why the police are saying this. You would not take advice from a person you have just met to fix your car who has no mechanical qualifications. The police do not practice law. Their job is to police. Their interests are not your interests. A criminal lawyers first duty is to his client; you. The police's first duty is to protect the public. They have no duty to you to give competent legal advice whatsoever. More coming in part 4 - The Police Interview (Continued) If you have a voluntary police interview in England or Wales and want free legal representation either at a voluntary interview or if you have been arrested please contact police station agent on 07535 494446 for free police station representation by Robert Cashman a fully qualified criminal solicitor who works on behalf of Tuckers solicitors. Representation can be by remote attendance if you are outside our local area or in person in Kent and South East London.

Have you a voluntary interview at Swanley Police Station? We can help! Police station agent through its links with Tuckers Solicitors and Police Station Duty Solicitor Robert Cashman can provide free legal advice and assistance on any criminal matter where you are being interviewed by police at Swanley Police Station. Located less than 30 mins away we can easily attend on you either remotely or in person when you are being interviewed by the police at this location. Legal advice and assistance is free and paid for by the Legal Aid Agency. Contact us on 07535 494446 to see if we can assist.

If you think you will be arrested by the police or you know that the police are looking for you there are a number of practical things you can do to improve your position: 1. Contact a Criminal Solicitor or Criminal Solicitors Practice immediately. Most Criminal Solicitor Practices/Criminal Solicitors/Police Station Reps operate a free 24 hours a day/7 days a week/ 365 days a year service for attendance at police station interviews. In England and Wales the services of one of the above to assist you when you are interviewed by the police are completely free and are paid for by the Legal Aid Agency provided that the representatives firm holds a contract with the Legal Aid Agency for Police station advice and assistance. 2. Obtain details of the police officer in the case who wishes to speak to you. Most Police officers if you are not in when then have attempted to arrest you will leave their details and a phone number asking you to call them. Record the information and pass it on to your legal representative. He or she will then be able to call the officer and find out what the matter is about. The more detail that you have, the easier it will be. Please note it is usually impossible to find out who wishes to speak to you without these details. Most police forces have a large number of officers and the specific investigating officers may be the only person who knows about your case. 3. Don't Delay. Ring your legal representative immediately. Delay may mean that the police arrest you sooner than you might wish. By ringing your legal representative now you will be enable him to speak to the officer concerned and arrange a arrest by appointment or a voluntary interview. If you leave it for a period of time the officer may arrest you in the meantime and the possibility of a voluntary interview at a time and date of your your convenience may be lost . 4. Don't think the matter will simply go away. If the police are looking for you they will find you. In serious cases you may be even getting someone else into trouble if they assist you to run away from the police. The police will keep searching for you until they arrest you. Simply because you have been hiding from the police does not mean that the matter will simply go away. 5. Speak to your lawyer as soon as possible. The more information you give to your legal representative, the quicker he can advise you about your case. You may have a complete legal defence. You may be not guilty of the offence you thought you were guilty of. Speak to him or her now. Need Police Station Representation in Kent? Call us now on 07535 494446.

Frequently asked questions by members of the public. 6. Do I need a Solicitor at Court? Can I get Legal aid ? The answer to the first question is invariably yes. The Court, can depending on the case, potentially send you to prison. Most criminal solicitors will, if you contact them, advise whether or not you will be eligible for legal aid. If not, you may have to pay privately. In both cases they will advise you when the evidence is received from the prosecuting authority of the strength of that evidence. They will discuss with you, your explanation, if any and advise you on the appropriate plea and likely sentence. It is generally better to instruct a solicitor as quickly as you can. If the matter goes to the Crown Court he may instruct a Barrister or Higher Court advocate to advise on your case further and to undertake the advocacy in court. 7. I have just been bailed by the police. What does Bail mean? What is a release under investigation? There is a good explanation here with regard to bail. A release under investigation is where you are released by the police without a obligation to return to the police station. The investigation and evidence gathering by the police is however still ongoing. You should note that a release under investigation is not an end to the matter. You may be summonsed to court by the police, asked to reattend a police station voluntarily to be further interviewed or re-arrested. It is vital if you change address or contact details that your new details are given to the police officer investigating your case otherwise you may be summonsed to court without your knowledge or the police may put out a warrant for your arrest. You must not, if you are released under investigation do nothing that may jeopardise the police investigation of you. If you do you can be arrested again. 8. What powers do the police have to search me, my property or enter my home? How can they exercise these powers? This is a huge topic and a book by itself. It is always better to get specific legal advice from a solicitor about your specific situation. The list below does not claim to be comprehensive and you should seek legal advice from a competent solicitor. For instance Searches of premises can be authorized by a search warrant issued under section 8 of PACE 1984 for evidence of indictable offences section 26 of the Theft Act 1968 for stolen property section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 for controlled drugs schedule 5, paragraph 1 and 11 of the Terrorism Act 2000 for evidence relating to terrorism They may also be authorized under Section 17 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 to: ·       execute an arrest warrant, arrest or recapture a person on any premises ·       save life and limb or prevent serious damage to property. or Section 18 of PACE where there is authority to enter and search the premises occupied or controlled by a suspect who has been arrested for an indictable offence. or Section 32 of PACE where there is authority To search an arrested person where the person has been arrested at a place other than a police station. If the offence is indictable, they can also enter and search any premises that the suspect was in at the time of their arrest, or immediately before arrest, for evidence. Powers to stop and search a person Section 1 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 Section 1(2)(a) of PACE provides police officers with the power to stop and search any person, vehicle, or anything which is in or on a vehicle, for stolen or prohibited articles, points and blades, or fireworks. Prohibited articles include offensive weapons and articles with which a person is going equipped to steal or cause criminal damage. Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 Section 23(2) of the MDA provides that a constable may search a person suspected of being in possession of a controlled drug and detain them for the purpose of the search. They may also search any vehicle or vessel in which they suspect the drug may be found, and can require the person in control of the vehicle or vessel to stop it for that purpose. Other stop and search powers Other powers which apply in specified circumstances include: section 47 Firearms Act 1968 section 7 Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc.) Act 1985 section 4 Crossbows Act 1987 section 2 Poaching Prevention Act 1862 section 12 Deer Act 1991 section 11 Protection of Badgers Act 1992 section 19 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 section 139B Criminal Justice Act 1988 The Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 This article is written by Robert Cashman, a practicing criminal solicitor with a national firm of Criminal Solicitors. It does not purport to be a exact statement of English law but for guidance only and you should always get independent legal advice about your specific situation. Robert can be contacted via https://www.policestationagent.com/

Frequently Asked Questions by Members of the Public - Part 1 1, Do I need a Solicitor? Yes you do. Please see below:- 2. Can I get police station representation free? Yes. See below. 3. I have been arrested and want to get in contact with the investigating officer. How do I do that? If you have been arrested and released from the police station you need to find out the name and warrant number of the investigating officer. This will generally be on any paperwork that you were given by the police when you are released. If you ring 101 with the name and warrant number of the investigating officer and ask for the police force where you were dealt with you will generally be able to leave a message for the officer. Please note that most police officers work shifts and may not be at work. Leave your details and telephone number and generally the police officer will get back to you. Be polite and kind! These calls are routinely recorded by the police as a matter of routine, 4. I need to get my mobile phone/property back from the police. How do I do that? If you have been arrested the police may well have seized your property as an exhibit. In the case of a mobile phone they may wish to download the contents of the mobile phone for evidential purposes. They may have requested the PIN number for the phone from you. Police have powers under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act to seize these items and to keep them till any court case. There is no formal time limit. Officers will, however, return items as soon as possible if they are no longer needed. Please note this can be after a considerable period of time. In some police areas there are considerable delays in downloading the contents of mobile phones ranging in months. Please note the police can not be forced to give these items back quickly. It is possible to make an application to the Magistrates Court to get these items back but this is not covered by legal aid and you would have to pay for any representation by a solicitor. 5. My friend/partner/colleague/family member has been arrested. How do I find out about the case? If the person who has been arrested is over 18 the police do not have to tell you anything about what has happened; why he/she has been arrested or details about the case. When arrested and being booked into custody the police will inform the detainee that he has a right to have someone informed of his arrest. This right will usually be exercised when they tell the person concerned which police station he is in. You can ask the police if he is legally represented and the details of the solicitor. The solicitor may be able to give you details of the case but ONLY if the person detained consents in advance. If the person does not consent you will have to ask the person concerned the details when he is released from police custody. This article is written by Robert Cashman, a practicing criminal solicitor with a national firm of Criminal Solicitors. It does not purport to be a exact statement of English law but for guidance only and you should always get independent legal advice about your specific situation. Robert can be contacted via https://www.policestationagent.com/

They May Want To Arrest Me? What Should I Do? Quite often Criminal Solicitors or Police Station Representatives are contacted by members of the public stating that the police have contacted them and that the Police may be looking for them. What should you do if you are in that situation? See our handy list below: (1) Don't Panic! Quite often the Police will contact people for purely routine reasons. You could a witness to a car accident, they may be making routine enquiries about a missing person. Your car may have been stolen or you may have some important information to give. Do not automatically assume that they have contacted you becasue they want to arrest you but if you think that they might want to.... go to No 2 below. (2) Obtain the Officers Name and Badge Number Most Police Officers conduct theiir own investigations. Often the only other person who will know about their investigation is their direct line supervisor. Ringing 101 will often not produce the desired result. The operator will often tell you that without details of the police officer concerned it will be impossible to find out whether you are wanted. Sometimes by presenting yourself at the police station and giving your name and address and date of birth the front desk officer is able to check the position by doing a Police National Computer check. However you may be wanted and a marker * may not be on on the Police National Computer yet. (* A marker is a mark on the police national computer stating that you should be arrested if the police come into contact with you.) (3) Contact a criminal solicitors firm, criminal solicitor or accredited police station representative Police station legal advice and assistance is free for all potential criminal offences where the investigating officer is a police officer. Contacting a criminal solicitor, accredited police station representative or criminal solicitors firm will mean that a representative will be able to contact the police on your behalf and potentially avoid the police arresting you where you could be extremely embarrassed i.e. at work, at an inconvenient time i.e. 3 a.m. in the morning or in an unnecessary situation i.e. when it can be arranged for you to come in to the police station by appointment and interviewed voluntarily. Having a legal representative acting on your behalf will mean that you may well be able to get disclosure of the case against you before you go to the police station. At the very least a legal representative has a duty to act in your own best interests and will do his utmost to discover the case against you from the police prior to your interview. He will be able to advise you as to your legal rights and what is the best thing to do or not to do in the interview in order to put yourself in the best legal position that is possible. Legal advice and assistance at the police station by criminal solicitors and accredited police Station Representatives who hold the necessary qualification and whose firm has a contract with the legal aid agency is entirely free. The police will often advise you that you "don't need a solicitor". They just want "a little chat". Be warned. Anything that you say to the police can and may be used against you in a court of law. For Representation at a Kent Police Station - 07535 494446

One of the most common things I am asked as a police station rep (albeit I am also a Criminal Solicitor) is what could a solicitor possibly do for me, if I am arrested for a criminal offence and taken to a Police Station? I answer always with one word: That word is disclosure! If you do not have the assistance of a police station representative/police station agent or criminal solicitor at the police station you will not have the benefit of knowing any part of the police case against you (or the possible strength or weakness of it) prior to your police interview. A police station agent or representative's job is to gather all the available information he can prior to the interview and advise you on the strength or weakness of the police's case. A competent police station agent representative will on arrival at the police station where you are detained immediately ask for and minutely examine your custody record (the police must keep a record of all the things that have happened to you when you were brought into custody and before). This will contain things like details of the property you had with you; what briefly you are alleged to have said or done; what time you were arrested and what for and many other details. Following scrutiny of the custody record significant details of the case against you may be revealed. The police station agent or representative will then ask the officer in charge of your case what evidence the police have got against you? Whilst the police do not have to tell your representative every single fact in their possession (and many try to disclose as little as possible) they will often give your police station representative or agent significant details of the case against you. Quite often the police station agent or representative will be able to find out if any actual witness statements have been given to the police by important witnesses! The lack of a important witness statement could mean that the police have in effect no evidence against you other than what you say in your interview. A police station agent or representative will therefore be in a position to advise you as to whether it is in your interests to answer police questions or not in interview. He or she will also be in a position pre-interview to advise you of the strength of the case against you and give you appropriate advice. In many cases asking for a police station representative before interview could make the difference between conviction and acquittal ; charge or release without charge. Police station representation is free to anyone arrested or interviewed under caution by a police officer in England and Wales. If you need it in the Kent area call police station agent on 07535 494446

From Police Station Agent: The Police Caution is: "You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you may later rely on in Court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence" What does it actually mean? Well. The first bit is quite straightforward. You do not have to say anything. Other than giving the police your name and address i..e. enough details to identify yourself you are not actually obliged to say anything to the Police hence the words "You do not have to say anything. You can be silent, reply "No comment" or give an explanation. Its down to you. Get advice from someone like police station agent! The last bit is also straight forward and is especially important if you do give an explanation. "Anything you do say can be given in evidence". This means that anything you do say can be given in evidence to a court. Beware there is no such thing as a "off the record" chat with a Police officer or anyone who gives you that caution. There are many people in Prison today who decided to try and tell a investigating officer of some fact off the record. That fact can and will be given in evidence. The confusing bit is the middle for most people. "It may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in Court." Well what does that mean? Police station agent states: "In essence if you later rely on a fact, eg "I wasn't there. I was at X's" at the time of the crime and do not mention it when questioned later on in the police station in a properly valid police interview it can harm your defence. i.e. The Court may think you are lying when you tell them later on in Court and it can damage your case. " Therefore You need a Solicitor in the Police Station. Its free for everyone who is going to be interviewed by the Police. Ask for Legal advice if you are going to be interviewed. Its free and the Police must arrange it. If you or your practice need the services of a Criminal Solicitor representing your Client at the Police Station Call Police Station Agent on 07535 494446 Police station agent - police station reps who you can trust. (C) Police Station Agent 2019. All Rights Reserved.

Police Station Representation – Do You Need It? Police station representation - By Police Station Agent - Police Station Reps Will I need it? I have just been invited in by the Police for a chat? (1). The short answer is Yes. Here’s why? (a) You are a suspect in a Criminal Case. The Police must arrest a person when they  have reasonable  grounds to suspect a person’s involvement or suspected involvement or attempted involvement in the commission of a criminal offence; AND they have reasonable grounds for believing that the person’s arrest is “necessary.” The arrest must be necessary for one of the 9 reasons mentioned below:- a) to enable the name (and address) of the person in question to be ascertained (in the case where the constable does not know, and cannot readily ascertain, the person’s name, or has reasonable grounds for doubting whether a name given by the person as his name is his real name); (b) … ; (c) to prevent the person in question- (i) causing physical injury to himself or any other person; (ii) suffering physical injury; (iii) causing loss of or damage to property; (iv) committing an offence against public decency (subject to subsection (6)); or (v) causing an unlawful obstruction of the highway; (d) to protect a child or other vulnerable person from the person in question; (e) to allow the prompt and effective investigation of the offence or of the conduct of the person in question; (f) to prevent any prosecution for the offence from being hindered by the disappearance of the person in question. (b) The outcome of the case could have a dramatic effect on your career and/or your life in the near future. If the Police or Crown Prosecution service believe that you have committed a Criminal offence there is a whole array of disposals that could apply to your case. Some of the options include a fixed penalty, a Caution (warning) if you are an adult, a charge (a direction that you must appear at court to answer an allegation on a specific date) or you may be charged and remanded to appear at the next available court. If you are a Youth the options are even more varied. Utilising free Police station representation and being legally represented at the Police Station by someone like police station agent and their solicitors and accredited police station representatives , can assist you through the minefield of possible disposals and the best way to deal with your case. (c) It’s Free! In England and Wales, there is no charge for Legal Representation at the Police Station. Police station representation is  free and provided by the Legal Aid Agency. The Police must obtain a solicitor to represent you if you so request.  You can have your own solicitor if he deals with criminal cases or a duty solicitor all of whom can be provided by police station agent. The Solicitor must and will be independent of the Police. All requests for a Solicitor go through the duty call centre. If you wish you can pay for your own solicitor. (d) You need Independent advice The Police are not Solicitors. Their function is to uphold the law. They owe no duty to you to advise you how best to deal with the situation you may find yourself in, in a police station. A Solicitor such as one like police station agent is independent and must always act in their client’s best interests. What Happens If I Am Invited In By Police For A Chat? (a) There is no such thing as being invited in by police for a chat! If you are asked to attend a police station to be interviewed with regard to a matter you are a suspect. You can be asked to attend a police station voluntarily. As such, if you agree, the necessity conditions to arrest you may not apply and as such the police may decide not to arrest you. You are still a Suspect! You can still be Charged! There is no such thing as a Chat! You need Legal Advice. It is still free and we strongly advise you to ask the police to arrange it. They must do so. Police station agent is a police station agency that provides freelance police station representatives and criminal solicitors to criminal solicitor practices to represent their clients at police stations. If you need police station representation in Kent Contact police station agent on 01732 247427 Now!

Freelance Police Station Representative or Freelance Criminal Solicitor? Do you need more work representing clients at Police Stations for major Criminal Practices in England and Wales? Want to work in your local area covering your local police stations and sick of paying a cut to the agency and not getting a decent fee for the work that you do? Post your details free on our leading police station representative site and join our free community. The site if free and we charge you nothing for registering your details. Neither do we charge the firms for making your telephone number freely available. "There is such a thing as a free lunch..........."

You know the problem. Your stuck in the office by yourself.... You work in a criminal solicitor's practice and you've just had that urgent call from the duty call centre................. the police are ready to interview your client at the police station. You can't go yourself. There is this important client coming in five minutes with this document for the Crown Court which you must just complete today. Should you turn the call down? Give it back to the duty call centre? Cancel your important meeting with that important client and lose that client that you have worked so hard to keep? or instead consult OUR FREE POLICE STATION REPRESENTATIVE DIRECTORY it's free! and with one phone call you can instruct that local police station representative to cover that important call. He or she is a fully accredited after all or even a criminal duty solicitor. Unlike your staff he or she will work pass 5:30 pm until such time as the case is finished. They are available at unsociable hours; on evenings and weekends and bank holidays too! And for a fraction as to what an agency will cost you! You might decide to instruct them every day. Click on the picture below for the site.