Help to find a 'Good' solicitor

[angelheart]

Can anyone advise, need to find a Solicitor who can help appeal against conviction on FA attempted Rape case. We have had not much success over past months, (long story) , but need to draw a line and begin again. Thanks for taking the time to read. Take care.

[is there justice?]

Hopefully RightsFighter will pick this up.

I wish you well.

[angelheart]

Thank you, new to site. Word of mouth always a good start, we have had bad experiences, but more determined than ever.
Health and Happiness to you.

[wings]

My Solicitors were pretty useless, but luckily the allegations against me were easily disproved I believe that had I paid for a specialist solicitor my case would have been dealt with sooner, choose wisely

[angelheart]

Thank you very pleased to hear your ordeal over. Unfortunately our trial solicitors and trial council let our son and my family down, (and we actually paid). Legal aid solicitor who we turned to next would not speak to us in person and was just taking an eternity to read papers. We know they have to apply to read so much etc,. So we turned to the Private practice again, and have been no better off information wise, but a lot lighter in our pockets. We just want someone who we can trust with our son's future and who can help us.
Health and Happiness.

[myhome]

Hi and welcome though really sorry to hear of your son's conviction.
Have a look at this thread http://www.daftmoo.org.uk/mooforum/forum.php
Also Chris Saltrese is recommended by many on here and also does legal aid work for appeals

[Incredulous]

I am so sorry to hear of your plight and we are in exactly the same boat.

It's our lives in their hands and it's so very hard isn't it?

[angelheart]

It is every step of the way fighting and fighting all the way for the Justice he deserves. I believe there must be good people out there who we can work with to help move our sons case move towards appeal. Even being diagnosed with Cancer last year did not surpass the pain and anguish our son's situation has caused, (I'm responding to treatment). We feel, and I know our son feels the same way, it is not so much about what the Complainant said, only she knows why and as time has passed I am very sure she believes this now and has taken the adulation of people for being a champion for 'fighting' off a "Monster". That word broke my heart.....my son is definitely not that, far from it. Its about the people we trusted with 'his life' that have let him and us down more.
They should and could have wiped the floor with her story, but instead sat back and did as little as possible and here we are. They can carry on with there lives regardless. Appeal Judges are not interested in what could have been done and wasn't, and how can that be the defendants fault? but he then has to pay the price of their incompetence and now the 'Justice system' becomes the Injustice system . The Judges don't want to know that our so called 'Defense' didn't even carry out proper DNA , they could have but didn't , again not our son's fault, and that is not the only thing they didn't do, the list is Scandalous. There must be a review of this system. Stay strong and never give up. My husband says we are 'At War' and we are choosing our battles wisely, we have a 'Dunkirk' spirit and WILL be VICTORIOUS know matter what the legal system says. OUR SON IS INNOCENT and we will get him home where he belongs.
Good luck in your fight , always here if you need some wind for your wings.

[Rights Fighter]

I am going through the threads quickly so please accept my apologies if I haven't seen answers to my questions.

Is he in prison and if so how long did he get?

Did trial counsel send him a document called an "Advice on Appeal?"

If the conviction only recent then there may grounds of appeal in the Judge's Summing Up(JSU) with misdirections and/or missed directions.

Maybe bad character was wrongly put (I don't know in your case as I wasn't there)....... all sorts of things could have gone wrong at trial.

There are lots of good solicitors out there who can prepare appeals. If you can afford to pay they would be able to spend a lot more time on the matter than with legal aid. Some barristers can be instructed by direct access although it's better to have prepared the case first as that is what can make the charge mount up.

[angelheart]

Hi RF, thank you for responding. Is there a way we can correspond more privately, not sure if that possible? I understand that talking openly on this forum is to help other people in this situation and I am more than happy to express our experiences, I am sure that everyone will understand that we have to approach everything with caution. Thank you
Kind Regards

[can it get worse]

Goodness - I despair the never ending steam of experiences of the 'in'justice system.



My trust in this system disappeared at the beginning of our own ordeal and it never improves.

It's good that you have the fighting spirit. I wish you the best of everything in your appeal.

[Indigo]

David Crossling of Jordans Solicitors Doncaster was exceptional.
He worked so hard on my case and was there whenever I needed him.

Between him and Mark Barlow I owe them everything, picked me up when I was down and put me in my place
when I got annoyed. Both of them are saints.

[Rights Fighter]

I've heard some good comments about David Crossling - I know Mark Barlow personally (or did a few years back, although I am still in touch with him now and again) and he has to be one of the best!!

[angelheart]

Is he in prison and if so how long did he get?...
Yes, received 8 years on 1 count + 4 years to run concurrent of 3 other counts.

Did trial counsel send him a document called an "Advice on Appeal?"....
Yes, trial counsel stated there were no grounds for appeal to conviction. This was not surprising, if trial counsel had confirmed there were grounds to appeal conviction it would have shown he did a terrible job at trial, which he did

If the conviction only recent then there may grounds of appeal in the Judge's Summing Up(JSU) with misdirections and/or missed directions.....
Conviction was from May 2013, We have a copy of JSU, the only thing at present that has been highlighted is the Judge failed to address the jury about the complainants tears

Maybe bad character was wrongly put (I don't know in your case as I wasn't there) all sorts of things could have gone wrong at trial......
A lot did go wrong at trial, the defence team failed to produce evidence, counter evidence, interview witnesses, produce witnesses, gather evidence. The CPS withheld evidence and failed to produce other evidence in sufficient time to allow us to react. Some CPS evidence was only produced 2 days before trial which fell on a bank holiday weekend, bearing in mind they had six months from arrest to trial. The defendant was also denied access to material throughout this period, how can anyone be expected to defend themselves if they do not know the full extent of what is being produced against them.

[Rights Fighter]

It is every step of the way fighting and fighting all the way for the Justice he deserves. I believe there must be good people out there who we can work with to help move our sons case move towards appeal. Even being diagnosed with Cancer last year did not surpass the pain and anguish our son's situation has caused, (I'm responding to treatment).

We feel, and I know our son feels the same way, it is not so much about what the Complainant said, only she knows why and as time has passed I am very sure she believes this now and has taken the adulation of people for being a champion for 'fighting' off a "Monster". That word broke my heart.....my son is definitely not that, far from it. Its about the people we trusted with 'his life' that have let him and us down more.

They should and could have wiped the floor with her story, but instead sat back and did as little as possible and here we are. They can carry on with there lives regardless.

Appeal Judges are not interested in what could have been done and wasn't, and how can that be the defendants fault?

.................but he then has to pay the price of their incompetence and now the 'Justice system' becomes the Injustice system .

The Judges don't want to know that our so called 'Defense' didn't even carry out proper DNA , they could have but didn't.........

again not our son's fault, and that is not the only thing they didn't do, the list is Scandalous. There must be a review of this system. Stay strong and never give up.

My husband says we are 'At War' and we are choosing our battles wisely, we have a 'Dunkirk' spirit and WILL be VICTORIOUS know matter what the legal system says. OUR SON IS INNOCENT and we will get him home where he belongs.

Good luck in your fight , always here if you need some wind for your wings.

Look at the bits I have highlighted......

Have you attempted to appeal, and that is why you have said this?

It is indeed very rare that CA will allow any criticism of the trial sol and barrister, but it is not unheard of.

I have put your post into smaller paragraphs as I cannot read long blocks of text.