Domestic crime

Domestic crime is an area of Scots criminal law that is treated with a zero-tolerance approach in Scotland at present. As such, it is important you contact a domestic violence defence lawyer immediately when facing an allegation.

Domestic Crime FAQ

A: A domestic crime is any crime that takes place against a ‘domestic’ background that can be considered ‘domestically aggravated’. The most common examples are domestic violence charges and domestic s38.
A: If accused of a domestic crime it is vital you contact us immediately. Domestic violence charges, domestic abuse charges and domestic s38 charges are treated very seriously. Our specialist lawyers have a wealth of experience in dealing with domestic crime charges.

Crown public policy dictates that domestic crimes will be prosecuted at all costs, and it is doubtful that any allegation of domestic crime will escape a thorough police investigation and referral to prosecution lawyers for court proceedings. If you are suspected or accused of a domestic offence, then you should contact a domestic abuse lawyer without delay.

Any crime that takes place against a ‘domestic’ background can be considered ‘domestically aggravated’. The most common examples are the crimes of domestic assault and domestic s38. Domestic offences are treated with priority, and throughout Scotland, there are dedicated courts set up to deal specifically with domestic cases.

Recently, new laws have been passed to cover what is known as coercive and controlling behaviours Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act and in its first year since being approved by Parliament, Police Scotland have recorded more than 1300 crimes under this new act.

Domestic Abuse Scotland Act 2018

Introduced on 1 April 2019, the new Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act criminalised the coercive and controlling behaviours used by domestic abusers creating a single offence which covers a wide range of abusive behaviours whether physical psychological financial or sexual.

Since 2018 18500 police officers and staff have received specialist training on domestic assault and domestic offences with an emphasis on the cyber element of such offences.

Domestic offences, including domestic s38 charges and domestic assault charges and allegations of controlling and coercive behaviour, can be incredibly complex. A common feature of such cases is the issue of reluctant witnesses and the care which must be taken by the prosecution lawyers when cross-examining such witnesses. It is therefore vital that if you are accused of a domestic crime, then you should contact a domestic abuse lawyer without delay.

Domestic violence defence lawyer

If you are suspected of a domestic offence, then it is highly likely that you will be “arrested under suspicion” and taken to a police station for questioning even where the evidence only comes from a single source. This is an indication of how seriously the authorities take this type of crime.

Domestic offences are, of course, treated very seriously in the courts and can attract lengthy prison sentences. Our specialist team of Domestic crime defence lawyers have a wealth of experience in preparing and presenting defences to allegations.

Domestic abuse legal aid

You may be entitled to legal aid throughout the process. Legal aid in Scotland is there so that you can access the tools required to defend yourself from allegations.  Contact us, and we will walk you through the options available to you.

Was looking for a lawyer to help me in a situation and Mathew and his team done just more than and got me a better result than was expected would highly recommend to anyone