Murder is the most serious of criminal offences and carries a mandatory life sentence in prison. If you are being investigated on suspicion of murder, or you have been arrested or are facing charges, it is essential to speak to experienced murder solicitors straightaway.
Our criminal defence team includes experts in murder defence strategy and we will provide immediate representation to protect your position and ensure that your rights are respected by the authorities. We can attend all police station interviews and make sure that you have the advice you need before you are questioned.
We hold the Law Society’s criminal litigation accreditation in recognition of the high levels of advice and service that we provide. Several of our team members are qualified advocates, including some with higher advocacy rights, and have many years of experience in dealing with the most serious criminal allegations.
To secure excellent representation, call us now using our emergency 24-hour service.
Criminal Defence Emergency Contact
For our Swansea 24/7 service, please call 07496 697906.
For our Rhondda Cynon Taff 24/7 service, please call 07572 746303.
Our murder services include:
- Representation at the police station
- Compiling evidence
- Advice on your options
- Putting together your defence
- Preparing for court
- Appealing against a murder conviction
Contact our murder solicitors in South Wales
To speak to one of our murder lawyers in South Wales, you can call one of our offices in Pontypridd, Talbot Green or Swansea. Alternatively, please use our contact form on the right-hand side of the page.
Our murder services
Representation at the police station
If you are detained on suspicion of murder, you should ask for representation at the police station and speak to expert murder lawyers before you are interviewed. Our team includes accredited police station representatives who can advise and represent you. We will ensure that the police do not exceed their authority and that your case is dealt with correctly.
We will make sure that you have expert advice on your situation and that you understand how to avoid inadvertently harming your defence.
Compiling evidence
We will make sure that we are provided with all of the evidence gathered by the authorities and will also work to secure any evidence that could support your defence. This can include video and CCTV footage, witness statements and documents.
Attention to detail is crucial in a murder investigation, and our criminal defence experts always go the extra mile to ensure that we obtain and correctly interpret all necessary information.
Advice on your options
We will give you a thorough assessment of your case, including explaining the law on murder and the possible defences available to you, and go through the potential outcomes of any charges. We will discuss your options and any benefits or drawbacks so that you can make an informed decision on your approach to your case.
Putting together your defence
We will ensure that we put together the strongest possible defence on your behalf. This will include checking that the police and Crown Prosecution Service have dealt with your case correctly.
We will establish the best course of action and work to show that you were not guilty or, where appropriate, that the incident was manslaughter and not murder.
Preparing for court
Our team will help you prepare for court, ensuring you know what to expect and arranging for representation by an advocate with expertise in defending murder charges.
We will make sure that you have our support throughout and that we are available to speak to you and answer your questions as needed.
Appealing against a murder conviction
If you have been convicted of murder, we can discuss the possibility of an appeal with you. We will go through what has happened and identify any potential grounds for appeal.
Murder solicitors FAQs
What is murder?
The legal definition of murder in the UK is when a person of sound mind unlawfully kills someone with the intention to kill or cause grievous bodily harm.
The prosecution must prove all aspects of the charge.
What is the difference between murder and manslaughter?
There are different types of manslaughter, as follows:
Voluntary manslaughter
Voluntary manslaughter occurs when someone has been killed because the accused lost control or had diminished responsibility.
Involuntary manslaughter
Involuntary manslaughter occurs when someone commits an unlawful act or does something that is grossly negligent and as a result, someone is killed.
If you have been accused of murder, it may be that you have a defence if you had lost control at the time or you had diminished responsibility. Where this is the case, we will put forward evidence of this to the court.
One of the most important differences between murder and manslaughter is the length of the sentence. Murder in UK law carries a mandatory life sentence, although there is a possibility of eventual release on licence.
The sentence for manslaughter will be determined by the judge, taking into account a range of issues, including any mitigating factors. A life sentence for manslaughter is rare.
What is conspiracy to murder?
Conspiracy to murder is where two or more people make an agreement to murder someone. The maximum sentence for conspiracy to murder is life imprisonment.
What are defences for murder?
There are a range of defences for murder, as follows:
Self defence
If you were acting in self defence and had no other option, then you may have a complete defence to murder.
If you acted in self defence, but there were other options, then you may have a partial defence. A partial defence means that you may be convicted of manslaughter instead of murder.
Diminished responsibility
Diminished responsibility is a partial defence that will reduce a conviction to voluntary manslaughter if it is accepted. To show diminished responsibility, the court will need evidence that the accused’s ability to understand the nature of their conduct, to make a rational judgment and to exercise self-control was substantially impaired because of a medical condition and that this provides an explanation for their actions.
Loss of control
Where the victim’s behaviour provoked the accused in a way that would cause any reasonable person to lose control, the defence of loss of control may be available. It will also be necessary to show that the accused had a fear of serious violence or that they justifiably felt that they had been seriously wronged.
This is also a partial defence, meaning that if accepted, it will reduce the offence to manslaughter.
Killing as part of a suicide pact
If the accused intends to join in a suicide pact with the deceased and they have agreed to take their own lives or each other’s lives, the accused may have a partial defence and will be convicted of manslaughter, not murder.
Contact our murder solicitors in South Wales
If you are facing a murder investigation or you have been charged with murder, you need representation from expert criminal solicitors for murder without delay.
To speak to one of our murder lawyers in South Wales, you can call one of our offices in Pontypridd, Talbot Green or Swansea. Alternatively, please use our contact form on the right-hand side of the page.