Criminal law

A murder charge needs
steady hands.

Few allegations carry higher stakes. From the first police interview to the jury’s verdict, we stand beside you with calm, careful and determined advocacy.

24-hour line 01582 853 783 Request a callback

Band 1 for CrimePreviously ranked, Chambers & Partners
Legal 500 Leading FirmPreviously recognised
Highly CommendedLaw Society Excellence Awards 2021
Day and nightPolice station attendance at any hour

Facing a murder or homicide allegation

Murder is the unlawful killing of another person with an intention to kill or to cause really serious harm. It is the most serious allegation in the criminal law of England and Wales. It can only be tried in the Crown Court, and on conviction the law requires a life sentence. Being charged is not the same as being convicted: you remain innocent in the eyes of the law unless and until the prosecution proves its case.

The law recognises that not every killing is murder. Where the evidence supports it, self-defence can lead to an acquittal, while the partial defences of loss of control and diminished responsibility can reduce murder to manslaughter. Since the Supreme Court’s decision in R v Jogee [2016], a person accused through joint enterprise must be shown to have intended to assist or encourage the crime; foresight alone is not enough.

Early advice matters. What you say in a police interview, and what you choose not to say, can shape the whole case. Bail in a murder case can only be granted by a Crown Court judge, so any application needs careful preparation from the outset. Our solicitors attend police stations 24 hours a day and represent clients in court personally, so the lawyer who knows your case is the one who argues it.

Our team has appeared on Channel 4’s ‘24 Hours in Police Custody’ four times: four murder charges, four wins and no losses. Every case turns on its own facts and past results cannot predict future outcomes, but that record reflects the preparation, persistence and courtroom judgement we bring to every homicide case.

What we do for you

24-hour attendance at the police station and interview
Crown Court bail applications prepared from day one
Pathology, forensic and phone evidence examined in detail
Self-defence, partial defences and joint enterprise explored
Solicitor advocates who represent you personally in court
Clear, honest updates for you and your family

Four murder charges. Four wins.

We appeared on ‘24 Hours in Police Custody’ four times, all of them murder cases. Our experience with complex cases shows that even the underdog can rely on us to achieve a remarkable result, whatever the size of the case or its challenges.

4 Murder charges on Channel 4’s ‘24 Hours in Police Custody’
4 Wins
0 Losses

Allegations we defend

We act in homicide and related allegations at every stage, from arrest to trial.

Murder
Unlawful killing with an intention to kill or cause really serious harm.
Attempted murder
Requires proof of an intention to kill, not merely to cause harm.
Manslaughter
Including unlawful act and gross negligence manslaughter allegations.
Joint enterprise
Secondary liability allegations, applying the principles set out in R v Jogee.
Conspiracy to murder
Allegations of agreeing with others to bring about a killing.
Threats to kill
Threats allegedly made intending the other person to fear they would be carried out.
Causing or allowing a death
Allegations involving the death of a child or vulnerable adult in the same household.

How we defend a murder case

Every homicide case is different, but our approach follows the same careful sequence.

Police station

We attend day or night, review whatever disclosure the police provide and advise you before and during interview. Saying the wrong thing, even unintentionally, can harm your case later.
Charge and first hearings

If you are charged, you first appear before magistrates, who send the case to the Crown Court. We prepare any bail application for a Crown Court judge and identify the key issues early.
Preparing the defence

We scrutinise the prosecution evidence, pursue disclosure, instruct independent expert witnesses where needed and trace witnesses who can support your account.
Trial

At trial the prosecution must prove its case so that the jury is sure. We test every part of it and present your defence clearly and robustly.

Key contact

Attiq Malik

Principal Solicitor

A prominent criminal defence solicitor, Attiq has won acquittals on Channel 4’s ‘24 Hours in Police Custody’ and been praised by the Law Society of England and Wales. He specialises in serious crime and employment law.

Previously Band 1 for Crime, Chambers
Higher Rights advocate
Duty solicitor

He has terrific courage and belief in the system, showing that it works. He’s out there fighting the good fight.

24-hour line 01582 853 783 Request a callback

What our clients say

Real feedback from the people we have represented, published on ReviewSolicitors and Google.

View more reviews

Questions people ask

General information, not advice on your case. For that, speak to us — the first conversation costs nothing.

Can I get bail if I am charged with murder?

Bail is possible but less common in murder cases. Magistrates cannot grant it; only a Crown Court judge can. The judge must be satisfied that there is no significant risk of you committing an offence likely to cause physical or mental injury to another person while on bail.

What is the difference between murder and manslaughter?

Murder requires an intention to kill or to cause really serious harm. Manslaughter covers unlawful killings without that intention, and killings where a partial defence such as loss of control or diminished responsibility applies. Unlike murder, manslaughter does not carry a mandatory life sentence, so the judge has discretion over the sentence.

I was there but did not kill anyone. Can I still be charged?

Yes. Under the law of joint enterprise, people other than the person who caused the death can be prosecuted. Since R v Jogee [2016], the prosecution must prove you intended to assist or encourage the offence. Being present, or foreseeing what might happen, is not enough on its own.

Should I answer police questions?

That depends entirely on the circumstances, which is why you should speak to a solicitor before any interview. You have the right to remain silent, but failing to mention something you later rely on in court can harm your defence. We can attend the police station 24 hours a day.

Nothing on this page is legal advice, and no solicitor–client relationship is created by reading it. Every case turns on its own facts.

Tell us what has happened.

The first conversation costs nothing and commits you to nothing. Two offices, one emergency line, and a solicitor at the end of it.

Luton office

01582 853 783

43 Windmill Road
Luton LU1 3XL

9am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday

London office

0208 528 1019

107–111 Fleet Street
London EC4A 2AB

9am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday

Request a confidential callback

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Say nothing until we are sitting beside you. Before you answer anything, call us. You should not face that interview alone. Do not go in there without a solicitor. Two in the morning is when we work hardest. You reach a solicitor, not a call centre.

The first conversation is free, confidential, and privileged from the first word. We attend police stations across England and Wales, day and night.

24-hour line 01582 853 783

A murder charge needs
steady hands.