Hiring a solicitor as a victim

BuffySummersReportingforSanity · 2021-10-05T17:41:32+00:00

Interested in experiences of hiring someone to represent your interests when you've been a victim of crime. Has anyone done it? Can it be a good idea? If so, what are things to look for?

Original poster

BuffySummersReportingforSanity · 05/10/2021 20:04

Bump

OP posts:

JakeyRolling · 05/10/2021 20:25

Possibly an idea to specify if you are in England/Wales or Scotland as legal systems are different

Griefmonster · 05/10/2021 20:30

Do you mean as the victim of a crime? In a case CPS are prosecuting?

What process do you want representation for? In a criminal court case, a victim wouldn't normally have representation.

Original poster

BuffySummersReportingforSanity · 05/10/2021 20:33

@JakeyRolling

Possibly an idea to specify if you are in England/Wales or Scotland as legal systems are different

Good point. England.

OP posts:

NaturalStudy · 05/10/2021 20:34

What do you want the solicitor to do for you OP? That will help us answer your question.

Original poster

BuffySummersReportingforSanity · 05/10/2021 20:36

@Griefmonster

Do you mean as the victim of a crime? In a case CPS are prosecuting?

What process do you want representation for? In a criminal court case, a victim wouldn't normally have representation.

It's a service that some solicitors advertise: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk/services/department/criminal-litigation/victims-and-witnesses-of-crime

Let me be clear because I know the assumption is going to be here in 5 minutes: I have zero interest in monetary compensation. If I were to consider this, it would be for the purposes of having someone who knows how to liaise with police, how to get information out of them about the progress of an investigation that I need for my own safety, how to make sure my safety and interests are protected.

OP posts:

stripetop · 05/10/2021 20:42

Op are you ok? I mean that with care. You don't need to hire anyone. I'm in Scotland but the prosecution basis is to do this for you.

Original poster

BuffySummersReportingforSanity · 05/10/2021 20:45

@stripetop

Op are you ok? I mean that with care. You don't need to hire anyone. I'm in Scotland but the prosecution basis is to do this for you.

Not really, no. And I would like to believe the second part of your post, but I'm really not sure that I do. I would like information about where the police think the perp is, how close they are to detaining him, and someone with the wherewithal to make sure a restraining order is put in place and enforced. Prosecutions are Crown vs. defendant and the CPS pushes its own interests, not a victim's.

OP posts:

austenprejudice · 05/10/2021 21:02

I think, please check, You can get general advice ,but not specific coaching once you are a witness. I think a celeb had this.
She was a victim but the defence counsel made a fool of her on day I and she was unable to prepare with a solicitor for day 2. But it was an extremely weird story anyway.

stripetop · 05/10/2021 21:04

Ok so still at investigation stage. Keeping this bumped for you as Scotland as I say.

Here the police investigate then hand over to PF for court stages, Any orders etc.

I would hate to see you paying for something someone should be doing as part of a role.

Is there a victim support equivalent? You say him so if I were to assume a domestic nature for example, women's aid can offer such advice, lease with police, update on progress etc.

stripetop · 05/10/2021 21:05

Liaise sorry, typing one fingered feeding baby

Original poster

BuffySummersReportingforSanity · 05/10/2021 21:10

It's not a partner or ex, which is one thing that complicates this issue as I don't think WA are a relevant organisation. I have started contact with Victim Support.

OP posts:

Griefmonster · 05/10/2021 21:18

I'm so sorry OP x I understand. I'm not convinced by the service that company are providing however. Unless money isn't an issue for you. If it is, I would second contacting women aid. Are you in England? I might be able to advise similar charities that specialise in supporting women

Griefmonster · 05/10/2021 21:22

www.centreforwomensjustice.org.uk/why-we-exist

Victim support good call and this has org.

Wegobshite · 05/10/2021 21:50

I’m in England
And not sure if this is relevant but I got an indefinite restraining order against a neighbour from the crown court ,

And part of his sentence was that he could not enter the street where we both lived for two years but because of the restraining order and the exclusion order he has been forced to exchange his HA house .
I found the police officer in charge of the case excellent and he was my main contact point and really listened to what I said and how I felt .
Victim support were ok but I wasn’t that impressed with them

notaclownfish · 05/10/2021 23:25

OP, if someone has hurt you, does it matter if he's a partner or ex? I was assaulted by a then friend and got a restraining order, so not sure that a romantic relationship is required?

mynameiscalypso · 05/10/2021 23:30

I have (I actually used KN for it too - they're a very well known and well respected law firm). My lawyer handled all the contact with the police and CPS - for various reasons, there were lengthy delays and them some very questionable decisions made at various points so it was really helpful to have his advice and his take on what was normal. It was expensive, maybe 6 or 7k because I mainly dealt with a partner rather than his junior and there were a few meetings with the police that he came to but it removed a huge amount of the stress from me. I didn't get the result I wanted but I do at least know that I gave it everything.

notaclownfish · 05/10/2021 23:45

And hope you're doing okay, OP, we're here if you need us

Original poster

BuffySummersReportingforSanity · 06/10/2021 09:07

@notaclownfish

OP, if someone has hurt you, does it matter if he's a partner or ex? I was assaulted by a then friend and got a restraining order, so not sure that a romantic relationship is required?

I don't know; does it matter? WA does seem very geared to intimate partner violence to me as well as badly overstretched. My situation doesn't seem to fit most of the usual boxes.

OP posts:

Original poster

BuffySummersReportingforSanity · 06/10/2021 09:09

@mynameiscalypso

I have (I actually used KN for it too - they're a very well known and well respected law firm). My lawyer handled all the contact with the police and CPS - for various reasons, there were lengthy delays and them some very questionable decisions made at various points so it was really helpful to have his advice and his take on what was normal. It was expensive, maybe 6 or 7k because I mainly dealt with a partner rather than his junior and there were a few meetings with the police that he came to but it removed a huge amount of the stress from me. I didn't get the result I wanted but I do at least know that I gave it everything.

Thanks; it's good to hear from someone who has done it. I do technically have the money, do I want to spend it on this, it depends on what it might help with - hence my question. So far I have not found the police to be either massively helpful or transparent.

I'll try to get onto victim support and see if they can offer anything concrete.

OP posts:

TakeYourFinalPosition · 06/10/2021 09:14

I know people who have - but to be honest, it won’t mean you get more updates on where the police think the perp is, or how the arrest is proceeding, etc. It would provide you with someone to ask questions to, but it’s an expensive way to get that level of support, and Victim Support can be great - sadly I’ve had to use them in a stalker/assault situation.

I’m not saying it’s not worth it - if you’ve got a decent amount of money spare and would like to spend it on feeling more reassured and that you’re getting professional input too, that’s absolutely fine. But it won’t speed things up or give you more of a say, so I think it’s important to know what you’re actually paying for.

Are you alright? I vividly remember the early days and it was hard… it did get easier, but feeling unsafe even at home was horrendous

mynameiscalypso · 06/10/2021 09:25

I think trying victim support is a good idea - I don't think I did on the basis that I was supposed to have a dedicated police officer who fulfilled that role (they were just a bit shit). It was a lot of money and arguably that money could have been better spent on therapy but I don't necessarily regret it. I found the whole police/CPS process very damaging (in some ways, more traumatic than the actual incident) and having someone to metaphorically hold my hand was helpful. That said, I am also a professional-type person and I deal with things by being detached and treating it like I'm at work which is probably why it worked well for me. I didn't want someone to feel sorry for me or tell me it would all be okay - I wanted someone who would debate interpretation of the law and give me insights into police procedure.

mynameiscalypso · 06/10/2021 09:27

What I will say is that - right or not - it gave me a different level of access to go through a lawyer. Rather than dealing with the PC/DC assigned to my case, most of my communication once my lawyer was involved was with the DCI (who was great).

Original poster

BuffySummersReportingforSanity · 06/10/2021 09:42

@mynameiscalypso

What I will say is that - right or not - it gave me a different level of access to go through a lawyer. Rather than dealing with the PC/DC assigned to my case, most of my communication once my lawyer was involved was with the DCI (who was great).

Thanks. This, to be honest, is the main thing I would actually want right now. There has been a rapid escalation in offences recently, the case has changed teams internally and we now have no point of contact and no communication from police. It's impossible to know if it's safe to consider returning home after an incident there. The offender is not rational.

OP posts:

Original poster

BuffySummersReportingforSanity · 06/10/2021 11:55

Victim Support seem ok, but their waiting list for police advocacy and support is 8 weeks.

OP posts: