Costs for Criminal Offences

What types of criminal offences does this pricing guide cover?

Common summary only offences that can be concluded with a single hearing include:

• Money Laundering
• Assault and Sexual Offences
• Burglary, robbery, theft and handling stolen goods
• Drug offences

If you’re not sure if your case applies, get in touch. Our team will be able to advise on whether we can help – this initial enquiry over the phone is free. Call us at 01432 278 179 or email info@kidwellssolicitors.co.uk with as much detail as possible.

What are the stages?

To support you, we would first advise you of what we can do during your initial enquiry. Then, we will have an initial meeting to go over the details of your case. Your legal team will then prepare for the Court hearing, which may be for a written representation or a Court appearance on your behalf. If we also attend the hearing, then before the Court hearing you will meet with your instructed person to prepare. After the hearing, we will then advise on the next steps.

What are the costs of legal advice and representation for criminal offences?

Our legal team works on an hourly rate basis of £110 to £350 excluding VAT per hour, depending on the person instructed. Legal fees attract a VAT rate of 20%. It’s difficult to give an exact rate without knowing the details.

For an accurate estimate and information relevant to your specific case, contact us at 01432 278 179. 

Factors that Affect Cost

We will advise you as much as possible throughout our support what the costs will be, both of our fees and of third party disbursements. Complications that would increase the time spent on your claim, and therefore your overall costs, could include:

• If the Court where you are due to appear is away from Hereford
• If you intend to plead not guilty and there will be a trial
• If you intend to plead guilty but would like to argue ‘special reasons’
• If there is work involved in gathering witness statements
• If your case would involve instructing an Expert
• If the case takes longer than a half-day trial
• If the case is part heard and re-listed for another day to finish

What does the hourly rate include?

Our hourly rate encompasses the time spent on your behalf, excluding additional expenses which are detailed below. Prices are excluding VAT. Legal fees attract a VAT rate of 20%. This hourly rate includes meetings with you and perhaps other authorised persons on your behalf; reading, preparing and working on papers; making and receiving telephone calls, emails, faxes and text messages; preparation of any detailed costs estimates, schedules and bills; and time necessarily spent travelling away from the office on your behalf.

Expenses on top of our hourly rate can include, but are not limited to:

• rail and air travel charged out at cost and travel by car is charged at a flat rate of 45p per mile;
• car parking; and
• the full cost of overnight accommodation if required.

Any applicable expenses would be discussed with you before they are incurred.

What are the possible third party costs involved?

Please note that payments due to other third parties, known as disbursements, are not included in our fees. These disbursements include, but are not limited to: Barristers, Experts, and Court Fees. If an Expert, Barrister, or other third party needs to be instructed you will be provided with a list of quotes for your approval prior to engaging their services. We will request monies on account to pay for their services if required. We will advise on which Barrister we would recommend based on our experience, to assist you throughout the entire process.

You will be notified of any other disbursements before they are incurred and asked to make payment on account.

Speak to one of our solicitors and get bespoke advice. Please call 01432 278 179 and ask for Michael Horne, and we can discuss your case.