The UK legal system is often seen as adversarial, with law enforcement and defence teams at odds. Even the terms used – “defence,” “accused,” “defendant” – strongly imply that the only way the legal process could possibly function is through the deflection of attacks. To be fair, those who are accused of a crime, be they wrongful charges or not, can be forgiven for seeing things this way.

Few things are more terrifying than being charged with a crime. Unfortunately, many people accused by the police or CPS will lose precious time attempting to overcome the shock when they should be contacting an experienced pre-charge solicitor.

Navigating a criminal investigation without being formally charged can be a nightmare. At Holborn Adams, one of the leading defence lawyers in London, we’ve seen firsthand how the period of legal uncertainty that follows an accusation is often fraught with anxiety, stress, and confusion. For those facing this situation, especially high-profile individuals, the fear of public exposure and reputational damage can make the emotional toll even worse.

This article explains what to do when you have been falsely accused of sexual assault, including staying calm and instructing a solicitor.

This post explores how many times pre-charge bail can be extended, who approves extensions, why police extend bail, and what happens when it ends.

This post explains how to request bail conditions be lifted, including appealing to the police and court, and the risks of breaching conditions.

This post outlines steps to take if facing false allegations, including seeking legal help, gathering evidence, and cooperating with investigators.

The post discusses why and how many times bail can be extended, how to challenge extensions, and whether an extension is a positive or negative sign.

A voluntary police interview is serious - seek legal representation before speaking. Learn what to expect, your rights, and how to protect yourself.

The post explains the consequences of breaching pre-charge bail conditions, including potential arrest and the possibility of harsher penalties.

The post explains bail travel restrictions, how to seek approval for travel, whether airports are notified, and how to request changes to conditions.

The post outlines possible outcomes after a voluntary police interview, including no action, further investigation, arrest, or referral to CPS.

The post explains how long you can be held in police custody without charge, after being charged, and the options after release.

The post discusses the duration of pre-charge bail, its extensions, and what to do if you're on bail without being charged.

The post explains what "released under investigation" means, its duration, differences from bail, and what to do if you're in this situation.

The article explains what happens when pre-charge bail ends in the UK. It also offers advice on seeking legal help in these situations.

This article outlines what pre-charge bail is, what to expect during the bail period, how long it can last, and the bail conditions you may face.

This article covers pre-charge engagement in the UK, explaining its process, benefits, and eligibility for those facing potential criminal charges.

Saying “no comment” in a police interview is your legal right but may have consequences. Learn when to use it and why legal advice matters.

Find out if you can work while on police bail, whether you need to inform your employer, and if you can request changes to your bail conditions.

The CPS uses a two-stage test to decide if charges should be brought. Learn what evidence is needed and what happens if charges are not filed.

Police have 6 months to charge summary offences, but serious crimes have no limit. Learn how long investigations take and what factors affect them.

Police stop investigations if evidence is weak, time runs out, or errors occur. Learn when cases are dropped and how to challenge an ongoing inquiry.

This article covers what a COP9 investigation is, the process involved, the penalties, whether you should agree to it, and what a CDF is.

Police can investigate indefinitely for serious crimes, but summary offences have a 6-month limit. Learn what to expect and how to protect yourself.

This article explains what COP8 investigations are, how they differ from COP9, thow to navigate the process, and the potential penalties.

This article explains what an HMRC investigation entails, why it might happen, potential penalties, and steps to take if you're under investigation.

Learn how to request your property back from the police, whether you're uncharged, released with no further action, or facing charges.

This post discusses common triggers for HMRC investigations, like late filings, income fluctuations, tip-offs, high-risk sectors, and random checks.

Learn how long the police can keep your phone during an investigation, the process for returning it, and how to request its return early.

This post discusses the difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion, providing definitions, examples, and penalties for each.

Learn how long police can hold your property without charging you, how to request its return, and when you can expect it back after an investigation.

This post explains whether HMRC investigates all tip-offs, covering the factors they consider, including credibility and available resources.

Can the police track your phone? Learn how they can access your data, when they can seize it, and what rights you have in this situation.

Worried the police might access your WhatsApp? Learn how they can retrieve messages, including deleted ones, and what you can do to protect your data.

This article covers HMRC VAT inspections, including the process, triggers, possible penalties, and how to handle potential issues.

Can the police take your phone without permission? Learn when they can confiscate it, access data, and what you can do to protect your rights.

This article explains penalties for tax evasion, how sentences are decided, what activities lead to charges, and how to handle potential charges.

This article explains whether HMRC can access your bank account, the legal basis for doing so, and whether they can take your money without permission.

Discover how police extract data from phones in the UK, including methods, data types, and your rights during an investigation.

This article explains the likelihood of being investigated by HMRC and how they choose individuals or businesses to investigate.

This article discusses how far back HMRC can investigate for unpaid tax, if they can reopen closed cases, and whether tax debt can be written off.

This article discusses whether you have to attend a voluntary police interview and what happens if you decide not to attend.

This article discusses the various methods HMRC uses to uncover undeclared income, including tools like Connect, targeted campaigns, and social media.

The article discusses how long it takes police to search a phone in the UK, factors that affect the speed, and whether you can speed up the process.

In this article, we discuss the tell tale signs that HMRC have launched an investigation into your finances and what you should do.

Worried about your bail address? Learn if police check it, how to request changes, and what to do if you need flexibility with your bail conditions.

This post discusses VAT fraud, its penalties, sentencing guidelines, factors affecting sentences, and how to reduce penalties with expert legal help.

Called for a voluntary police interview? This article discusses whether or not this means the police have enough evidence to arrest or charge you yet.

We discuss the different questions you should ask yourself when deciding the best law firm to instruct to defend your criminal case.

This post gives examples of why Holborn Adams’ directors are the worlds elite lawyers.

In this post, we explain why Holborn Adams should be your top choice for pre-charge representation.

This article discusses the differences between legal aid and private defence solicitor firms.

In this article, we discuss whether or not you should stay silent during the pre-charge process.

In this post, we compare the differences in the pre-charge process in the UK vs US.

In this article, we discuss how to navigate the UK pre-charge process as a foreign national.

In this article, we discuss what the pre-charge engagement timeline looks like.

This article discusses how working with a firm which does both legal aid and private work could harm your case.

This article discusses how Holborn Adams takes on high-profile cases on an international stage.

This posts discusses key differences in US-UK legal systems, including pre-charge bail, defence solicitors, arrest rights, and more.

Directors Adam Rasul and Andrew Ford helped complete the Mike Tyson gym deal in Saudi Arabia.

Holborn Adams successfully assisted in the Tate brothers release from prison.

Holborn Adams continues the fight for the Tate brothers, helping secure Andrew Tate's freedom from house arrest pending trial.

Holborn Adams and UAE partners SOL International Ltd jointly advised Joe Gallagher to manage the Mike Tyson Boxing Gym in Saudi Arabia.

Watford Super-Bantamweight, Shannon Courtenay, has become Holborn Adams' latest brand ambassador.

CEO of Holborn Adams, Adam Rasul, was invited to be an expert adviser on the Alec Baldwin case, live on 5 News.

Holborn Adams have been Instructed to represent the co-founder of Superdry in a sexual offence investigation.

Holborn Adams has been brought to Miami to assist in a death penalty case.

Holborn Adams excels in pre-charge representation, gaining media attention with high-profile cases like Phil Middlemiss and the Tate brothers.

The Tate brothers have appointed Adam Rasul and Andrew Ford to represent them for their case in Romania.

Watch a clip from BBC's Panorama where Holborn Adams is named as the legal representative for the individual under investigation.

Read about Holborn Adams' founder Adam's rise to success, in an interview with Manchester Evening News.

This article discusses pre-charge representation, which provides legal assistance to those under investigation but not charged, and its benefits.

Managing public perception in pre-charge investigations is crucial. Learn how crisis media strategies and expert legal advice protect your reputation.