Bucks &amp; Oxon


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="844" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/Martin-Crawford-Brown-1.jpg" alt="Martin Crawford-Brown IBB Law" class="wp-image-162271" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/Martin-Crawford-Brown-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/Martin-Crawford-Brown-1-800x675.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/Martin-Crawford-Brown-1-400x338.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Martin Crawford-Brown</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-private-crime-sounds-fascinating-tell-me-what-your-job-involves"><strong>Private crime sounds fascinating – tell me what your job involves</strong>?</h3>



<p>Private crime is a catch-all phrase that essentially means private individuals self-funding their legal cases. They may pay for defence in criminal cases or where under investigation by a regulatory body. They may also engage my team to carry out investigations that could lead to crown (state) prosecution or sometimes even private prosecutions (prosecution brought by a private individual). There are two reasons they will self-fund. Either the people who come to me don’t qualify for legal aid, or they may choose to be a private client because we offer an enhanced level of service.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-the-benefits-of-privately-funding-a-lawyer"><strong>What are the benefits of privately funding a lawyer?</strong></h3>



<p>Private crime is a bespoke service&nbsp;and can offer creative, dynamic, and cost-effective solutions to meet the client’s needs and pocket.&nbsp;IBB Law is a multidisciplinary firm, so I bridge the gap between IBB Law’s criminal defence services and the other specialisms it offers.&nbsp;Consequently,&nbsp;I regularly find myself working with my colleagues in the education law, commercial litigation, franchising, and employment law departments, to name a few, to meet the needs of the client.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Another benefit is that private clients get consistency of approach. They are looked after throughout their legal case by the same solicitor, who has a specialism in the area they are seeking help with and provides a regular point of contact.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/9-1-1000x667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-162266" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-do-you-need-deep-pockets-to-hire-a-private-lawyer">Do you need deep pockets to hire a private lawyer?</h3>



<p>Our services aren’t just for rich people. Often clients come to us because they stand to lose their livelihoods. On occasion I think of my father, who was a flat roofer and the main breadwinner for our family. If someone like him was at risk of losing his driving licence having accumulated 12 penalty points, he wouldn’t have qualified for legal aid.&nbsp;&nbsp;And if he lost his licence, he wouldn’t have been able to put food on the table. We provide a lifeline to these champions of society, like my father.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-the-most-common-criminal-offences-you-deal-with"><strong>What are the most common criminal offences you deal with?</strong></h3>



<p>My criminal defence works covers general crime (anything from assault and murder to drug offences, rape, and sexual offences); fraud and business crime (for example, false accounting, VAT fraud and money laundering); and road traffic law (drink driving, speeding and dangerous driving). I accompany the client to the police station as their private defence solicitor, conduct pre-charge engagement, and then represent them in court proceedings in the Magistrates, Crown, and Appeal Courts.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>I will also prepare for hearings before the various regulatory bodies e.g., disciplinary proceedings before the General Dental Council, or driver conduct hearings before the Traffic Commissioner.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="692" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/sad-businesswoman.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-162270" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/sad-businesswoman.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/sad-businesswoman-800x554.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/sad-businesswoman-400x277.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-and-what-about-your-investigatory-work-are-you-the-columbo-of-the-home-counties"><strong>And what about your investigatory work? Are you the Columbo of the Home Counties?</strong></h3>



<p>On the investigatory side, I can advise on offences allegedly committed by my client and investigate them, alongside the police. This is called pre-charge engagement post interview. Or I can investigate offences allegedly committed against my client.&nbsp;</p>



<p>During an investigation, I can obtain witness statements and instruct experts to carry out forensic analysis to gather evidence, in much the same way the police would. I then either present this portfolio of evidence to the police for them to adopt, and/or I go down the route of a private prosecution which is instigated by the client, as opposed to the Crown Prosecution Service. Police resources as they are, sometimes they will not adopt an investigation. In certain circumstances we may judicially review a prosecution decision not to prosecute, which can result in the High Court directing the Crown Prosecution Service to prosecute.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-kinds-of-investigations-do-you-work-on"><strong>What kinds of investigations do you work on?</strong></h3>



<p>By way of example of an offence against my client, I might be hired to investigate a misappropriation of funds at a company by an employee or advise someone who is being harassed by a colleague at work. Then there are the disputes between neighbours, which can get emotionally fraught. With neighbour disputes, I step in because you often find the police are not that interested.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/2-2-1000x667.jpg" alt="High hedges" class="wp-image-162264" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-the-main-things-neighbours-fight-about">What are the main things neighbours fight about?</h3>



<p>Typically, boundaries, hedges or CCTV cameras being installed. In one case, I was dealing with a dispute between neighbours about someone cutting the heads off the flowers on the boundary line between their properties. Emotions run high and sometimes it’s just a question of calming people down. If a dispute has been going on for a long time, it can be therapeutic to have someone like me involved who can be objective and assess whether there’s sufficient evidence to prosecute. I can help clients draw a line under their dispute and move on.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-have-you-advised-on-any-scandals"><strong>Have you advised on any scandals?&nbsp;</strong></h3>



<p>Well, every offence is potentially scandalous, or my clients wouldn’t need a lawyer. In fact, sometimes I’m called in when a client hasn’t yet come to the attention of the police and might never do so. They have done something inadvisable and are worried about how it would affect their professional standing (or even their livelihood) if it gets out. In this case it’s not just advice on criminal defence, procedures, and prosecution. I also look at limiting damage to a client’s reputation. For high-profile clients, that aspect can prove invaluable.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sounds-intriguing-any-celebrity-clients"><strong>Sounds intriguing&#8230;. any celebrity clients?</strong></h3>



<p>Obviously, I work under strict confidentiality. But I can say I have advised some celebrities. Ironically, this includes (but is not limited to) racing drivers who have committed driving offences. I have also advised notable musicians, who did not sing like a canary.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="598" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/monopoly--1000x598.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-162269" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-i-see-you-also-specialise-in-dog-law"><strong>I see you also specialise in Dog Law…</strong></h3>



<p>The police have far-ranging powers under the Dangerous Dogs Act to seize dogs either because they are prohibited breeds or because they are dangerous. In both those cases the owner may be prosecuted. The dog will also be destroyed, unless an advocate like myself can satisfy the court that the dog does not present as a danger to the public and the owner is fit and proper to own the dog. These dogs (mainly pitbull-type breeds, or the more newsworthy XL Bully) are essentially on Death Row, so it can be very emotive.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-your-success-rate-of-saving-dogs-on-death-row"><strong>What’s your success rate of saving dogs on Death Row?</strong></h3>



<p>Myself and my colleagues have dealt with hundreds of dogs, and there has only been one case where I have not been able to save the dog. Even when the dog is deemed not dangerous, if the owner is not deemed fit and proper and there is no-one else to take the dog, it gets put down. It’s very sad.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/dog-7498710_1280-1000x666.jpg" alt="American XL Bully" class="wp-image-162267" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">American XL Bully</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-did-you-get-into-this-line-of-work-were-you-fascinated-by-detective-novels"><strong>How did you get into this line of work? Were you fascinated by detective novels?</strong></h3>



<p>I’ve always been more into dragons and wizards than detective novels. The odd thing is, I sometimes think of the law as a magic spell. If you put the right ingredients in, then you get a magical result. Yes, I am a detective at times, I need to get to the bottom of things, and I find ways to investigate the reasonable lines of enquiry. But I also like to find creative ways to help my clients. I’m constantly thinking outside the box to come up with the most cost-effective solution that gets the result the client wants.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-so-the-million-dollar-question-how-much-do-you-charge"><strong>So, the million-dollar question – how much do you charge?</strong></h3>



<p>My hourly rate is £305 plus VAT. I either provide a fixed fee based on my hourly rate, or I provide an estimate of how many hours it will take. If you’re going to trial at a magistrate’s court, for example, I could spend 20 hours preparing for the trial. When clients do not qualify for legal aid, I can sometimes give them preliminary advice for free, which may be sufficient.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-do-you-unwind-when-you-re-not-calming-down-angry-neighbours-and-advising-on-gritty-criminal-cases"><strong>How do you unwind when you’re not calming down angry neighbours and advising on gritty criminal cases?</strong></h3>



<p>I recently completed qualifications in garden design, so I love to spend time gardening. But by the end of most days, I only have the energy to watch something escapist on TV like&nbsp;<em>Game of Thrones</em>,&nbsp;<em>Lord of the Rings</em>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<em>RuPaul’s Drag Race</em>.&nbsp;<em><a href="/www.ibblaw.co.uk/people/martin-crawford-brown"></a></em></p>



<p><em><a href="/www.ibblaw.co.uk/people/martin-crawford-brown" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Martin Crawford-Brown</a>&nbsp;is head of private crime at IBB Law, which has offices in Bucks, Berks, Oxon and beyond. Check out the work that he and his colleagues specialise in on the&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.ibblaw.co.uk/ibb-private-client" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>IBB Law website</em></a><em>.&nbsp;</em></p>



<p><em>Think you might need help from Martin and his team? You can get in touch on&nbsp;</em><a href="mailto:emquiries@ibblaw.co.uk">emquiries@ibblaw.co.uk</a><em>. Alternatively call </em>the <em>Uxbridge office on 0330 175 7608.</em></p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-legal-lifelines"><strong>More legal lifelines:</strong></h4>



<p><a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/life/parenting/legal-dispute-advice-school-university-ibb-law/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Let down by your child’s school or uni? Here’s what you need to do</a><br><a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/life/people/ibb-law-managing-partner-joanna-debiase/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Day in the life of a managing partner</a><br><a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/life/time-to-split-7-major-divorce-myths-busted/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">7 major divorce myths busted</a><br><a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/search/?q=IBB%20Law" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">This two-minute read will save you a fortune</a></p>


Don’t call the police (yet). Inside the world of private crime

You may also like