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Violent Crime Solicitors in Edinburgh, Kirkcaldy & Livingston

Are you looking for the best criminal defence solicitor to defend you on a charge of Violence?

Our specialist team provides decades of combined experience in successfully defending every crime of violence likely to come before the criminal courts, including:

We understand that a charge of violence can have a major impact on the reputation, livelihood and liberty of those we represent. So if you’re facing what for you is the nightmare of a charge of violence, tip the scales in your favour. Get in touch now.

You can count on us to identify the right questions, provide the correct answers, and deliver the best results.  

Assault

Are you looking for the best criminal defence solicitor to defend you on a charge of assault?  

An assault is any deliberate attack on another person which is intended to cause physical injury, or fear of physical injury.

How can we help?

If you’re facing the legal minefield of an assault charge, you can rely on us to provide the answers and solutions you really need, for example:

  • Accidental injury. Is yours a case where the injury and behaviour was accidental? If so, you would have a defence to the charge against you, since injuries caused accidentally or carelessly aren’t assaults.
  • Self-defence. Can it be argued that you acted to defend yourself or another? If so, that would be a complete defence to a charge of assault. You can count on us to guide you on the legal rules which apply.
  • Mitigation. Even if you admit the charge, are there any circumstances which might persuade the prosecutor to reduce or restrict the nature of the charge against you? For example, was the other party verbally or physically aggressive in a way that might be regarded as legal provocation?

Domestic Assault

Are you looking for the best criminal defence solicitor to defend you on a charge of Domestic Assault or Abuse?

These are charges which are regarded as being ‘aggravated’ or made worse because of an alleged ‘domestic’ element.

What is the law?

Police and prosecutors in Scotland define domestic abuse as:

“Any form of physical, verbal, sexual, psychological or financial abuse which might amount to criminal conduct and which takes place within the context of a relationship. The relationship will be between partners (married, cohabiting, civil partnership or otherwise) or ex-partners. The abuse can be committed in the home or elsewhere including online.”

How can we help?

At Adams Whyte, we understand the potentially devastating impact of a domestic abuse charge for you and your family. Here are just some of the ways in which we can help:

  • Release from police station. It is not uncommon for those accused of domestic abuse charges to be held in police custody to appear in court on the next court day. If that happens, you can count on our considerable expertise to identify whether there are any circumstances to persuade the police to release you, and if not, for our expert lawyers to do all that is possible to secure bail when you do appear at court.
  • Change of bail conditions. Where the court agrees to release on bail, it is often a condition of bail that the accused must not have contact with his or her partner, and sometimes, even his or her children. We can give you early and informed advice on whether and when it might be possible for the court to remove or cancel such bail conditions.
  • Family argument, but not a crime? Regarding the charge or charges you are facing, we have vast experience in successfully defending every type of domestic charge likely to come before the courts, and, for example, in appropriate cases, persuading the prosecutor or court that while the incident in question may amount to a family argument or breakdown, it does not amount to a criminal offence.

So, if you’re facing a domestic abuse charge, and want the best chance of smart, specialised and successful representation – if you want to protect the future of you and your family -  get in touch with Adams Whyte.

Murder or Attempted Murder

Are you looking for the best criminal defence solicitor to defend you on a charge of Murder or Attempted Murder?

At Adams Whyte, Solicitors, we have vast experience of fighting for the best possible results for persons facing a charge of Murder, Attempted Murder or Culpable Homicide.

How can we help?

As experts in the field, you can count on us to guide you on the questions you really need to be answered, such as: 

  • What must the prosecution prove in a charge of Murder or Attempted Murder? To seek to prove a charge of murder, the prosecution must prove that the accused killed (or attempted to kill) another person and did so wickedly intending to kill or being wickedly reckless (indifferent) as to whether the other person lived or died.
  • What if the accused’s actions were in response to an attack? If it is accepted that the accused acted in self-defence or defence of another, he would be acquitted of murder. 
  • What are the legal rules for self-defence in a charge of murder or attempted murder? There must be an imminent danger to the life of the accused or the person he is defending. If that danger can be avoided by escaping or retreating, the law expects you to use that means of escape or retreat.  You’re only entitled to use such force as is reasonable or proportionate to stop the attack on you or the person you are defending, so, for example, it wouldn’t normally meet the legal test of self-defence to use a knife if someone punched you or to continue using force once the imminent danger has passed.
  • What is ‘provocation’ in murder cases or attempted murder cases? Provocation, if established, doesn’t lead to an acquittal, but to a conviction for the lesser charge of culpable homicide (or, in an attempted murder case, probably conviction for the lesser charge of assault to severe injury) and normally, therefore, to a lesser penalty than for a charge of murder (or attempted murder). Provocation might apply if the accused’s loss of self-control, although falling short of  the legal test for self-defence, is the result of a provoking act, for example, an initial assault.
  • What is “Diminished responsibility”? In regard to a charge of murder, if the ability of the accused person to control his behaviour was substantially impaired by reason of abnormality of mind, rather than be found guilty of murder, the accused can then be convicted of the lesser charge of culpable homicide on the grounds of diminished responsibility. In particular, whilst a person of sound mind is legally responsible for his actions if his mind was affected, permanently or temporarily, so that it worked or works abnormally, his legal responsibility for his actions is deemed to be reduced or what the law describes as “diminished”. Abnormality of mind includes mental illness, personality disorder and learning disability.

For smart lawyers with a will to win, get in touch with now. 

Culpable Homicide

Are you looking for the best criminal defence solicitor to defend you on a charge of culpable homicide?

How can we help?

  • Culpable homicide is often regarded as broadly equivalent to the English crime of manslaughter. In particular, culpable homicide is the killing of a person where it can be shown or it’s accepted that the accused didn’t have wicked intention to kill, and didn’t act with such wicked recklessness as to make him guilty of murder.
  • Accordingly, culpable homicide is a crime less serious than murder and generally attracts sentences which are less significant than those in murder cases.
  • The accused’s acts must be intentional or at least reckless or grossly careless. A person is reckless or grossly careless if he acts in the face of obvious risks which were or should have been appreciated and guarded against or acting in a way which shows a complete disregard for any potential dangers.

For the help you need and the lawyers you deserve, contact Adams Whyte.

Offensive Weapon Charge

Are you looking for the best criminal defence solicitor to defend you on an offensive weapon charge?

How can we help?

At Adams Whyte, Solicitors, we have vast experience of fighting for the best possible results for persons charged with possession of an offensive weapon. As experts in the field, here are just some of the questions where you can count on our first-class advice:  

  • Whether the law would regard a particular item as an offensive weapon by its very nature, for example, a sword or a knuckle-duster? Or whether the item would be regarded as one which has been physically ‘adapted’ or altered with the intention of causing personal injury, for example, a sharpened stick or a piece of wood with a nail in it? Or whether the circumstances in which the person has the item would suggest that it was intended to be used to causing injury to another person? 
  • Whether the law would deem an alleged offensive weapon as having been in your possession, for example, in your jacket? Or, If not, whether the item was readily available to you, for example, close by in the side-pocket of a car? Or separated by a greater distance?
  • Whether the location for the alleged offence is one which meets the legal test of a ‘public place’?
  • Whether, based upon what your account, there are grounds to advance a defence that there was a ‘reasonable excuse’ for carrying the item, for example, taking to your job an item needed for work?
  • Whether, based upon what your account, there are grounds to advance a defence of ‘lawful authority’ to carry the item, for example, a soldier or policeman carrying certain work-related items?

For lawyers who are smart, knowledgeable and tenacious, contact Adams Whyte now.

Assault & Robbery

Are you looking for the best criminal defence solicitor to defend you on a charge of Assault & Robbery?

Robbery is the crime of stealing another person’s property by violence or intimidation.

Given the alleged violence or threat of violence implicit in a charge of robbery, courts treat such cases seriously. It’s, therefore, vital that you enlist the help of solicitors who will vigorously fight your corner to secure the best possible result.

How can we help?

As with every case, we’re committed to identifying the right questions and providing the right answers, for example:

  • Is the prosecution able to meet the legal test of more than a piece of evidence to corroborate the identity of the alleged culprit?
  • Does the alleged violence precede, or occur at the same time as, the taking of the property? If not – and the violence is alleged to take place after the taking of any property -  then the prosecution may only be able to prove the lesser serious crime of theft.
  • Is the evidence more consistent with the less serious charge of theft by snatching, rather than robbery? For example, if the force used to ‘snatch’ an item from a person was very minor and not used to overcome the other person's wishes, then there may be an argument that the court should only convict of theft, not robbery.

To speak with us in complete confidence for advice on where you stand, get in touch now.

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