This year, instead of sending out Christmas cards, Stephen Lickrish & Associates will be making a donation to the The Booth Centre, Manchester. We would therefore like to take the opportunity to wish all our clients and fellow professionals, past and present, a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
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The United Kingdom has seen a surge in ‘Ghost Brokers’ in recent months, organisations who sell what appears to be cheap motor insurance deals but in fact issue false policies to unsuspecting individuals.
Typically, there are two ways to do this:
• Policies can be bought by ‘brokers’ from legitimate insurance companies using false information and then adjusted before being sold on to customers; the information given regarding the policy holder’s address, date of birth or location is changed without the policy holder’s knowledge in such a way that has the effect of reducing the premiums.
• Forged policy documents that have been designed to mimic insurance policies issued by legitimate insurance companies are created and sold on.
The resulting consequences for the policy holder is that they have no insurance at all for their vehicle, running the risk of police sanctions, and liability if there has been an accident.
The prime target for ghost brokers is mainly young drivers, as they are generally less wealthy and more prone to accepting such a deal, as well as having higher premiums which in turn make more profit for such schemes. The insurance policies are sold from unusual sources such as social networks, online markets, newsagents, supermarket advertisement boards and bars.
The justice minister said that a ‘concerted effort’ was needed by those involved in the insurance industry to tackle the problem of fraud, which he estimated cost insurance policyholders up to £50 each per year and the country over £3 billion.
With insurance fraud costing the insurance industry almost £1 billion per year, insurers are now spot-checking claims, thoroughly investigating any slightly suspicious activity, leading to allegations and prosecution, often legitimate schemes or innocent individuals can find themselves under allegations for fraud. We are well-versed in defending clients caught up in the investigation and prosecution of insurance fraud allegations, and we benefit from having collected experience of one of the largest teams of lawyers practising in the field of criminal defence nationally. Speak to one of our team straight away if you find yourself under investigation or facing prosecution.
Because of the complex nature of insurance policy documentation, it is crucial you have an expert team of solicitors on your side, with a strong background in defending such claims. At Stephen Lickrish Associates, our high calibre team of solicitors have a great deal of experience in handling the most complex of insurance claims and have an excellent record of achieving positive results. We can mount a robust defence on your behalf, and help you in the management of the investigation and at the same time advising you clearly of your options every step of the way.
Sources: https://www.insurancefraudbureau.org/insurance-fraud/ghost-brokers/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/features/new-car-insurance-scam-ghost-brokers-sell-bogus-policies/
Stephen Lickrish and Associates have significant expertise in defending individuals and businesses involved in investigations or prosecutions relating to alleged insurance fraud. Such cases can have very serious consequences for those involved and early representation is highly advisable.
Stephen Lickrish & Associates’ expert solicitors have over fifty years’ combined experience defending clients in a wide variety of fraud cases. Our team have an excellent reputation for securing positive outcomes for our clients. When facing investigation or prosecution for fraud, it’s vital to have the support of highly skilled and specialist defence lawyers who will protect your rights and interests. Here, at Stephen Lickrish & Associates, we work discretely and proactively to provide our clients with the best possible defence and representation.
We are a Manchester based law firm, and serve clients across the whole of England and Wales. Contact us today by calling us at 0161 237 1913 or on 0800 988 64 22 for 24-hour legal advice. Alternatively, complete our online enquiry form, and a member of our team will be in touch with you shortly.
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The Serious Crime Act 2015, which came into force on 1st June 2015, gives enforcement agencies the powers to pursue, disrupt and bring to justice those engaged in serious and organised crime.
The Act also amends the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in relation to confiscation proceedings which includes amendments to the extent of a defendant’s interest in proceeds of crime, third party interests, and the time-frame for payment in respect of confiscation proceedings.
Previous to the new Act, third parties who have an interest in property in which the defendant also has an interest were unable to play a part in the confiscation proceedings until the enforcement stage. As third-party claims on assets were often considered by the courts for the first time at this late stage, in many cases this had the effect of frustrating the enforcement of the order.
Crown Courts have now been given powers to make a ruling determining the defendant’s interest in the property, where a third party also has an interest. The Crown Court must allow third parties to make representations to the court regarding their interests in the property or asset in question and as such, third party interests are considered at a much earlier stage in the proceedings than they were under the old law.
The time for a defendant to pay when a Compensation order has been made has been extended by a further six months. This means a defendant will have up to one year before to produce the funds before enforcement action is instigated by the Confiscation Unit and interest is applied to the outstanding amount. Defendants were previously given just three months to pay with the possibility to apply for an extension for a further three months, giving them a maximum of just six months in which to pay.
Previously under POCA, the court imposed a period of imprisonment where a defendant is in default of the order. The sentence was considered on a ‘sliding scale’. with twelve incremental bands dependent on the amount outstanding under the order, with set maximum periods of imprisonment in default. There are now only four incremental bands. Where a defendant owes an amount of up to £10,000, a maximum sentence of six months’ imprisonment may be imposed. For amounts over £10,000 but not exceeding £500,000, up to five years’ imprisonment may be imposed. For amounts over £500,000 but not exceeding £1,000,000, seven years may be imposed and where amounts exceed £1 million up to fourteen years’ imprisonment may be imposed.
When facing allegations for serious crime, it’s crucial you have the support of highly skilled and specialist defence lawyers who will protect your rights and interests. Here, at Stephen Lickrish & Associates, we work discretely and proactively to provide our clients with the best possible defence and representation. Such cases can have very serious consequences for those involved and early representation is highly advisable.
Stephen Lickrish & Associates’ expert solicitors have over fifty years’ combined experience defending clients in a wide variety of serious crime cases. Our team have an excellent reputation for securing positive outcomes for our clients. When facing investigation or prosecution for a serious criminal offence, it’s vital to have the support of highly skilled and specialist defence lawyers who will protect your rights and interests. Here, at Stephen Lickrish & Associates, we work discretely and proactively to provide our clients with the best possible defence and representation.
We are a Manchester based law firm, and serve clients across the whole of England and Wales. Contact us today by calling us at 0161 237 1913 or on 0800 988 64 22 for 24-hour legal advice. Alternatively, complete our online enquiry form, and a member of our team will be in touch with you shortly.
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In a recent report by racial equality pressure group JUST Yorkshire, the government’s anti-radicalisation strategy Prevent has been criticised as both ineffective and counter-productive. Created in 2003, Prevent is part of a four-strand strategy known as Contest, developed to tackle terrorism – with a focus on stopping people becoming terrorists and curbing terrorist support. The programme was set up by Labour in 2003 and further developed by the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition in 2011.
JUST Yorkshire say the strategy has been “built on a foundation of Islamophobia and racism”, is counterproductive and there is a lack of accountability, and it has a “disproportionate and discriminatory” focus on Muslim communities.
The government strategy has been controversial from the outset and has been criticised by a number of MPs, the National Union of Teachers and the Muslim Council of Britain.
The Prevent strategy was developed with the aim of helping the police build relations with other organisations and requires people in the community such as faith leaders, teachers, doctors and others to be vigilant and refer any concerns about people to their local Prevent body. An assessment is then made by Prevent to decide whether further action is needed. In 2015-16, Prevent saw 7500 referrals. Prevent acted on one in every ten cases submitted.
Commander Dean Haydon of Scotland Yard says criticism of Prevent is based on “ignorance”. He added that critics were “don’t want Prevent to work in the first place”. He said the counterterrorism programme was not designed to spy on people, but instead it was about keeping them safe, and has so far achieved fantastic results in preventing people from being radicalised.
Haydon said the threat has now changed, and the police are now facing huge difficulties as individuals are acting indiscriminately, and often alone as opposed to in groups. The attacks are now on the public using everyday items to terrorise such as vehicles and knives, whereas before the police were trying to quash those involved in larger-scale plots.
One of the concerns surrounding the Prevent strategy, Haydon said, was the policy for people returning to the UK from Syria and Iraq, for which, he said, the current default position was “arrest and prosecution”.
Another problem is that it is very difficult to measure the full extent of the strategy’s successes and failures. It remains to be seen if the widespread criticism and the changing face of terrorism will spur the government to conduct a review of the strategy.
Sources:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-41082086
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40845911
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-40060325
Stephen Lickrish & Associates are a group of highly experienced terrorism solicitors in Manchester that also represent on a national basis. Regardless of where you are in the country, they have experience and dedication to help you through what can be a complex and difficult process, because your solicitors will be communicating with your family primarily in order to properly plan and execute your defence upon your return.
As mentioned previously, Stephen Lickrish & Associates has wealth of experience in defending terrorism cases. In fact, they successfully provided representation for a group of people from the same family who were suspected of terrorism in the North West in April 2015. Thanks to the expertise of the solicitors involved, all six people were released without charge after being detained in Turkey. This is just one of the many high-profile terrorism cases that they have been involved in.
As well as providing expertise on terrorism, Stephen Lickrish & Associates also have experience providing representation for a wide variety of offences, including:
You can contact us today on 0161 237 1913 or through our emergency 24-hour legal advice line on 0800 988 64 22.
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Lincoln Seligman, grandson of Sir Edward Heath, has condemned investigations in respect of historic sexual abuse allegations against Sir Edward Heath, saying the investigation process was flawed. Seligman is calling for an official inquiry into the investigations, conducted by Wiltshire Police. Sir Edward died in 2005 aged 89.
The £1.3m police investigation, Operation Conifer, was initiated after Sir Edward, former Prime Minister, was accused of historical child sex abuse. There have been claims that allegations were based on false information, as two people were arrested and released as part of the investigation and no charges were made.
Sir Edward’s friends have strongly criticised the investigation, and a psychologist who advised detectives claimed it was based on the allegations of a handful of fantasists.
“My suspicion is that we will learn nothing from the report except innuendo and that really takes nobody any further forward, except it leaves a dark stain over a man who can’t defend himself” said Seligman. He added that Sir Edward’s family and supporters were seeking a “judge-led review” into the investigation.
Mr Seligman said he had been prevented by police from attending the report’s release. He added:
“…protesting [Sir Edward’s] innocence is not as important as putting right the injustice that has been done…”.
In historic sexual abuse cases, the potential for miscarriages of justice is high, as there is a dependence on weak evidence, often based on faded recounts of events, and there is also a lack of scientific evidence such as we have at our disposal in recent sex abuse cases. It is the task of the defence solicitor to scrutinise and challenge all evidence brought forward. As expert sexual offences solicitors, our objective is to produce a robust defence, in order to prevent conviction and to ensure a fair trial for the defendant. Any mishandling of an investigation will also be strongly challenged.
Stephen Lickrish & Associates are a group of highly experienced sexual offences solicitors in Manchester that also represent on a national basis. Regardless of where you are in the country, we can help. Our lawyers have experience and dedication to help you through what can be a complex and difficult process. Your solicitors will be communicating with your family primarily in order to properly plan and execute your defence upon your return.
As well as providing expertise on sexual offences, Stephen Lickrish & Associates also have experience providing representation for a wide variety of offences, including:
You can contact us today on 0161 237 1913 or through our emergency 24-hour legal advice line on 0800 988 64 22. Alternatively, contact us by filling out our enquiry form.
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If you have been charged with grooming or inciting a minor, get in touch with a specialist solicitor without delay. Expert legal advice is crucial at the early stages in any investigation to ensure you are given the best possible defence. We understand the upset and stress this may be causing you and your family, and the impact a conviction of sexual offences can have, which is why our solicitors will leave no stone unturned to ensure you have the best possible defence strategy. With the increasing popularity of social media, chat room and gaming platforms, this type of offence is not only more prevalent, but the likelihood of being embroiled in such a situation is becoming an increasing concern – where someone’s online behaviour turns from an innocent communication to potentially criminal activity.
It is an offence in England and Wales to engage in a friendship with a child and meet (or intend to meet) with the child with the intention of sexually abusing them.
In order to make a conviction for a grooming offence, the Crown must show that there was a communication or meeting with a child on two or more occasions, and that the defendant travelled to meet the child with the intention of committing a sexual offence. In fact, the child does not need to exist; it is only necessary to show that the defendant had the intention of meeting a child with a view to committing a sexual offence.
It is an offence in England and Wales to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity where the child is under the age of 13 – irrespective of the age of the defendant. It is also an offence where a person over the age of 18 incites or encourages a child (under the age of 13, or under the age of 16 where the defendant did not reasonably believe they were 16 or over) to engage in sexual activity.
There is also a more recent offence of “sexual communication with a child”, which was introduced in 2015 in response to the growing concerns around child sex abuse on social media. A person over 18 will be guilty of this offence where they communicate with a child verbally, pictorially or in writing for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification. The communication must be sexual, or be intended to elicit a sexual response.
Charges of Grooming and Inciting a Minor are often brought where a parent, teacher or carer has uncovered inappropriate communication towards a child, and any such complaint is dealt with extremely seriously. Undercover police investigations also target social media platforms to root out potential grooming behaviour. With the best defence on your side, you can ensure your voice is heard – which could be the difference between a devastating conviction and an acquittal.
Although entrapment is not a defence to such offences, in some cases, the police will act outside of their remit in an attempt to entrap a suspect, which can then be brought to the Crown’s attention and can have the result of nullifying the charges brought. How communications with the child are interpreted will be crucial to your case, as will other factors such as the age difference between the defendant and alleged victim. Where the person suspected of grooming is also young, and close in age to the alleged victim, this will be taken into consideration. Where, for example, fantasy and real intent can be distinguished, this can contribute significantly to your defence. We will carefully examine each piece of evidence carefully, leading no stone unturned, as often evidence can be deemed inadmissible for many different reasons.
A Risk of Sexual Harm Order, or a Sexual Risk Order, introduced by the Sexual Offences Act 2003, can be imposed on adults to prevent them from engaging in inappropriate sexual behaviour, such as approaching children online. The police can apply for such orders if they believe that someone poses a risk to young people under 16. The order will have the effect of applying prohibitions to behaviour, such as communication with a child or children online. Prohibitions are tailored to the specific case, and must be proportionate to the risk posed. If you have been subject to an order under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, these can be challenged. Where appropriate, our solicitors will apply to the court for the order to be discharged or varied.
Our expert sexual offences defence solicitors have a vast amount of experience and knowledge in this particular field. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team at the soonest opportunity. The courts treat all sexual offences seriously, and a conviction will have a significant effect on your life, and almost certainly carries the risk of a prison sentence. This means that it is important for you to have the best representation to ensure you have strong, dependable advice.
If you have been accused of grooming or inciting a minor, or if you wish to know where you stand in relation to an investigation into a sexual offence, contact us today. We specialise in serious crime, and have a proven track record in successfully handling sexual offence cases. Regardless of where you are in the country, our solicitors can help. We have the experience and dedication to help you through what can be a complex and difficult process.
Stephen Lickrish & Associates Solicitors in Manchester offer specialist advice and representation on sexual offences. Contact us today on 0161 237 1913 or on 0800 988 64 22 for 24-hour legal advice. Alternatively, contact us by filling out our enquiry form.
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