Criminal Defence Solicitors Croydon

Has someone just been arrested in Croydon? Has an interview letter come through your letterbox? Get on 0203 959 7755 straight away. The line is covered around the clock.

When somebody close to you is being held inside a Croydon police station, or when the police want you to come in and answer questions, the one move that actually shifts the position is picking up the phone. That call is exactly what we exist to answer as a criminal defence solicitor in Croydon on the line at any hour. The cost of hesitating on that call isn't visible in the moment — it surfaces later as choices that would have been open and now aren't.

Nothing gets charged for a conversation with us at the police station stage. Legal aid covers it. That takes the decision on whether to phone down to something very simple.

PHONE: 0203 959 7755

Moeen & Co. Solicitors. Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Accredited with the Legal Aid Agency. The solicitor answering your first call is the same one alongside you at the very last court hearing. Files don't move between staff. No barrister you've never once spoken to walking into Crown Court on trial day.

Table of Contents

Time Runs Against You From the First Moment of a Croydon Arrest

Cases don't get decided at trial. They get decided in the hours immediately after arrest.

Plenty of people believe criminal cases hinge on what unfolds once everyone finally gets into a courtroom. That belief doesn't match how it plays out.

What actually shapes the case: the interview under caution. Whatever ended up said at the police station before a solicitor was involved. Whether the material that would have supported the defence remained accessible long enough for anybody to secure it.

Waiting is never neutral time. Every hour with no solicitor engaged is another hour where the position drifts.

How long the police can hold you without charge

Following arrest, the standard time the police can hold you without charge is 24 hours. A superintendent can extend that to 36 hours. Where the offence is serious, up to 96 hours can be authorised by a magistrate.

None of those hours pause because the family hasn't caught up with events. The clock runs regardless.

What's happening at the Croydon police station right now

At this moment, if a family member is being held inside a Croydon police station, the following is happening:

• The custody sergeant is going to ask them about a solicitor

• An interview is going to take place — with a lawyer alongside them or without one

• What they say enters the file as a permanent record

• The CPS reads through that file when taking the charging decision

The chance to get a solicitor sitting in that interview room is ahead of it kicking off. Not after it has already run its course.

RING 0203 959 7755. Say the name Moeen & Co.

What happens to evidence when no one is chasing it

It's lost. Most CCTV overwrites itself inside days. Witnesses lose the detail. Text messages get wiped from phones. Older phone location data becomes progressively harder to obtain as the days go by.

Where the prosecution ends up building a case with your side of it absent from every page, that's the case that heads to court.

Don't let this drift. 0203 959 7755.

What to Do Immediately After an Arrest

If you happen to be reading this from inside a Croydon police station, or somebody has just phoned to tell you a relative has been picked up, focus on the following over the next hour.

1. Ask for us by name

You have a right to a solicitor. Legal aid picks up the fee. There is no obligation to accept the duty solicitor rostered that day.

What to say to the custody sergeant: "I want Moeen & Co. Solicitors representing me on this."

The number to pass across: 0203 959 7755.

2. Volunteer nothing about what actually happened

Not to the sergeant. Not to any other person you encounter inside the Croydon police station. Not on the recorded phone call home you'll be offered.

Once custody starts, anything you say about the case is at risk of ending up in the file. The one thing that stays out of the file is your private consultation with your solicitor.

3. Sign nothing without advice

The custody paperwork. Interview consent documents. Bail forms. Read anything put in front of you before you sign it. If any of the wording isn't clear, wait until we've had the opportunity to talk.

4. Understand what the caution really does

The officer reads out the caution to you right before the interview starts. The words themselves sound plain. What they actually accomplish is more layered than they sound.

There's no obligation on you to say anything. But if you stay silent on a matter you subsequently attempt to rely on at court, that silence can be held against you. And every answer you do give goes onto the record.

This double bind — silence has a cost, speaking has a cost — is precisely why legal advice needs to be in place before the interview starts, not after it's over.

5. Get someone on the outside to phone us

The police are obliged to notify one person of your nomination that the arrest has happened. Use that entitlement. Have that person dial 0203 959 7755. Work on the case can start from that call, before we've made direct contact with you ourselves.

Relative in custody right now? 0203 959 7755. Straight away.

When a Family Member Has Been Arrested in Croydon

The bulk of the calls we take following a Croydon arrest come from a partner, a parent, a brother or sister, or a close friend — not from the person being held.

If that describes your position, work through the following in order.

Step one — call us

Not the police station. Not the wider family. Not friends. Us before you contact any of them.

Number to have ready: 0203 959 7755. Answered every hour.

Work on the case can begin from that call — before you've confirmed which police station is holding the person.

Step two — write down what you know

Location of the arrest. Approximate time. Any officer names, shoulder numbers, or unit markers heard. Anything said about the reason for the arrest.

You don't need the complete picture. Partial information is still useful.

Step three — dial 101 to find the police station

The police non-emergency line handles enquiries of this kind. Before dialling, have to hand:

• The person's full legal name

• Date of birth

• Approximate time and location of the arrest

During that call, they'll confirm which police station or custody suite has the person.

Step four — post nothing online, message no one

The pull to reach out to people is entirely natural. Push against it.

Facebook. Instagram. WhatsApp groups. Private text messages. Every one of them is capable of being pulled back and ending up on the case file. Speculating publicly before the position is understood generates real problems further down the line.

Step five — come back to us with the location

Once we have the police station in view, the advice moves from generic into case-specific — how the interview is likely to run, what bail conditions may look like, what happens after that.

You've Been Asked in for a Voluntary Police Interview in Croydon

A voluntary interview at a Croydon police station is not a friendly chat. The word voluntary describes how you arrived there — that's all.

A letter lands in the post. Sometimes it's a phone call instead. The tone remains calm and measured. The police would appreciate you coming in to answer a few questions. No arrest has been made, and none of the wording suggests urgency.

This is exactly the point at which mistakes get made.

From a legal standpoint, an interview under caution following a voluntary attendance operates identically to one after arrest. The wording of the caution is the same. The recording gets used the same way. The consequences that follow are the same.

What people wrongly assume — and why it damages the case

• Believing a voluntary interview doesn't need a solicitor

• Thinking being open with the police will make it go away

• Assuming that turning up cooperatively will play well later on

• Planning to just explain what actually happened

Each one of those assumptions damages the case before it's begun.

What to do the moment the letter lands

Get on the phone to us right away. Not the morning of the interview. The moment the letter arrives.

As a voluntary police interview solicitor Croydon clients get in touch with in advance of these appointments, our message is always the same: the gap between the letter landing and the interview date is your opportunity to prepare. Don't let it slip.

What we do in the run-up to the interview

• Take you through the specific allegation in proper detail

• Set out what the police already have and what they don't

• Work out what to say, what to hold back, and the reasoning for each

• Prepare you for the specific line of questioning coming

• Sit beside you during the interview itself

The entire process runs on legal aid. Cost isn't a proper reason to walk into that interview on your own.

Received a Croydon police interview letter? Ring 0203 959 7755 before you take any other step.

What Our Croydon Criminal Defence Team Handles

Every stage of a criminal matter, on our books for Croydon clients. The same solicitor across the whole file. No transfers between fee-earners inside the firm.

Police station attendance

We attend at Croydon police stations for interviews under arrest and voluntary interviews under caution. At any hour. Police station work sits on legal aid regardless of what you earn.

Magistrates' Court appearances

Initial court appearances. Bail applications. Plea decisions on charges that are either-way. Summary trial hearings. Sentencing. Magistrates' Court work is a weekly fixture across our practice.

Crown Court representation

Serious cases. Either-way matters sent up from the Magistrates'. Formal disclosure. Preparation of the evidence bundle. Witness planning. Trial advocacy itself.

Moeen Khan carries Solicitor Advocate qualifications. Crown Court cases remain within the firm — outside counsel doesn't need instructing at the point a case gets sent up.

Appeals

Where a conviction or sentence appears to have been wrongly reached, appeal may be an option. The time limits are strict — sometimes just days from the original decision. Move quickly if that is the position you find yourself in.

Pre-charge advice

If you suspect you might be under investigation but the police haven't been in touch yet, take advice at that point. Being prepared beforehand beats reacting after something has already happened.

Any stage of a case — 0203 959 7755.

Offences We Handle for Croydon Clients

Each of the offence areas listed below has a dedicated page across the site going into more depth.

Drug Offence Solicitor Croydon

Possession matters. Supply-related allegations. Production charges. Cases involving cannabis, cocaine, heroin, MDMA, ketamine, and prescription medicines. Whether the CPS treats it as personal use or supply frequently depends on the interview account itself. Ring 0203 959 7755 before that interview.

Assault Solicitor Croydon

Common assault matters. ABH. GBH. Section 47, Section 20, and Section 18 charges under the Offences Against the Person Act. Which charge lands on you depends on the injury level and the intent question — both of which get shaped by how the incident gets described in the interview room. Legal input needs to come first.

Domestic Violence Solicitor Croydon

Cases within a domestic setting — violence, threats, or persistent controlling behaviour. In this type of case, bail conditions almost always block contact and often require the accused to leave the shared home. Handled with the discretion the case calls for and at whatever pace suits the situation.

Sexual Assault Solicitor Croydon

Allegations of sexual assault rank near the very top for seriousness among what someone can face. Handled with the confidentiality these matters require and the level of experience they call for — carrying through to trial where it comes to that.

Rape Defence Solicitor Croydon

Rape is an indictable-only offence. Cases go directly to Crown Court. Getting experienced representation involved as early as possible matters here more than for virtually any other type of offence.

Money Laundering Solicitor Croydon

Financial crime defence work. Money laundering cases. Applications under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Confiscation proceedings that typically follow. Cases stretching across months with heavy document volumes. Outcomes here get shaped by the quality of preparation.

Drink Drive Solicitor Croydon

The initial roadside stop. A positive breath sample. Blood collected. Urine collected. Cases spanning everything from low-reading first-timers up to repeat offenders on high readings. Special reasons applications when the facts back one. Clients are almost always most concerned about the licence and the impact on their livelihood.

Drug Drive Solicitor Croydon

Since roadside drug testing came in, drug driving prosecutions have become a routine feature on court lists. Genuine technical defences exist in the right cases — errors during the stop, laboratory analysis issues. We give a level read on whether they apply to your case.

Failing to Stop Solicitor Croydon

Failing to stop or report after a road traffic collision. The name of the offence doesn't convey what actually happens next — licence points added, insurance costs rising for years, potentially a disqualification. The real-world consequences run deeper than the charge title suggests.

Facing any of these? 0203 959 7755.

The Full Process — Arrest to Outcome

If an arrest has happened in Croydon, here's what actually follows.

Booking in at the police station

The custody sergeant reviews how the arrest came about and signs off on detention if they consider it justified. That's when your rights get read out to you.

That is when to ask for a solicitor. Pass our name to the custody sergeant. Legal aid covers the fee.

The private consultation before interview

Before the questioning begins in the interview, you're entitled to a private conversation with your solicitor. Use every minute you get. That's where the plan gets built for what to say and what to hold back.

If we haven't reached the police station yet, wait. Don't let the interview begin without us there.

Inside the interview room

We're seated alongside you throughout. The officer reads the caution. Questions come. Your answer — or your choice not to answer — flows from what we've worked out together in advance.

Recording runs beginning to end. There's no off-the-record moment in that room.

Four possible outcomes at the end of the interview

Charged. A first hearing at the local Magistrates' Court gets fixed. The charge sheet is handed to you. Either released on bail — with or without conditions — or held in custody to appear at the next available court sitting.

Bailed while police enquiries continue. You leave the police station, but the investigation itself stays live. Bail terms may or may not attach. Any breach becomes a separate criminal offence.

Released under investigation. No charge. No bail conditions. No date fixed for coming back. But the file remains open. Can stretch across months. Stay in touch with your solicitor through that quiet period.

No further action. The case is closed. The strongest possible outcome — though even then, questions can come up about how the fact of the arrest appears on any records held about you.

First court hearing

Once charged, first appearance takes place at the local Magistrates' Court. Personal details go onto the court record. Plea is entered where the case stage allows it. Bail is dealt with.

Every part of it is walked through with you ahead of the hearing day. Nothing that matters is being decided in a courthouse corridor five minutes before your matter is called.

Crown Court

Serious matters get sent up. The pace changes from weeks to months. Judge and jury sit. Formal disclosure timetables come into effect.

Moeen Khan personally conducts the Crown Court advocacy. The same solicitor takes the file through from beginning to end.

Sentencing

A conviction — whether by plea or verdict — moves on to sentencing. The court applies the published sentencing guidelines, but properly constructed mitigation can shift the sentence by a meaningful amount.

Every Right You Have

These rights are meant to be explained to you at the police station. In practice, that explanation often doesn't register clearly in the moment. Best to be familiar with them going in.

• Independent legal advice at every stage — police station advice paid by legal aid whatever your income

• One person of your choice must be notified about the arrest

• Access to the PACE Codes of Practice — the rules governing how detention is meant to be handled

• An interpreter at no cost if English isn't your first language

• An appropriate adult if you're under 18 or an adult meeting the vulnerability threshold

• The right to stay silent — though whether silence helps or hurts your case is a judgment for legal advice, not a general rule

• Breaks during interview for food, rest, and medical attention where needed

Requesting a solicitor won't look suspicious to a single person in that room. Custody staff and interviewing officers handle solicitor requests continuously — it's a routine element of every shift.

Take the right. 0203 959 7755.

Things That Damage Cases

Before what to do, here's what worsens cases in practical terms.

Nothing online, no messages

Nothing posted on Facebook. Nothing posted on Instagram. Nothing inside a WhatsApp group. Not even a text to a close friend you trust — they could still take a screenshot.

Anything typed can be recovered. What's recovered ends up on the file. What sits on the file gets read out at court.

Don't try to talk your way out at interview

The interview isn't going to end with you being sent home cleared. It exists as evidence-gathering, not as a place where you get a fair hearing.

Whatever your account is, deliver it with a solicitor sitting alongside.

No contact with the complainant or with witnesses

Not for the purpose of explaining. Not for saying sorry. Not to try to smooth anything over. Not through a mutual friend or a relative acting as a middleman.

Contact — whether direct or through an intermediary — regularly turns into a further criminal offence added on top of the original allegation.

Take every piece of paperwork seriously

Interview letters. Bail conditions. Court summonses. Every date matters. Every requirement matters.

Failing to show up at a listed court hearing is itself a criminal offence. So is breaching a bail condition — that too is a criminal offence on its own.

Don't sit on it hoping it goes away

Criminal cases don't resolve themselves. Time makes them worse. Evidence is lost. Windows close.

0203 959 7755. Now.

Which Court Handles Which Type of Case

Under criminal law, all offences sit in one of three categories. The category itself dictates which court will hear the case.

Summary offences

The lower end of the tariff. Most motoring matters, minor public order, low-value shoplifting.

These are handled at the Magistrates' Court from beginning to end. There is no jury. Proceedings move at greater speed. The court's sentencing powers have a cap.

Either-way offences

The middle band, holding many assault, theft, and drug charges.

Can be dealt with at the Magistrates', or sent up to Crown Court if the seriousness supports that. That decision on routing affects both how the preparation is done and the potential sentencing outcome.

Indictable-only offences

The most serious end. Rape. Serious sexual offences. GBH with intent. Major drug supply.

These offences cannot remain at the Magistrates'. They must go up to Crown Court.

The CPS makes the charging decision

For anything above the most minor offences, the Crown Prosecution Service — not the police directly — takes the charging decision.

Two tests are applied by the CPS. Does the evidence give a realistic prospect of securing a conviction? And is a prosecution in the public interest?

Sometimes there's room for a defence solicitor to make representations before the charging decision is finalised — but only where instruction has come in early enough to make that possible.

Early engagement counts. 0203 959 7755.

Why Croydon Clients Instruct Moeen & Co.

There are plenty of criminal defence firms operating across South London. Their marketing tends to run together. What actually separates one firm from another sits below the marketing.

SRA regulation and Legal Aid Agency accreditation

Those are the fundamentals. Any firm that can't answer yes to both without hesitation should drop off your shortlist before other factors even get looked at.

Genuine round-the-clock phone coverage

Arrests take place at three in the morning. Interview letters turn up on a Saturday. Being a criminal lawyer Croydon families can actually get hold of when the moment demands it isn't marketing talk on our side — it's the operating model of the firm.

Same solicitor across the whole case

The person who answers your first call is the one still on the file at the final hearing. Files don't get shifted between fee-earners. No barrister you've never met walking into Crown Court on trial day.

Moeen Khan handles Crown Court advocacy himself

His Solicitor Advocate rights mean outside counsel doesn't need to be brought in when a case gets committed up. Same solicitor stays with the case throughout.

Preparation matched to the actual case

A first-time driving case gets the same care as any Crown Court trial. As an experienced criminal solicitor Croydon clients turn to, the standard of the work doesn't slip just because the fee level might allow for less.

Plain-English communication

Technical jargon doesn't enter the conversation. Nothing patronising. Every phone call with us should make your position clearer to you — not more confused than when the call started.

0203 959 7755. Test us on any of these.

How Fees Are Handled

Two possible ways of funding the case. Which of them fits your situation is laid out openly at the very start, before work begins.

Legal aid

At the police station stage, legal aid pays for advice whatever you earn. No means test kicks in at that point. Coverage is universal.

For court proceedings, whether legal aid applies depends on your financial position and the type of offence involved. Because we hold accreditation with the Legal Aid Agency, we can serve as a legal aid solicitor Croydon clients turn to, and we go through the eligibility question with you openly during that first phone call.

For anyone specifically looking at legal aid criminal defence Croydon options — the key point is that police station advice is covered whatever your circumstances happen to be. Cost is not a valid basis for delaying that call.

Private funding

Where legal aid doesn't apply — earnings above the threshold, or the offence outside legal aid scope — private funding takes over.

Some clients pick private funding even when they qualify for legal aid — the private route brings more flexibility, and that's what draws them to it.

The standard of preparation and representation stays the same either way.

Not sure which route applies? 0203 959 7755 for a straight answer.

Under-18s and Vulnerable Adults

Different clients approach a police interview from very different starting positions.

Under-18s, and adults who meet the vulnerability threshold — a mental health condition, learning disability, or similar — are entitled to an appropriate adult during the interview. That role goes to an independent person whose specific brief is protecting the interviewee's interests. It runs alongside legal representation, not in place of it.

If you're a parent calling about a child, or a relative ringing on behalf of someone meeting the vulnerability criteria, mention it on the very first call. That changes our approach to the case from day one.

Ring 0203 959 7755. Tell us who the case involves.

Assumptions That Cause the Most Damage

"It's only a voluntary interview"

The word only doesn't apply. Same caution. Same use of the interview record. Same consequences that come from it.

"Asking for a solicitor will make me look guilty"

It won't come across that way to anyone present in the room. Interviewing officers see solicitor requests as a completely routine part of what happens on every shift.

What raises actual concern in the interviewing officers' eyes is someone trying to face down the questioning alone.

"I can't afford it, so I'll go alone"

Legal aid covers police station advice whatever you earn. Cost isn't a proper reason to face an interview without representation.

"If I just tell the truth, everything will sort out"

Being truthful matters. So does the way the truth gets delivered.

An interview with the police isn't anything like ordinary conversation. It runs as a heavily structured, guided, recorded exercise — the specific wording of your answers, the order things get said, and which precise question drew which precise reply all shape how your account appears on the record. Honesty on its own doesn't safeguard you; there has to be preparation underneath it.

"Legal aid means I'm stuck with the duty solicitor"

Legal aid gives you the ability to ask specifically for Moeen & Co. Because we're accredited, that request will be actioned. Choice of solicitor rests with you.

Pick us. 0203 959 7755.

Three Sentences to Give the Police

Until we get the chance to speak to you, keep it to three sentences and no more than that:

• "Moeen & Co. Solicitors are who I want representing me. Their number is 0203 959 7755."

• "I won't be answering any questions until my solicitor is here."

• "I don't consent to anything without legal advice first."

Those three sentences are the entire script — nothing on top. Don't say anything about the allegation. Don't say anything about your whereabouts. Don't say anything about anyone in your life.

Silence doesn't admit anything. Silence buys us the time needed to get to you.

Say the lines. Then get us on the phone — or have somebody call. 0203 959 7755.

Legal Terms in Plain English

Caution

The formal wording an officer reads out at the beginning of an interview under caution. Keeping quiet about something you then try to bring up at court later can work against you. Anything you do say goes on record and becomes evidence.

Charged

The step where a case moves from police investigation into court proceedings proper.

Bail

Getting released from custody while the case remains open. Can come without conditions, or with conditions attached — reporting duties, curfews across defined hours, orders barring contact with named people, exclusion from set locations. Any breach of a bail condition is itself a criminal offence.

Remand

Held in custody rather than released. Not something applied often in routine practice, and only used where the court has a defined worry the defendant might abscond, offend again, or interfere with witnesses.

Either-way

A type of offence that can go through either the Magistrates' Court or Crown Court, with the seriousness of the case determining which.

Indictable-only

An offence that has to go up to Crown Court — the Magistrates' Court cannot deal with it.

Released under investigation

Not charged, but the file itself remains open. No court date fixed. No deadline set. Cases can drag on in this state for months.

Legal professional privilege

The doctrine keeping everything discussed between you and your solicitor confidential. The police, the CPS, and the courts have no access to any of it unless you personally waive the privilege yourself. Absolute — nothing gets excepted.

Any of these apply to your position? 0203 959 7755.

You've Been Charged in Croydon — What Next

A charge means the case is heading to court. Advice needs to happen today.

Being handed the charge sheet is the point at which the police and CPS have taken the decision that the case is moving forward.

From then onwards, every date on the calendar counts. Every listed hearing counts. Every conversation about the case counts.

Read the charge sheet carefully

The sheet contains the specific charge you face, when and where your first hearing is, and whatever bail conditions apply.

If any part of it isn't clear — 0203 959 7755.

Comply strictly with every bail condition

A duty to sign on at a named police station. A curfew running over set hours. Prohibitions on contact with named individuals. Geographic exclusion from stated places.

A breach of any bail condition amounts to its own criminal offence separately. Beyond that, it weakens the defence position on the original case.

Where a bail condition genuinely can't be met — for reasons of work, childcare, or where you live — ring us. Bail conditions can be varied through a court process. That process has to be followed, not sidestepped.

Attend every listed hearing

Missing a court hearing is a criminal offence in itself. It can result in a warrant being issued for your arrest.

If there's a genuine reason you cannot attend — serious illness, transport breakdown — tell your solicitor before the hearing, not after.

Don't discuss the case

Nothing to the complainant. Nothing to any witness in the case. Nothing put on social media. Nothing inside a group chat either.

Every conversation you have about the case brings a risk of it eventually looping back into the evidence file.

Charged in Croydon? 0203 959 7755 today.

What Trial Preparation Actually Involves

Where a case actually goes to trial, this is the work carried out behind the scenes. Once you see what it entails, why early involvement on our part matters so much becomes obvious.

Working through the prosecution material

All of what the prosecution has served gets worked through end to end. Witness statements. Exhibits. Video footage. Digital records. Officers' contemporaneous notebooks.

The reason for going through all of it: working out what supports the prosecution's case — and, more importantly still, finding the material that breaks the case down.

Pressing for what hasn't been served

The prosecution is under a legal duty to disclose material capable of weakening their case or backing the defence. That duty doesn't always convert into automatic disclosure. Pushing for it is part of what we do.

Video footage that hasn't been handed across. Statements missing from the served material. Records held by third-party bodies. Data held on phones.

Bringing in experts where a case requires them

Certain cases genuinely require expert input — forensic scientists, phone data analysts, medical experts. Where a case demands one, we identify the need and instruct the right specialist for the case.

Preparing you for cross-examination

If your plan is to give evidence at trial, you need to be prepared for the questioning coming your way from the prosecution. That preparation gets done between us during the run-up.

Managing the witnesses

The defence side has witnesses to call. Prosecution witnesses have to be prepared for. Vulnerable-witness protections come into play where relevant. Special measures applications get put in where the case needs them.

Building the defence case

Your account of what happened. The evidence that props it up. The gaps in what the prosecution has put together. All of it converges into how the defence gets put at trial.

The earlier we're in, the more of this we can do. 0203 959 7755.

What's Actually on the Line

A criminal conviction brings consequences that ripple outwards — some of them permanent. Before choosing to handle the case on your own, take a proper look at what could be at stake.

Employment

Many jobs need a clean criminal record. A lot of them require a DBS check. Certain employment contracts include automatic termination on conviction.

Work involving children, work with vulnerable adults, roles requiring driving, financial services roles, security work, or any regulated profession — where a conviction lands in any of these areas, it can end the career entirely.

Travel overseas

Certain countries refuse entry to visitors with a criminal record. Visa applications for the USA, for Canada, and for Australia all ask about criminal history.

A conviction now can close doors on international travel for many years to come.

Your driving licence

Driving offences put points onto the licence. Once the point total hits the threshold, disqualification follows. More serious driving offences carry immediate disqualification whatever the points position.

If driving is essential — for work or for the family — losing the licence rewrites everyday life.

Immigration status

For clients who aren't UK citizens, a conviction on record can jeopardise the right to remain in the country. Some categories of conviction automatically start deportation proceedings.

If any of this applies to your situation, don't delay. 0203 959 7755.

Family fallout

Where the case has a domestic angle, involves children, or turns on a shared living situation, the impact stretches well past the criminal proceedings alone. Family court proceedings running in parallel are a common part of the picture.

The record itself

Once entered, a conviction remains on the record. Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act certain convictions become spent after a set period. Others never do. Some categories keep appearing on standard DBS checks for as long as the record exists.

This is what the case matters for. 0203 959 7755.

Before Your First Court Date

Where the diary has a court date coming, these are the items to have sorted before the day arrives.

Get legal representation in place

Don't attend court unrepresented. Not even for something that looks straightforward on paper.

Dial 0203 959 7755 as soon as you have the court date confirmed — not the evening before the hearing itself.

Meet with us properly beforehand

Enough time has to exist for a proper read-through of the papers, taking us on top of the case, working out the plea position with you, and preparing you for how the actual day will unfold.

A first meeting on the morning of the hearing itself doesn't leave enough time for preparation to be done properly.

Know your plea position and the reasons behind it

Consequences come with both a guilty plea and a not-guilty plea. The decision belongs to you, but it has to be made from an informed position with legal input on both options.

Don't ever enter a plea in court without first talking it through with your solicitor.

Get the documents ready

Anything the court could plausibly need to see — employment evidence, character references, medical records, financial detail for the means form — has to be pulled together in advance of the hearing.

Plan the trip

Being late for court makes a poor impression and can push your case to the back of the day's list — the result is often waiting around all day.

Target arrival at least 45 minutes before your listed time. Bring photo ID.

Smart-casual dress

Not a formal suit. Not casual wear. Something in between the two. The aim is to look like someone treating the situation with the level of seriousness it warrants.

Phone off before entering the building

A phone going off inside a courtroom can be treated as contempt of court.

Hearing coming up? 0203 959 7755.

A Closer Look at Common Offences

A look at the offences we see most often from Croydon clients. Each has its own individual detail page.

Possession with intent to supply

What divides straight possession from possession with intent to supply is a combination of things: quantity involved, packaging present, cash on the scene, the content of phone messages, and — most critically — how the interview account itself reads.

The sentences attached to a supply charge run considerably heavier than for straight possession. Which side of the divide the case ends up on often comes down to how the interview was actually managed.

Ring 0203 959 7755 before that interview happens.

Section 20 GBH

Grievous bodily harm where intent isn't established. An either-way offence — can be dealt with at Magistrates' or Crown Court depending on how serious the case is.

Any self-defence point. Any provocation there was. How events unfolded in order. Every one of those matters. How the injury actually happened matters too.

Common assault

Summary-only offence, heard in the Magistrates' Court. Where the complainant is a partner or family member, additional considerations enter the case that affect how it's conducted.

Domestic burglary

An indictable-only offence — the case is committed to Crown Court. Sentences in this space can be heavy, particularly for repeat offenders or where anyone was in the property at the time.

Robbery

An indictable-only case. Sent directly up to Crown Court. Where a weapon features in the allegation, the sentencing bracket jumps steeply.

Fraud

Fraud allegations range from small-scale matters through to properly serious cases. Complex fraud work involves huge volumes of digital material and typically stretches preparation over many months.

Public order offences

Sections 4, 4A, and 5 of the Public Order Act. Which one applies turns on precisely what was done and who was subjected to it. Aggravated forms — where racial or religious hostility runs through the behaviour — carry heavier sentences than the base offences.

Theft and shoplifting

Falls under summary in most cases. The value involved is a factor. Repeat convictions push the sentencing position up.

Threats to kill

An either-way offence. A serious one. Context — what was said, and who it was said to — carries real weight.

Facing any of these? 0203 959 7755.

If You're a Professional or in the Public Eye

Where you work in a regulated profession, hold a public-facing position, or face a conviction capable of ending your working life, the case needs to be run with proper attention to consequences reaching beyond just the criminal side.

Discretion

Cases carrying a sensitivity aspect receive the confidentiality they need from start to finish. Legal professional privilege applies over everything from the moment of the first call.

Regulator notifications

Certain regulated professions require you to notify the regulator as soon as a charge is laid — not once conviction has been entered. Failure to make that notification is itself a professional conduct issue.

We advise on when and how those notifications need to be made.

Managing reputational risk

If press coverage is a real possibility, the criminal defence work needs to be managed with careful attention to what enters the public record and precisely at what point in the process that happens.

Sensitive matter? 0203 959 7755, in confidence.

The First 60 Minutes — Step by Step

If an arrest has just happened — to you or somebody close — the plan for the next hour, in sequence:

First five minutes

Get on the phone and call 0203 959 7755. Make the call before all the details are clear. Case work begins the moment we answer.

Minutes 5 to 15

Nail down what you actually know. The place. The time. The force involved. Anything the officers said at the arrest scene itself.

Gaps at this point are fine. Ring us regardless.

Minutes 15 to 30

Call 101 to work out which police station has the person, if you haven't already established it.

Ahead of that call, have to hand: the person's full legal name, their date of birth, and rough time and place of the arrest.

Minutes 30 to 45

Ring us back once the police station has been confirmed. From that point, coordinating the attendance is on our side.

At the same time — stop all discussion of the case with everyone else. No more calls to anyone. No more messages. Nothing published online.

Minutes 45 to 60

If you're the family member — stay put and wait for updates from us. Don't try to contact the custody suite directly. Don't drive to the police station.

If it's you inside the Croydon police station — stand firm with the custody sergeant that you want Moeen & Co. Solicitors representing you, and pass along the number.

Start the clock. 0203 959 7755.

Quick Answers to Urgent Questions

"Can you attend within the hour?"

Urgent police station attendance requests get pushed to the top of the queue. Give us a call and you'll get a clear answer on what's achievable.

"Will this end up on my criminal record?"

That comes down to how the case concludes. Convictions and cautions get recorded. A no further action outcome doesn't create a record — although the arrest itself can still appear on some kinds of check.

We advise on this specifically for your case.

"Am I definitely going to be charged?"

Not by default. Arrest and charge are distinct stages. Cases can drop out at any stage in between — no further action, an out-of-court disposal, or diversion. The interview account together with representations we make later determine where things end up.

"Am I going to prison?"

Depends on the offence itself, the individual circumstances, and any prior record. Our approach is a level read — not overstated, not understated, the realistic picture — as soon as we have the complete facts.

"What is this going to cost me?"

Advice at the police station is legal aid funded whatever your earnings. For court work, whether legal aid covers it comes down to your financial position and the offence category. Private fees are quoted openly ahead of any work being undertaken.

Nothing gets billed to you without your prior agreement on what's being paid for.

"I did it — should I just admit it?"

Even in situations where you accept responsibility, the way that message reaches the police still affects how things play out. The basis of plea. The mitigation. How the case gets framed overall. All of it shapes where the case ends up. Don't make any admission unless a solicitor is with you.

"But I'm innocent"

Then the case for proper representation is stronger, not weaker. People with no wrongdoing get convicted where things went wrong at the police station stage. Silence chosen at a moment when speaking would have helped. Answers that come out inconsistent. Attempts to explain without preparation. Every one of those does harm.

Any of these your position? 0203 959 7755.

Common Questions

How quickly can you attend a Croydon police station?

Urgent requests involving a Croydon police station move to the front of the queue. Attendance gets arranged as fast as we can, and initial phone advice typically starts straight away. Ring 0203 959 7755.

Do you cover the whole of Croydon?

Yes — we act for clients right across Croydon. Get in touch and we'll confirm we can take your specific matter.

Is the phone line genuinely 24 hours?

Yes, it really is. Arrests can happen at any hour of the day or night, and our phone line is set up to answer at those hours. 0203 959 7755.

Do you need payment upfront before you'll take the case?

No upfront payment is needed. Advice at the police station comes through legal aid whatever your income. Money isn't a valid reason to hold off on making the call.

I've already got another solicitor — is switching possible?

Yes — switching solicitors partway through a case is allowed at any stage. Where your current firm isn't the right fit, ring us and we'll walk through what a transfer of representation involves.

The police haven't been in touch yet but I think they might. Can I get advice now?

Yes — this is genuinely one of the strongest points to have a solicitor engaged. Pre-charge advice means you walk into whatever comes next prepared, not scrambling once a letter has already come through. 0203 959 7755.

What if I just ignore a voluntary interview letter from Croydon police?

If you ignore it, an arrest is the usual next step, so the police can question you under arrest conditions — a much weaker footing for you. Attending voluntarily with legal advice already lined up is the right route. Ring us before the appointment.

What if English isn't my first language?

An interpreter is available at no cost — for police interviews as well as court hearings. Arranging one is part of what we do when preparing the case.

Do you handle Crown Court cases?

Yes we do. Because Moeen Khan holds Solicitor Advocate rights, our Crown Court work remains within the firm — it is not handed off to outside counsel when the case gets committed up.

Can you handle appeals?

Yes, we cover appeals. Deadlines on appeals are tight — a matter of days in some cases. If you need an appeal, get on the phone straight away.

Is what I tell you kept confidential?

Yes — completely. Everything we cover falls under legal professional privilege. None of it goes to the police, the CPS, or the courts unless you personally waive it.

What does 'released under investigation' actually mean?

No charge is brought, but the police investigation stays open. No court date fixed. No deadline set. Keep in touch with your solicitor — RUI cases can lie dormant for months and then move forward sharply.

Should I attend a Croydon police station on my own if they've asked me to?

No, don't go by yourself. Get legal advice sorted before attending. Ring 0203 959 7755 first, before you attend the police station voluntarily.

My child has been arrested — what do I do?

Call us before anyone else on your list — 0203 959 7755. Right at the beginning of that call, tell us they're under 18, so the appropriate adult setup can be put in place properly.

How do I find out which Croydon police station my family member is being held at?

Ring 101 with the person's full name, date of birth, and rough time and place of the arrest. Alternatively, ring us — 0203 959 7755 — and we can help narrow it down.

What if I've been served with a court summons?

Get on the phone with the summons in front of you. Dial 0203 959 7755 and we can read through what it sets out and cover what needs to happen ahead of the hearing itself.

Will I get bail?

Applying for bail is a normal component of criminal proceedings. Whether bail is granted and what conditions attach depend on the offence and the case facts. We put in the first application at first hearing and further applications later on if the position has shifted.

What if I'm remanded in custody?

The preparation carries on regardless. Prison visits take place. Fresh bail applications get made whenever the circumstances have shifted enough to justify one. Work continues towards the plea or the trial.

Do I need to attend every court hearing?

Generally, yes, at the Magistrates'. At some Crown Court hearings where your attendance isn't required, we can appear on your behalf. We'll make clear to you exactly which hearings need you personally present.

What actually happens at sentencing?

Sentencing works to a set of published guidelines. Each offence has an assigned starting point, adjusted upwards for aggravating features and downwards for mitigation. Well-constructed mitigation can shift the final sentence in a meaningful way.

I've missed a court date — what now?

Failing to attend a listed court hearing is a criminal offence on its own. Ring us right now — 0203 959 7755 — so it can be sorted before things get worse.

Can you help if I'm being investigated but not arrested?

Yes. The pre-arrest phase of a live investigation, before any interview under caution, is genuinely one of the best times to bring a solicitor in on the case.

A family member is being held at a Croydon police station right now — what should I do?

Ring 0203 959 7755 straight away. Don't wait for more information. Work starts the second we pick up, and we can help pin down where they're being held at the same time.

Are you part of a larger firm?

No, we operate as an independent firm. Moeen & Co. is a standalone practice on its own, headed by Moeen Khan in his Solicitor Advocate role. Whichever solicitor takes your first call is the one carrying the case through to conclusion.

Can you help if I've been arrested somewhere outside Croydon?

Ring us and we can go into the specifics with you. Our core coverage area is London and the immediately surrounding zones. 0203 959 7755.

What happens once the case is over?

Once a sentence is in place, we walk you through the practicalities of complying with it day to day. If the outcome doesn't look right, appeal may be worth pursuing. If the case wrapped up with no conviction, questions can still come up about what remains on the record — we'll advise you on that too.

Can Moeen Khan personally handle my case?

Where the case justifies it, yes. Ring us and the details can be discussed.

Is there any reason to hold off from phoning?

None at all. 0203 959 7755.

Any other questions? 0203 959 7755.

Stop Waiting. Pick Up the Phone.

Every hour of waiting makes the case worse. Ring 0203 959 7755 now.

Reading this far means something has gone wrong — either for you, or for somebody close.

The next step is one phone call. That's the whole thing.

Police station advice is on legal aid. Speaking to us costs you nothing.

Arrest, charge, interview letter, court date already in the diary — whichever situation applies, the earlier we're involved, the more we can do.

PHONE 0203 959 7755 NOW.

Moeen & Co. Solicitors. Criminal defence work across Croydon. Line covered at every hour. Regulated firm under the SRA. Accredited by the Legal Aid Agency.

One solicitor. First call through to final hearing. No handoffs.

0203 959 7755

Areas We Cover

• Criminal Defence Solicitors Alperton
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Barnet
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Battersea
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Brixton
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Canary Wharf
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Chelsea
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Croydon
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Ealing
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Egham
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Enfield
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Finsbury
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Golders Green
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Hackney
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Hampstead
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Hanwell
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Haringey
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Harlington
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Harrow
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Heston
• Criminal Defence Solicitors High Wycombe
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Hillingdon
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Holloway
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Hounslow
• Criminal Defence Solicitors in Hayes
• Criminal Defence Solicitors in London
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Kensington
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Kingston
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Kingston upon Thames
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Marylebone
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Mayfair
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Northolt
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Peckham
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Putney
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Ruislip
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Shepherd's Bush
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Slough
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Stratford
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Teddington
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Tooting
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Uxbridge
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Walthamstow
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Walworth
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Wembley
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Willesden
• Criminal Defence Solicitors Wimbledon