Island Life Magazine Ltd April / May 2016 | Page 127

LEGAL Roach Pittis advice By Barry Arnett Roach Pittis Solicitors, 60 - 66 Lugley Street, Newport, PO30 5EU 01983 524431 [email protected] Do you need a solicitor at the police station? A police station interview is an interview that is usually carried out as part of a police investigation into an alleged criminal offence. Most police interviews in England and Wales will be carried out whilst you are being detained at a police station following your arrest. Sometimes you might therefore be asked to accompany police to the station for a ‘chat’ or you might arrange to attend voluntarily. There may be times as well that an interview or chat take place at your home address. All interviews however, even voluntarily interviews, when the police are investigating a criminal matter are interviews under ‘caution’. This caution is the vitally important part of any police station interview or voluntary interview as it informs you of your rights during the interview process. A lot of people do not realise that even a voluntary interview can lead to criminal charges and therefore all that is said in that interview is very important. If you attend therefore for an interview or attend voluntarily without the benefit of legal representation from a fully qualified solicitor you could find yourself in a very difficult situation or even face a miscarriage of justice. During any interview the police officers will ask questions regarding your involvement or suspected involvement in a criminal offence. It is absolutely vital that you have legal representation. I have often been asked the following question ‘’why is it important to have a legal representative present?’’. The simple answer is that not having the benefit of independent legal representation at a police station interview can mean that you might incriminate yourself without actually realising, or without knowing the full range of legal options that you have available to you, or even whether you have to answer certain questions. If a solicitor is present at your police interview they will protect your interests and make sure that the interview is carried out by the police in a fair and proper manner. Roach Pittis Solicitors have a large criminal practice and can provide free legal aid advice at a police station interview even if a person has attended voluntarily. Our solicitors are on call twenty four hours a day, three hundred and sixty five days a year to provide you with expert legal advice and support when you need it most. We would strongly suggest that you request legal assistance. The head of our criminal department Barry Arnett who is a solicitor and higher court advocate can be contacted on 01983 524431 during office hours or 07855 540653 at any time. www.visitilife.com 127