Sexual Offence Solicitors Manchester

If you are facing an allegation of a sexual offence, you need experienced Sexual Offence Solicitors on your side as early as possible. Your liberty, career, family and reputation may all be at immediate risk.

You may be arrested without warning, invited to attend a voluntary police interview or have your electronic devices seized for examination. For professionals, an allegation may also lead to disciplinary or regulatory proceedings that threaten your career and professional standing.

With more than 35 years of experience in criminal defence, our Sexual Offence Solicitors represent clients throughout England and Wales from our offices in Manchester and Stockport. We defend clients facing serious and complex allegations including rape, sexual assault, child sexual offences, indecent images and historic sexual allegations.

We understand how the police and Crown Prosecution Service investigate these cases and know that an effective defence often begins long before trial. Early legal advice can influence how an interview is handled, what evidence is preserved and how your case is presented before any charging decision is made.

Our priority is to protect your position from the outset. We provide discreet, strategic and experienced representation from the first police contact through to court proceedings where necessary, while treating every client with sensitivity, respect and complete discretion.

If you are under investigation or have been asked to attend a police interview, contact Clifford Johnston & Co today to speak with one of our specialist Sexual Offence Solicitors.

How We Will Help You

The decisions made at the beginning of a sexual offence investigation can have a significant bearing on what happens later. Getting specialist advice early means your position can be properly considered before a police interview takes place, important evidence can be identified and you can make informed decisions about how to respond to the allegation.

Our Sexual Offence Solicitors provide confidential advice and representation from the earliest stages of an investigation through to trial and, where necessary, appeal. Your case will receive individual attention, with a defence strategy developed around the allegation, the evidence and your account of what happened.

We can assist with:

• Police interviews and investigations, including voluntary interviews and representation following arrest.
• Pre-charge advice and representations before a decision is made about prosecution.
• Detailed examination of witness statements, messages, phone data, CCTV and other evidence.
• Review and challenge of digital, forensic and technical evidence where appropriate.
• Preparation and representation for proceedings in the Magistrates’ Court and Crown Court.
• Advice where sexual offence allegations could affect your employment, career or professional registration.

The Criminal Department is led by Jared McNally, Partner and Head of Crime, who has more than 20 years’ experience defending clients accused of serious criminal offences. He has extensive experience in complex sexual offence cases, where early strategic advice, careful analysis of the evidence and thorough preparation can make a significant difference to the defence of a case.

Clifford Johnston & Co.’s criminal defence team has also received significant professional recognition. The firm was shortlisted for Crime Team of the Year at the Manchester Legal Awards in 2019, 2020 and 2021, and the criminal defence practice holds the Law Society Criminal Litigation Accreditation.

For you, that means having an experienced criminal defence team on your side from the point at which advice can make the greatest difference. You will know what is happening, understand the options available to you and receive clear advice as your case develops.

If the police have contacted you about a sexual offence allegation, or you need advice for a family member or partner, speak to our Sexual Offence Solicitors as early as possible.

What Should I Do If I Have Been Accused of a Sexual Offence?

Speak to a specialist solicitor as soon as you become aware of an allegation. You do not need to wait until you have been arrested, interviewed or charged.

Do Not Contact the Person Making the Allegation

It may be tempting to contact the person making the allegation to challenge what has been said or try to resolve the situation.

Speak to your solicitor first. Calls, messages or conversations could become evidence in the investigation and may create further difficulties.

Preserve Messages and Other Evidence

Do not delete messages, photographs, social media conversations or other material connected with the allegation. Something that appears unimportant now could later provide valuable context or support your account.

Other evidence can also disappear over time. This may include CCTV, location information or evidence from potential witnesses. Early legal advice can help identify what should be preserved.

If You Have Been Invited to a Voluntary Police Interview

A voluntary interview is a formal interview under caution. You are entitled to legal advice and representation.

Having a solicitor with you does not imply guilt. Your solicitor can consider the information provided by the police, explain the allegation and advise you before you answer questions.

If You Have Already Been Arrested or Interviewed

It is not too late to get specialist advice.

A solicitor can review what has happened, advise you during the ongoing investigation and consider whether further evidence should be identified or preserved.

Get Advice Before Taking Your Next Step

You may face a long period of uncertainty while the police investigate. Having a solicitor gives you a clear point of contact and ensures important decisions are made with proper legal advice.

If you have recently been accused of a sexual offence, call Clifford Johnston & Co for confidential advice about what to do next.

How We Build Your Defence

Every sexual offence case is different. Building an effective defence starts with understanding the allegation, listening carefully to your account and examining the evidence.

Depending on the case, this may involve:

• Examining the allegation for inconsistencies, gaps or matters requiring further investigation.
• Reviewing messages, emails, social media and other communications.
• Identifying witnesses, CCTV, photographs, location information and other evidence that supports your account.
• Analysing evidence from phones, computers, online accounts and other digital devices.
• Examining evidence relating to consent and reasonable belief in consent where relevant.
• Challenging prosecution evidence where its accuracy, reliability or interpretation is disputed.
• Instructing medical, forensic, digital or other specialist experts where necessary.
• Reviewing disclosure and unused material for evidence that assists the defence or undermines the prosecution case.
• Making pre-charge representations where appropriate.
• Preparing for trial alongside experienced criminal barristers.

Some cases turn on a small number of disputed facts. Others involve large amounts of evidence gathered over months or years. Historical allegations may also require a very different approach from cases involving recent messages, digital records or forensic evidence.

Your defence must therefore be built around your circumstances and the evidence in your case.

At Clifford Johnston & Co, preparation begins as early as possible. We will explain the evidence, the issues that matter and the strategy for defending your case.

Funding Your Defence & Legal Fees

We firmly believe that limited finances should not be a barrier to high-quality legal advice. We provide the same level of commitment, expertise and attention to detail to both publicly and privately funded clients.

At the same time, we recognise that the way your case is funded can have a significant impact on how it is prepared and presented. We will always provide clear and honest advice so that you can make an informed decision about your defence, including whether privately funded criminal defence is the right option for you.

You may qualify for legal aid, to relieve the financial burden of legal costs, and we can advise on your eligibility and assist with your application.

For clients who choose to fund their defence privately, there can be important advantages. Private funding allows for greater control over how your case is managed, including the time and resources dedicated to preparing your defence. This can be particularly important in complex sexual offence cases, where detailed analysis of evidence, expert input and careful case strategy can make a decisive difference.

Our privately funded clients benefit from:

• Increased time spent reviewing and analysing prosecution evidence
• The ability to instruct leading barristers and expert witnesses where appropriate
• A proactive and strategic approach to case preparation from the earliest stage
• Greater flexibility in how your defence is built and presented

We will discuss all available funding options with you at the outset and provide full transparency in relation to costs. Our focus is always on delivering the strongest possible defence, tailored to the specific circumstances of your case.

Contact our Sexual Offence Solicitors

If you have been accused of a sexual offence or are under police investigation, obtaining specialist legal advice at an early stage can make a significant difference to your case.

Whether you have been arrested, invited to attend a voluntary interview under caution, released under investigation or charged, we can provide immediate advice and representation. From your first conversation with us, you will be treated with discretion, professionalism and without judgement.

Our experienced team of Criminal Solicitors represent clients across Manchester, Didsbury, Burnage, Sale, Altrincham and Greater Manchester. We can provide urgent police station representation, strategic pre-charge advice and expert defence where proceedings progress to the Crown Court.

From our offices in Manchester and Stockport, we represent clients facing serious sexual offence allegations throughout England and Wales.

Contact Clifford Johnston & Co. today for a confidential consultation with one of our specialist Sexual Offence Solicitors.