What is Criminal Defence?
Criminal defence is the representation of someone accused of a crime. It starts at the police station and runs through the Magistrates’ Court and, for serious cases, the Crown Court, to trial and any appeal that follows.
Astons Law Chambers serves as the entity acting as criminal defence support provided by Barrister Ghulam Humayun.
Custody — 24/7
Speak to the barrister before the interview begins.
Police station support is available at any hour.
How a criminal case proceeds
A criminal case usually begins with an investigation, an arrest, and a police interview. What is said in that interview can shape everything that follows.
After the interview the police take no further action, release you while they continue to investigate, or charge you. A charge means a first hearing at the Magistrates’ Court. Less serious matters are dealt with there; the most serious move to the Crown Court for trial before a jury.
How the defence is built
In a criminal case the prosecution has to prove what it alleges. A defence is built by testing whether it can: examining how the evidence was gathered, how reliable it is, and whether the police followed the rules that apply to them.
Disclosure matters too. The prosecution holds material it does not rely on, and some of it can assist the defence.
Get in touch
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Common questions
- Can I instruct a barrister directly?
- Yes. Astons Law Chambers is authorised under the Bar Standards Board Public Access scheme to take instructions directly from members of the public. A solicitor is not required.
- What if I am at a police station now?
- Police station support can be arranged straight away. You can ask the custody officer to hold the interview until a representative is present.
- Is legal aid available?
- Astons Law Chambers is not a legal aid contract holder. Where legal aid applies to a case, it is arranged through a partner solicitor firm.
- Will I have a criminal record?
- A conviction creates a record on the Police National Computer. A caution does too. Out-of-court disposals — community resolution, fixed penalty, conditional caution — appear on enhanced DBS checks for the periods set by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. Whether a matter results in a conviction, caution, out-of-court disposal, or no further action depends on the offence and how the police and CPS exercise their discretion at each stage.
- Will I have to go to court?
- Some matters are dealt with out of court — community resolution, fixed penalty notice, conditional caution — without any court appearance. Where the matter is charged, the first hearing is in the Magistrates’ Court. Summary offences stay there. Indictable-only offences go to the Crown Court. Either-way offences are allocated to one or the other depending on seriousness.
Astons Law Chambers is authorised under the Bar Standards Board's Public Access scheme to accept instructions directly from members of the public. The practice is also authorised to conduct litigation, so the case can be run end-to-end without a separate solicitor. Suitability is assessed during the first call; where a solicitor is needed, Astons Law Chambers will say so and refer where useful.
For matters that qualify for public funding, see how legal aid works at Astons Law Chambers — eligible cases are referred to a partner solicitor firm at no cost.
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