Criminal Defence Solicitors Golders Green

Has somebody been arrested in Golders Green? Or has a police interview letter just dropped through your door? Dial 0203 959 7755 straight away. We answer the line at every hour.

When a loved one is inside a Golders Green police station, or when the police want to sit down and put questions to you, the one move that actually shifts the picture is picking up the phone. That is what we exist to answer as a criminal defence solicitor in Golders Green on the line day and night. What holding back on the call costs isn't obvious in the moment — it shows up later as things that could have been done, and no longer can.

There is no fee to speak to us at the police station stage. Legal aid pays for it. That makes the decision on whether to phone a very simple one.

DIAL: 0203 959 7755

Moeen & Co. Solicitors. Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Accredited with the Legal Aid Agency. Your first call is answered by the same solicitor who will be there at the last court hearing. No file being passed between staff. No barrister you have never met turning up on trial day.

Table of Contents

Time Is Working Against You From the Second of a Golders Green Arrest

Trials don't decide cases. The hours right after arrest do.

A common belief is that criminal cases hinge on what unfolds when the courtroom finally opens for business. That belief is off the mark.

What really shapes how a case turns out: the interview under caution itself. Anything said in the police station ahead of a solicitor turning up. Whether material that would have backed the defence was still available long enough for someone to find it.

Waiting has a cost. Each hour spent without legal advice engaged is an hour where the case slips further away from a good outcome.

The rules that cap how long detention can run

Once an arrest has been made, the police can hold you without charge for a maximum of 24 hours as standard. A senior officer can extend that period to 36 hours. Where the offence is serious, up to 96 hours can be approved by a magistrate.

None of that timing pauses because the family hasn't caught up with events yet. The countdown runs regardless.

What is happening at the Golders Green police station right now

At this point, if a family member of yours is being held inside a Golders Green police station, the following is happening:

• The custody sergeant will ask them whether they want a solicitor

• An interview will follow — with a lawyer beside them or with nobody

• What is said in there becomes a permanent entry on the file

• The CPS then reads that file when they take the charging decision

The window for putting a solicitor into the interview room is ahead of it beginning. Not after it has finished.

PHONE 0203 959 7755. Ask for Moeen & Co. by name.

What happens to evidence when nobody is chasing it

It goes. Most CCTV systems overwrite themselves within a matter of days. Witness memories lose their sharp edges. Text messages get deleted off phones. Historical phone location data grows harder to pull the longer nobody requests it.

If the prosecution builds a case with none of your side of events on the record, that becomes the case going in front of the court.

Don't wait this out. 0203 959 7755.

What to Do Straight After an Arrest

If you are reading this from inside a Golders Green police station, or someone has just phoned to say a relative has been picked up, the following are the priorities over the next hour.

1. Ask for us by name

Having a solicitor is a right. Legal aid picks up the cost. There is absolutely no obligation to accept the duty solicitor rostered on that day.

Words to give the custody sergeant: "Moeen & Co. Solicitors are the ones I want representing me."

The number to pass along: 0203 959 7755.

2. Do not volunteer anything about what happened

Not to the sergeant. Not to anyone else you come across in the Golders Green police station. Not on the recorded phone call home either.

From the moment you are in custody, everything you say about the case can go into the file. The single exception is the private consultation with your solicitor — that alone stays out of the file.

3. Sign nothing without input from us

Custody paperwork. Interview consent documents. Bail forms. Read whatever is placed in front of you before signing it. If any of the wording is unclear, hold off until we have spoken.

4. Understand what the caution actually does

Just before the interview kicks off, the officer will read out the caution. The wording sounds direct. What it actually does is more complicated than the words suggest.

There is no obligation on you to speak. But going silent on something you later attempt to put forward as a defence at court can be used against you. And any answer you do give is recorded.

This bind — silence carries a cost, speaking carries a cost — is precisely why legal advice has to be in place before the interview begins, not once it is over.

5. Get someone on the outside to phone us

The police must notify one nominated person that you have been arrested. Take that right up. Ask that person to ring 0203 959 7755. Work on the case can begin from that moment, before we have made direct contact with you.

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

When a Family Member Has Been Arrested in Golders Green

The majority of calls we take after a Golders Green arrest come from partners, parents, brothers or sisters, and close friends — not from the person being held.

If that describes you, the following is the order to work through.

First step — call us

Not the local station itself. Not the wider family. Not your friends. Call us before you call any of them.

The number to have ready: 0203 959 7755. Answered at every hour.

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

Second step — write down what you know

Where the arrest took place. Rough time. Any officer names, shoulder numbers, or unit identifiers that came up. Anything anyone said about the reason for the arrest.

You don't need a complete picture. Fragments are still useful to us.

Third step — dial 101 to find the police station

The police non-emergency line handles enquiries like this. Have these ready before dialling:

• The person's full legal name

• Their date of birth

• Approximately when and where the arrest happened

On the call they will confirm the police station or custody suite the person has ended up at.

Fourth step — post nothing online, message nobody else

The urge to tell people is a natural response. Resist it.

Facebook. Instagram. WhatsApp groups. One-to-one texts. All of it can be pulled back and end up on the case file. Speculating publicly before the picture is clear generates significant problems further down the road.

Fifth step — come back to us with the location

Once we know the police station, the advice we can give moves from generic to case-specific — how the interview is likely to unfold, what bail terms might look like, what happens next in the process.

You've Been Asked to Attend a Voluntary Police Interview in Golders Green

A voluntary interview at a Golders Green police station is not a friendly chat. The word voluntary describes how you got there — nothing more than that.

A letter arrives through the post. Sometimes it is a phone call. The tone is measured. The police would like you to come in and answer a few questions. There has been no arrest and nothing in the language conveys urgency.

This is exactly where people slip up.

The interview under caution that follows works in law the same way as an interview after an arrest. Identical caution. Identical use of the recording. Identical knock-on effects.

What people wrongly assume — and how it damages the case

• Believing a voluntary interview does not need a solicitor

• Assuming being open with the police will settle things

• Thinking that attending willingly will play well later on

• Planning to just explain what really happened

Every single one of those makes the case harder to defend before it has even started.

What to do the moment the letter comes

Ring us right away. Not on the morning of the interview. As soon as the letter is in your hand.

As a voluntary police interview solicitor Golders Green clients contact ahead of their appointments, our message is always the same: the days between the letter landing and the interview itself are your preparation window. Don't let them go to waste.

The work we do in the run-up to the interview

• Take you through the specific allegation in 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 exact line of questioning coming

• Sit beside you in the interview itself

The whole process is covered by legal aid. Cost is not a valid reason to walk into the interview alone.

Received a Golders Green police interview letter? Call 0203 959 7755 before doing anything else.

What Our Golders Green Criminal Defence Team Handles

Every stage of a criminal case, handled by us for Golders Green clients. The same solicitor stays with the file across the whole thing. No transfers between fee-earners within the firm.

Attending at police stations

We turn out for Golders Green police station attendances — both interviews under arrest and voluntary interviews under caution. At any hour of the day. Legal aid pays for police station work whatever your income position.

Magistrates' Court appearances

Initial hearings. Applications for bail. Plea decisions on either-way charges. Trials at summary level. Sentencing hearings. Magistrates' Court work is part of our regular weekly diary.

Crown Court representation

Serious offences, and either-way matters sent up from the Magistrates'. Formal disclosure work. Preparing the evidence bundle. Planning around witnesses. Trial advocacy itself.

Moeen Khan carries rights as a Solicitor Advocate. Crown Court matters stay in the firm — instructing outside counsel isn't needed when a case gets committed up.

Appeals

Where a conviction or a sentence appears to have been wrongly reached, an appeal may be an option. The deadlines are tight — sometimes just days from the original decision. If that is the position you find yourself in, move on it quickly.

Advice before charge

Where there is a suspicion you may be under investigation but the police have not yet contacted you, seek advice at that point. Being prepared beforehand beats reacting once something has already occurred.

Any stage of a case — 0203 959 7755.

Offences We Handle for Golders Green Clients

Each offence area shown below is covered in greater depth on its own separate page across the site.

Drug Offence Solicitor Golders Green

Possession, supply, and production charges. Cases running the range of cannabis, cocaine, heroin, MDMA, ketamine, and prescription-only substances. Whether the CPS charges as personal use or as supply frequently depends on what got said in the interview itself. Call 0203 959 7755 before you attend that interview.

Assault Solicitor Golders Green

Common assault cases. ABH. GBH. The Section 47, Section 20, and Section 18 offences from the Offences Against the Person Act. Which specific charge lands on you depends on the level of injury and the intent question — and both of those are shaped by how the incident ends up being described in interview. Legal input needs to come first.

Domestic Violence Solicitor Golders Green

Allegations arising in a domestic setting — physical violence, threats, or controlling patterns of behaviour. Bail terms in this type of case nearly always restrict contact and frequently require the accused to vacate a shared residence. Handled with the required confidentiality and at the pace the situation calls for.

Sexual Assault Solicitor Golders Green

Sexual assault allegations sit at the top end of the seriousness scale for what a person can face. Handled with the confidentiality these cases require, and the depth of experience they call for — through to any trial.

Rape Defence Solicitor Golders Green

Rape charges sit in the indictable-only bracket. They go up directly to Crown Court. Getting experienced representation involved at the earliest stage possible carries more weight for this offence type than for almost any other.

Money Laundering Solicitor Golders Green

Defence work in financial crime. Money laundering allegations. Cases under the Proceeds of Crime Act. The confiscation hearings that tend to follow on. Cases running for months, heavy in documentation. What decides the outcome is preparation.

Drink Drive Solicitor Golders Green

Roadside stops. Positive breath tests. Blood samples. Urine samples. Everything across the range — from low-reading first-time drivers up to high-reading repeat offences. Special reasons arguments where the facts allow. What worries clients most is nearly always the licence and the effect on their livelihood.

Drug Drive Solicitor Golders Green

The introduction of roadside drug testing has made drug driving prosecutions a routine part of court lists. Genuine technical defences exist in the right cases — mistakes during the stop, issues at the laboratory analysis stage. We give you a level read on whether they apply to yours.

Failing to Stop Solicitor Golders Green

Failing to stop or report following a road traffic collision. The offence name understates what actually follows — licence points, insurance rising for years, potentially a disqualification. The real-world fallout runs much deeper than the charge title suggests.

Facing any of these? 0203 959 7755.

The Whole Process — Arrest Through to Outcome

If an arrest has taken place in Golders Green, this is what actually happens from here.

Booking in at the police station

The custody sergeant reviews the circumstances of the arrest and authorises detention if satisfied it is justified. That is the point at which your rights get read out.

That is the point to request a solicitor. Give the sergeant our name. Legal aid picks up the cost.

The private consultation before interview

A private conversation with your solicitor is your right before questioning starts. Use every minute available. This is the point at which the plan gets constructed for what you'll say and what you'll keep back.

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

Inside the interview room

We remain seated beside you throughout. The caution is read out by the officer. Questions come in. Your reply — or your choice not to reply — comes from what has been worked out between us in advance.

The recording runs from beginning to end. There is 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 is fixed. The charge sheet is handed across. Either released on bail — with or without conditions — or held in custody to appear at the next available court sitting.

Bailed while enquiries continue. Release from the police station happens, but the investigation itself stays open. Bail conditions may or may not attach. Any breach of a condition becomes its own criminal offence.

Released under investigation. No charge, no bail conditions, no return date fixed — but the file remains open. Can stretch over months. Stay in touch with your solicitor through the quiet stretch.

No further action. Case closed. Strongest possible outcome — though even in that scenario there can still be questions worth pursuing about how the arrest itself is held on any records about you.

The first court hearing

Once charged, your first appearance takes place at the local Magistrates' Court. Personal details are placed on the court record. A plea is entered where the case stage permits. Bail is dealt with.

The whole thing is worked out with you beforehand. Decisions that count are not being made in the courthouse corridor five minutes ahead of your case being called on.

Crown Court proceedings

The more serious matters get committed up. Instead of moving in weeks, the case now moves in months. Judge and jury take over. Formal disclosure kicks in on a set timetable.

Moeen Khan takes Crown Court advocacy himself. The same solicitor sees the file through end to end.

Sentencing

Any conviction — whether by plea or by trial verdict — moves through to sentencing. Published guidelines are applied by the court, but well-built mitigation can shift a sentence by a real amount.

Every Right You Have

These are supposed to be explained to you at the police station. In practice, that explanation often doesn't register clearly in the moment it is given. Better to be familiar with them before you walk in.

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

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

• Access to the PACE Codes of Practice — the rulebook covering how detention is meant to be handled

• An interpreter at no cost if English is not your first language

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

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

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

Asking for a solicitor doesn't look suspicious to anyone in the room. Custody staff and interviewing officers see solicitor requests all day long — it is a completely routine part of every shift.

Take the right. 0203 959 7755.

Things to Actively Avoid

Before what to do, here is what actively worsens cases.

Nothing gets posted online

Not a Facebook post. Not an Instagram post. Not a WhatsApp group message. Not even a direct message sent privately to somebody trusted who could still take a screenshot.

Anything typed is capable of being retrieved. What gets retrieved ends up on the case file. What sits on the file gets read out at court.

Don't try to talk your way out at interview

You are not going to walk out of the interview cleared. The interview exists to gather evidence — not as a place where you receive a fair hearing.

Whatever the account is, deliver it with a solicitor sitting beside you.

No contact with the complainant or with witnesses

Not to explain. Not to apologise. Not to try smoothing things over. Not through a mutual friend or family relation acting as a middle party.

Contact — direct or indirect — regularly ends up as a separate criminal offence added on top of the original allegation.

Take every piece of paperwork seriously

The interview letter. The bail conditions. The court summons. Every date printed on any of that paperwork matters. Every requirement listed matters.

Failing to attend a hearing at court is itself a criminal offence. Breach of a bail condition is itself a criminal offence.

Don't wait to see what happens

Criminal cases do not sort themselves out. Time makes them worse. Evidence is lost. Windows close.

0203 959 7755. Now.

Which Court Handles Which Kind of Case

Every criminal offence belongs to one of three categories. The category is what decides the court hearing the case.

Summary offences

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

These cases remain in the Magistrates' Court from start to finish. Juries don't sit on them. The pace runs faster. What the court can hand down at sentencing is capped.

Either-way offences

The middle band, which holds many assault, theft, and drug charges.

Can be dealt with at the Magistrates' Court, or committed up to the Crown Court when the seriousness of the case justifies it. That decision affects both how the preparation is done and how heavy the possible sentence may be.

Indictable-only offences

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

These offences cannot stay 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.

The CPS runs two tests. Is there enough evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction to exist? And is bringing a prosecution in the public interest?

There is sometimes scope for a defence solicitor to put representations before the decision is finalised — but only where the solicitor has been engaged in time to do it.

Early engagement counts. 0203 959 7755.

Why Golders Green Clients Instruct Moeen & Co.

There are dozens of criminal defence firms competing across North London. Marketing across them tends to look interchangeable. What actually separates one firm from another sits below that marketing layer.

SRA regulation and Legal Aid Agency accreditation

The baseline requirements. Any firm that cannot clearly say yes to both should be off your shortlist before you look at anything else.

Genuine 24-hour availability on the phone

Arrests happen at three in the morning. Interview letters land on a Saturday. As a criminal lawyer Golders Green families can actually reach when the moment demands it, this isn't marketing copy on our side — it is the operating model of the firm.

Same solicitor across the whole case

The person answering your first call is the same one on the file at the final court date. Files stay put — no shuffling between staff members. No barrister who has never spoken to you walking in at Crown Court on trial day.

Moeen Khan handles Crown Court advocacy himself

Because he has Solicitor Advocate rights, no outside barrister needs bringing in when a case is committed up. One solicitor stays on the case from the initial arrest through to any trial.

Preparation calibrated to the case

A first-time driving matter gets the same care and attention as a Crown Court trial. As an experienced criminal solicitor Golders Green clients turn to, the standard of the work doesn't slide down because the fee level might justify less.

Plain-English communication

Legal jargon stays out of the conversation. Nothing patronising. Every phone call with us should leave you with a clearer picture of where you stand — not a more confused one.

0203 959 7755. Test us on any of these.

How Fees Work

Two possible funding paths. Which one applies to your case is set out openly for you before any work is undertaken.

Legal aid

For police station advice, funding comes through legal aid whatever your income sits at. No means test kicks in at that stage. Coverage is universal.

For court proceedings, legal aid coverage depends on your finances and the offence category. Because we hold Legal Aid Agency accreditation, we can act as a legal aid solicitor Golders Green clients rely on, and we walk through eligibility openly on the very first call.

For anyone specifically looking at legal aid criminal defence Golders Green options — the key thing to grasp is that police station advice is covered whatever your circumstances happen to be. Cost should not be the reason you delay picking up the phone.

Private funding

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

A number of clients choose to fund privately even though they would qualify for legal aid — because privately funded work carries more flexibility.

The standard of preparation and representation is identical 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.

Anyone under 18, together with adults meeting the vulnerability criteria — mental health condition, learning disability, or similar — has the right to an appropriate adult during the interview. That role sits with an independent person whose specific job is safeguarding the interviewee's interests. It runs in parallel with legal representation, not in place of it.

Parents ringing about a child, or relatives calling on behalf of somebody meeting the vulnerability criteria — mention this on the very first call. It changes the approach on our side from the outset.

Call 0203 959 7755. Tell us who the case is about.

Assumptions That Cause the Most Damage

"It's just a voluntary interview"

There is no just anything about it. Same caution. Same use of the interview record. Same knock-on consequences.

"Asking for a solicitor will make me look guilty"

It really won't — not to a single person in the room. Officers running interviews see solicitor requests as a completely normal part of their day-to-day work.

What actually raises their concern during an interview is somebody attempting to face the questions unrepresented.

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

At the police station, legal aid pays for advice whatever your earnings level. It isn't proper to treat cost as the reason for facing the interview by yourself.

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

Honesty matters. So does the way the truth gets delivered.

A police interview is not a normal conversation. It is a structured, guided, recorded exercise — and how an answer is worded, the order in which things get said, and precisely which question prompted which response all shape how your account lands on the record. To actually help you, honesty needs preparation supporting it.

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

Under the legal aid scheme, you can request Moeen & Co. by name. Because we hold the accreditation, that request will be actioned. Which solicitor represents you remains your call.

Pick us. 0203 959 7755.

Three Sentences to Give the Police

Before we get the chance to speak with you, restrict yourself to three sentences only:

• "Moeen & Co. Solicitors are the ones I want representing me. The number is 0203 959 7755."

• "I won't answer any questions before my solicitor gets here."

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

The three sentences above are the entire script. Say nothing about the allegation itself. Say nothing about your whereabouts. Say nothing about anyone connected to you.

Silence carries no admission with it. What silence does is give us the time needed to reach you.

Say the lines. Then get us on the phone — or have someone ring on your behalf. 0203 959 7755.

Legal Terms in Plain English

Caution

The formal wording an officer reads before an interview under caution starts. Going silent on something you later try to argue at court can be used against you. Anything you do say goes onto the record as evidence.

Charged

The step that moves a case out of a police investigation and into court proceedings.

Bail

Being released from custody with the case remaining live. Can come without conditions, or with conditions attached — reporting to a police station, curfews across set hours, no-contact orders on named people, exclusion from set areas. Breaching any bail condition is itself a criminal offence.

Remand

Being held in custody instead of being released. Not commonly seen in day-to-day practice, and used only where the court has a defined worry about someone absconding, offending further, or interfering with witnesses.

Either-way

A type of offence which can go through the Magistrates' Court or up to Crown Court — the seriousness of the specific case dictates which route.

Indictable-only

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

Released under investigation

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

Legal professional privilege

The rule that keeps everything passing between you and your solicitor confidential. Access from the police, the CPS, or the courts is impossible unless you personally waive the privilege. It applies absolutely — nothing gets carved out of it.

Any of these terms applying to your situation? 0203 959 7755.

You've Been Charged in Golders Green — What Comes Next

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

Receiving a charge sheet means both the police and the CPS have decided the case is going ahead.

From that moment on, every date on the calendar counts. Every court hearing counts. Every conversation held about the case counts.

Read the charge sheet carefully

What the sheet sets out: the specific charge, the date and location of your first appearance, and whatever bail conditions currently apply.

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

Comply strictly with every bail condition

Reporting to a named police station. Curfew during specific hours. No-contact orders on named individuals. Exclusion from specific areas.

Every bail condition breach is a separate criminal offence on its own. It also damages the position on the underlying case.

Where a bail condition genuinely cannot be complied with — because of work, childcare, or living arrangements — ring us. Conditions can be varied through the court process. That has to go through the proper court route, not around it.

Attend every listed hearing

Failing to attend court on a listed date is a criminal offence in its own right. What can follow: a warrant issued for your arrest.

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

Don't discuss the case

Not to the complainant. Not to any witness in the case. Not on any social media at all. Not in any group chat.

Any discussion of the case is capable of eventually ending up back in the evidence file.

Charged with an offence in Golders Green? 0203 959 7755 today.

What Trial Preparation Actually Involves

Where the case actually reaches trial, this is what goes on out of sight. Reading through the list makes clear why getting us involved at an early stage matters as much as it does.

Reading through the prosecution material

The full body of what the prosecution has served is read from beginning to end. Statements. Exhibits. Video footage. Digital records. Officer pocket notebooks from the time.

The purpose of that reading exercise: pinning down what supports the prosecution's case — and, more importantly, finding what breaks it apart.

Pressing for what has not been served

A legal duty sits on the prosecution to disclose any material capable of weakening their case or supporting the defence. That duty doesn't always translate into automatic action. Applying the pressure is part of our job.

CCTV yet to be handed across. Statements not present in the served bundle. Records held by third parties. Data from phones.

Bringing in experts where a case needs them

Certain cases genuinely require expert input — forensic scientists, specialists in phone data, medical experts. Where the case demands one, we identify the need and instruct an appropriate specialist for the particular case.

Preparing you for cross-examination

Where you plan to take the witness box at trial, you have to be prepared for the questioning the prosecution will put to you. That preparation gets done between us ahead of the trial.

Handling the witnesses

The defence witnesses that need calling. Prosecution witnesses that need preparing against. Protections around vulnerable witnesses where they come into play. Applications for special measures where the case calls for them.

Building the defence case

Your side of what happened. The evidence supporting it. The gaps and weaknesses in what the prosecution has put together. All of that comes together as the defence gets presented at trial.

The earlier we are in, the more of this can be done. 0203 959 7755.

What's Actually at Stake

Being convicted carries flow-on consequences — a number of which are permanent. Before you decide to take the case on alone, understand what could actually be lost.

Your job

A great many jobs require an unmarked criminal record. Many involve a DBS check. Some employment contracts include automatic termination triggers when a conviction is recorded.

Work with children, work with vulnerable adults, driving-based roles, financial services, security, or any licensed profession — in any of these fields, a conviction can bring the career to an end.

Travelling abroad

Various countries refuse entry to travellers who have a conviction on record. The immigration systems of the USA, Canada, and Australia all include questions about criminal history on their visa forms.

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

Your driving licence

Driving offences put points on a licence. When the point total reaches the threshold, a disqualification follows. More serious driving offences bring immediate disqualification.

If you rely on driving — for work or for the family — losing the licence rewrites daily life.

Immigration status

Where a client doesn't hold British citizenship, a conviction on record can put the right to stay in the UK in jeopardy. There are certain conviction categories that trigger deportation proceedings on an automatic basis.

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

Family fallout

Where a case has a domestic angle, involves children, or turns on a shared home, the impact reaches well beyond the criminal proceedings themselves. Parallel proceedings in the family court are a routine occurrence.

The record itself

A conviction stays on the record. Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, certain convictions become spent after a defined period. Others never do. Some remain on standard DBS checks for as long as the record survives.

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

Before Your First Court Date

If a court date is coming up, here is what needs to be in place before you go.

Get legal representation sorted

Don't attend court without a solicitor. Not even for something that looks straightforward on the face of it.

Get on the phone to 0203 959 7755 as soon as the court date has been confirmed to you — not the evening before the hearing.

Meet with us properly before the day

There must be enough time to review the papers properly, get on top of the case, agree with you what plea to enter, and get you prepped for how the day itself will run.

A first meeting held on the morning of court doesn't leave enough time to prepare properly.

Know your plea position and the reasons for it

A guilty plea has consequences. A not-guilty plea has consequences. The choice is yours to make, but it needs to be an informed choice based on legal input on both sides.

A plea should never be entered in court without going through it with your solicitor beforehand.

Get the documents ready

Anything the court might potentially need to see — evidence you are employed, character references, medical evidence, financial detail for the means form — should be assembled together in advance.

Plan the trip

Arriving late at court leaves a bad impression and can push your case to the back of the day's list, meaning a whole day of waiting around.

Plan to be at court a minimum of 45 minutes before your listed slot. You need photo ID on you.

Smart-casual dress

Not a suit. Not casual clothes either. Something between the two. The intent is to look like somebody who is treating the process with the seriousness it deserves.

Phone off before entering the building

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

Court date coming up? 0203 959 7755.

A Closer Look at Common Offences

A selection of the offences that come up most often for Golders Green clients. Each has its own separate detail page.

Possession with intent to supply

What separates simple possession from possession with intent to supply comes down to a combination of factors: the quantity involved, the way it was packaged, any cash discovered alongside, phone message content, and — importantly — how the interview account reads.

A supply charge attracts much heavier sentences than possession alone does. Which side of the dividing line the case falls on often turns on how the interview was handled.

Ring 0203 959 7755 before the interview happens.

Section 20 GBH

Grievous bodily harm where intent is not established. An either-way offence — can go to Magistrates' or Crown Court depending on how serious the case is.

Self-defence, provocation, and the order in which events unfolded — all relevant. So is how the injury was actually caused.

Common assault

Summary-only in category, tried at the Magistrates' Court. Where the complainant happens to be a partner or family member, further considerations enter the picture and change how the case is run.

Domestic burglary

Indictable-only in category — the case moves up to Crown Court. Sentencing can be weighty, particularly for repeat offenders and where the property was occupied at the moment of the offence.

Robbery

Indictable-only. Direct to Crown Court. Where any weapon comes into the allegation, sentencing gets pushed up sharply.

Fraud

Allegations of fraud span everything from small-scale cases to very serious ones. Where a fraud is complex, the volume of digital material involved is huge, and preparation typically stretches over months.

Public order offences

Sections 4, 4A, and 5 of the Public Order Act. The section charged turns on what was actually done or said, and who was on the receiving end. Aggravated forms — where the behaviour carried a racial or religious element — attract heavier sentences than the base offences do.

Theft and shoplifting

Summary category in most instances. The value taken is a factor. Where convictions are repeat, sentencing gets pushed higher.

Threats to kill

An either-way offence. A serious one. Context — what was said, and who it was said to — carries significant weight in how the case is dealt with.

Facing any of these? 0203 959 7755.

If You're a Professional or in the Public Eye

Where you work under a regulator, carry a public profile, or face a conviction likely to end your career — for any of these situations, the case has to be handled with attention to consequences that extend beyond the criminal case itself.

Discretion

Cases carrying sensitivity get the confidentiality they require. Privilege applies from the very first phone call onwards.

Regulator notifications

Some regulated professions require notification to the regulator as soon as you are charged — not when you are convicted. Failing to make that notification is itself a professional standards issue.

We advise on when and how those notifications should be made.

Managing reputation risk

Where the risk of press coverage is real, the criminal defence has to be run with proper attention to what becomes public and precisely when along the process timeline.

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 — here is the plan for the next hour, in sequence.

First five minutes

Ring 0203 959 7755. Make the call before you have the full picture. Work on the case begins the moment we pick up.

Minutes 5 to 15

Pin down what you know. Location of the arrest. Time. Force involved. Anything the officers said at the scene.

Missing information at this stage is fine. Ring us anyway.

Minutes 15 to 30

Dial 101 to work out which police station is holding the person, if that hasn't already been established.

Have the full legal name, the date of birth, and an approximate time and place for the arrest lined up before dialling.

Minutes 30 to 45

Come back to us once the police station has been confirmed. From that point, attendance gets coordinated.

In parallel — end all discussion of the case with everyone else. No further calls. No text messages. No online posts.

Minutes 45 to 60

If you are the family member — sit tight and wait for updates from us. Don't try to reach the custody suite directly. Don't drive to the police station.

If you are the one being held in the Golders Green police station — hold your ground with the custody sergeant that Moeen & Co. Solicitors are the ones you want, and give them the number.

Start the clock. 0203 959 7755.

Quick Answers to Urgent Questions

"Can you attend within the hour?"

Urgent police station work goes to the top of the queue. Ring us and you will get a direct answer on what can be arranged.

"Will this end up on my criminal record?"

Depends on how the case ends. A conviction goes on the record. A caution goes on the record. A no further action outcome doesn't create a criminal record — though 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 necessarily. Being arrested and being charged are separate things. Cases can end at any point along the way — no further action, out-of-court disposal, or diversion. What was said at interview, and the representations we go on to make, both shape the outcome.

"Am I going to prison?"

Depends on the offence, the specific circumstances, and your record. Our approach is to give a level assessment — not painted worse than it is, not painted better, the realistic view — as soon as the full picture is in front of us.

"What is this going to cost me?"

Police station advice is on legal aid whatever you earn. Court work depends on your finances and the offence type. Private work always gets quoted openly before any work starts on the file.

There is no billing without your prior agreement on what is being paid for.

"I did do it — should I just admit it?"

Even where you accept responsibility, the way that gets communicated to the police still matters. Basis of plea. Mitigation. Framing of the case. All of it affects the outcome. Don't admit anything without a solicitor sitting beside you.

"But I didn't do it"

Then all the more reason for proper representation. Innocent people do get convicted where the police station stage was mishandled. Silence at the wrong point. Answers that come out contradictory. Attempts to explain without preparation. Each of these damages the case.

Any of these your position? 0203 959 7755.

Common Questions

How quickly can you attend a Golders Green police station?

For urgent Golders Green police station requests, the call moves to the top of the queue. Attendance is arranged as fast as we can manage, and initial telephone advice generally begins straight away. Call 0203 959 7755.

Do you cover the whole of Golders Green?

Yes — we act for clients right across Golders Green. Get in touch and we will confirm we can take your specific matter.

Is the phone line genuinely 24 hours?

Yes, genuinely. Arrests come in at all times of day and night, so the phone line has been designed to answer at all times. 0203 959 7755.

Do you need payment upfront before you will take the case?

No — nothing needs paying first. Police station advice is legal-aid funded whatever your income level. Money should not be a factor in whether you make the call.

I already have another solicitor — can I switch?

Yes. Changing solicitors partway through a case is allowed at any stage. If your current firm is not the right fit, phone us and we will walk through what a transfer of representation involves.

The police have not contacted me yet but I think they might. Can I get advice now?

Yes — this is one of the strongest points at which to bring a solicitor in. Pre-charge advice puts you in a prepared spot rather than one where you are scrambling once a letter or phone call eventually arrives. 0203 959 7755.

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

Ignoring one commonly leads the police to arrest you so they can interview you under arrest conditions instead — a much weaker position to be in. Attend voluntarily with legal advice already in place. Ring us first.

What if English isn't my first language?

You are entitled to an interpreter at no cost — both for the police interview and at court. Sorting one out is part of what we do when preparing the case.

Do you handle Crown Court cases?

Yes — Crown Court cases are part of what we cover. Because Moeen Khan holds Solicitor Advocate rights, they stay inside the firm rather than being passed to outside counsel at the point the case is committed up.

Can you handle appeals?

Yes we handle them. Deadlines on appeals are strict — sometimes only a matter of days. Ring quickly if this is what you need.

Is what I tell you kept confidential?

Yes, entirely. Legal professional privilege applies to every part of what we discuss. Nothing crosses over to the police, the CPS, or the courts unless you specifically waive that privilege.

What does 'released under investigation' actually mean?

No charge is brought, but the investigation itself keeps running. No court date. No fixed deadline. Stay in contact with your solicitor — RUI matters can lie dormant for months and then jump forward suddenly.

Should I turn up at a Golders Green police station on my own if they've asked me to?

No, not on your own. Get legal advice lined up first. Dial 0203 959 7755 before attending any station voluntarily.

My child has been arrested — what do I do?

Call us first — 0203 959 7755. Mention right at the start of the call that they are under 18, so the appropriate adult framework can be put in place properly.

How do I find out which Golders Green 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 call us — 0203 959 7755 — and we can help narrow it down.

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

Reach out with the summons in your hand. Ring 0203 959 7755 and we will read through the wording with you and cover the steps needed before the listed date.

Will I get bail?

Bail applications are a normal element of criminal proceedings. Grant of bail, and what conditions attach, come down to the offence and the specific case facts. Our first application is made at first hearing, and further ones later if the position has changed.

What if I'm remanded in custody?

The case work carries on regardless. Visits at the prison, further bail applications where circumstances allow, and ongoing preparation for the eventual trial or plea.

Do I need to attend every court hearing?

For Magistrates' Court hearings, generally yes. For certain Crown Court hearings where you are not required, we can attend on your behalf. We will be clear about which hearings need you in person.

What actually happens at sentencing?

Sentencing applies published guidelines. Each offence carries a starting point which then gets moved up for aggravating features and down for mitigation. Mitigation prepared properly can produce a meaningful shift in the sentence given.

I've missed a court date — what now?

Missing a listed court date is a criminal offence in itself. Get on the line to us right away — 0203 959 7755 — so it can be dealt with before things escalate further.

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

Yes. The investigation stage — before any arrest or interview has happened — is one of the strongest points to bring a solicitor in.

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

Ring 0203 959 7755 without delay. Don't hold off until you have more information. Case work can begin at once, and we can help work out where they are being held.

Are you part of a larger firm?

No. Moeen & Co. functions as a standalone independent practice, led by Moeen Khan in his Solicitor Advocate role. The solicitor answering your first call is the one who runs the case.

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

Get in touch and we will discuss the details. Our primary coverage is London and the areas around it. 0203 959 7755.

What happens once the case is over?

Following a sentence being handed down, we walk you through what compliance actually involves in practice, day by day. If the outcome looks incorrect, an appeal may be an option worth taking. If the case ended without a conviction, questions can still come up around what stays on the record — we advise on that as well.

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 a single phone call. That is the entire 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 are involved, the more we can do about it.

CALL 0203 959 7755 NOW.

Moeen & Co. Solicitors. Criminal defence services across Golders Green. Available at every hour. Regulated by the SRA. An accredited firm with 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