Criminal Defence Lawyers for Domestic Violence Cases

Based in London, Nelson Guest and Partners Criminal Defence Lawyers provide specialist legal services to those facing charges of domestic violence. These are highly sensitive cases and we offer a friendly, professional service and the reassurance of knowing you will have the best possible legal advice and representation throughout your case.

With so many couples, and families, tested daily by the stress and strains of modern life significant numbers of disputes in the home are leading to allegations of domestic abuse and violence, often leading to criminal proceedings.

According to the Office for National Statistics Crime Survey approximately 1.9 million adults aged 16 to 59 years in England and Wales experienced domestic abuse - 1.2 million women and 713,000 men. These figures are estimated to reflect the fact that many incidents go unreported. Of those that are, around 50% result in prosecutions:

“Approximately half of domestic abuse-related crimes that are recorded by the police do not result in an arrest and a large proportion have evidential difficulties in proceeding with prosecution.” the survey states.

Each case is surrounded by a unique set of circumstances, of allegations and counter allegations, and achieving a fair outcome in court is a difficult and lengthy process. In many cases the prosecution will be attempting to secure a prosecution even without the support of the alleged victim, who may be absent from proceedings for a variety of reasons, including their reconsidering whether criminality was actually involved in the incident.

Even in cases where the prosecution’s case is strong, a defendant has the right under UK law to expert legal representation to ensure the matter is dealt with in the correct manner and with the fairest outcome in the given circumstances.

Whatever the apparent merits of a case, detailed knowledge and experience of complex areas of the law, for example those surrounding the admissibility of evidence, make it almost impossible for a defendant to successfully navigate the legal process without expert assistance.

Adding to the considerable challenges of the court case itself, a defendant will frequently be faced with bail conditions which forbid them from residing at their home, should the complainant be living there. This can lead to problems with access to children and possessions, and the need to find alternative accommodation for an uncertain period of time can have significant financial consequences.

Nelson Guest & Partners are specialist criminal defence lawyers with over 25 years’ experience in defending such sensitive cases. We have an excellent record in securing fair outcomes for our clients, from mitigations through to acquittals where appropriate. At every stage throughout what can be a lengthy legal process, we will explain your options and advise you on your best course of action, always in plain, easy to understand language.

Contact us as soon as possible for a free and confidential consultation on 020 8309 5010 or use our contact form. We cover London, the home counties and beyond.