What does a sex crime lawyer do?
The role of a sex crime lawyer is to defend clients who have been charged with offences relating the illegal sexual conduct.
Finding an appropriate lawyer in this situation is vital as if someone is convicted of a sex crime they will have to deal with severe legal penalties, ranging from being placed on the sex offenders register to huge fines or a custodial sentence.
As well as legal sentences a sex crime sentence can destroy interpersonal relationships and make finding employment extremely difficult so building a strong defence against such charges is vital and finding the right lawyer could make a huge difference to the rest of your life.
This guide will tell you all you need to know about the role of a Rape defence lawyer and how to find suitable representation.
What charges do sex crime lawyers defend?
Sex Crime Lawyers represent clients dealing with accusations of a range of offences from the most serious of rape to indecent assault, gross indecency, prostitution, and pornography.
Given that even a relatively minor charge can result in being placed on the sex offenders register and have a devastating effect on your life, you should always look to hire a respected and proven sex crime lawyer when charged with any offence of a sexual nature.
Your attorney and their team will analyse the evidence and circumstances of your case and create a suitable defence, whether that be petitioning for a plea bargain, discrediting the prosecution’s evidence and forcing them to drop their charges, or defending you in court.
The common charges that sex lawyers defend their clients against include:
Rape
The most serious of all sexual offences, rape is the intentional penetration of the victim’s vagina, anus, or mouth with the accused’s penis without consent or when the accused has no reasonable belief that consent has been given.
According to Scottish Law, rape can only be prosecuted on indictment in the High Court. Over 90% of those found guilty of rape or attempted rape are given custodial sentences and the maximum sentence is life imprisonment.
Given the severity of the charge, you should contact a rape defence lawyer immediately if you are accused of rape.
Sexual Assault
Sexual assault is defined as the touching of another person sexually without permission in any way up to and including penetration.
Sexual assault charges are usually determined by the nature of the contact, the situation in which the incident took place, and the conversation that took place at the time. The maximum sentence for those found guilty of sexual assault is life imprisonment.
Indecent Exposure
Indecent exposure refers to the act of intentionally revealing one’s genitals in a public place in view to members of the general public.
If found guilty of indecent exposure you may be placed onto the sex offenders register for as long as 5 years, a fact that could ruin your job prospects and destroy personal relationships so doing everything you can to present the best defence possible is essential.
Child Pornography
Any person who takes, makes, distributes, or has in his possession indecent photographs of a child under the age of 18 is guilty of breaking the law regarding the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 regarding child pornography.
The consequences of being found guilty of this offence are life changing and if accused you should contact a sex crime lawyer immediately.
What can a Sex Crime Lawyer Do?
Just because you have been accused of a sex crime does not mean a conviction is guaranteed and it is essential that you get legal advice regarding your case as soon as possible.
Defending a sex crime requires a lawyer to thoroughly dissect the evidence connected to the case and develop a plan for the best form of defence, a skill that required maturity, experience, and a specialist team to succeed.
The majority of sex crimes are determined on questions of credibility, reliability of statement, the evidence at hand, and suggestibility, all factors that require extremely sensitive handling.
Our lawyers are highly experienced in handling sex crime cases and if your case does go to court we will construct a specialist team to help build the best possible defence.
We understand that the allegations you are faced with may be embarrassing and traumatising for you and our lawyers will help guide you through the entire process.
Contact Aamer Anwar & Co
If you are facing allegations of any form of sexual crime, then contact Aamer Anwar & Co today and our team of multi-award winning Scottish lawyers will work with you to form the best defence plan possible.
To get in touch contact us by phone on 0141 429 7090, email : office@aameranwar.com, or fill out our contact form to arrange a legal consultation.