I am being asked to give a statement to the police, should I engage a lawyer at this point?
Police statements have an enormous impact on the trajectory of how investigations and prosecution proceed. Accused persons often engage legal counsel only after having their statements recorded by the police. However, there is much benefit to approaching a lawyer and receiving legal advice at an earlier stage. In most cases, police statements form important pieces of evidence relied on by both the Prosecution and the Defence.
You may be convicted based on statements alone and courts may draw adverse inferences against you if you fail to raise certain defences in your statements but attempt to do so later.
As such, it is important that your statements to the Police are clear and accurate. Having advice from a lawyer can help you organise your thoughts in a clear and careful manner. This avoids confusion when your case is being assessed on what action (if any) should be taken against you by the authorities.
Although your lawyers cannot sit in with you when you give your statement, their prior advice may nevertheless be invaluable in determining the outcome of your case.
If you require more information that are not listed in our articles, or legal advice on a specific matter, please contact us for a free first consultation.