Wansbroughs is one of the largest providers of publicly funded criminal defence services in the west of England. We are able to provide a large, specialist team offering expertise and high standards of client care through each stage of the criminal process.

Arrest and detention at the Police Station

This is the first important stage of any criminal proceeding. When suspects are arrested, they are taken to one of the custody units in Wiltshire: Salisbury, Swindon or Melksham. Our accredited representatives and solicitors are on call 24 hours a day to represent anyone who attends a police station, whether voluntarily or under arrest. Our lawyers are also qualified police station Duty Solicitors.

Being arrested by the police and held in custody can be a traumatic experience and most people will want to leave as soon as possible. Normally, however, the police will wish to interview a suspect first. What is said or not said in an interview is of vital importance and will have an impact on any proceedings that result. It is therefore crucial to have a legal representative present. Such representation is free of charge and our accredited representatives and solicitors offer the necessary support and expertise to keep any time spent in custody to a minimum and also to ensure clients get fair representation and outcomes.

The Court Hearing

If proceedings follow from the police station interview, a person will either be summonsed or bailed to appear in the magistrates court. Our experienced solicitors will apply for legal aid, available on a means tested basis for most offences, and then advise and represent the client throughout the subsequent proceedings. Our solicitors are also listed on the Court Duty Solicitor rota and can represent anyone free of charge subject to the restrictions of the Duty Solicitor Scheme. The principal courts dealt with by our solicitors are Chippenham, Salisbury, Swindon, Bath and Bristol.

The Crown Court

Some offences can only be dealt with by a Crown Court. In other cases, the Magistrates may decide that a case should be sent there for sentencing or trial. We have a specialist team of in-house solicitor advocates who are experienced in all aspects of Crown Court representation. Crown Courts covered by our solicitor advocates include Swindon, Bristol, Salisbury, Winchester and Gloucester.

Prison Law

We offer a specialist prison law service for serving prisoners. This covers licence recalls, adjudications, Parole Board hearings and recategorisation issues. Legal advice and assistance or advocacy assistance is available. We cover all prisons in the west of England.