Advice please

[Swirl]

Has anyone used ITNS london?

[can it get worse]

Hi S,

So sorry to hear of this awful experience that you are having to endure. The waiting (as everybody says) is tormenting. My partner was falsely accused. He received a NG. But the whole process took a very long time and every day was difficult.

We managed to function throughout this ordeal. On the inside it was horrendous but due to our responsibilities to family, we managed to get through it.

As others have advised, it is crucial to get a good defence team. However weak the case may appear, you cannot be complacent. CPS are striving to win. Convictions are their goal.

I do not have much great advice on how to cope with this experience. It is very hard to conceive that people can lie about such things. It turns our lives up side down. All you can do is try to occupy yourselves and learn to live with this limbo that you have no power to control.

I look back on our experience and shudder to remember what we actually went through. But we got thru it and you will too.

Keep posting and offloading. You will receive lots of support.

[Swirl]

Thank you for your reply,any advice is good, like you say. Yes can't belwive its happening to us, he made a mistake having sex with another woman, but this is just stupid, can't believe someobe can lie about this, it's pulling us under everyday, we are trying to take each day one at a time, just the start though, long road ahead! Just wish it would all be over and her lies be seen so we can get on with our lives.
Did you have a specialist? Solicitor?barrister? Both

Looking at using someone but wondered who you used
Many thanks

[Rights Fighter]

Which area are you in, roughly? North West, North, North East, Midlands, South, South West or South East? I ask as I might know of a solicitor in your area who specialises in such cases.

[Swirl]

Hi thanks for your reply, South east

[Rights Fighter]

http://www.ebrattridge.com/index.php...-mcdonald.html

Gerry McDonald is the man for the job and he does legal aid too. He is very careful which barristers he instructs and makes sure that they have masses of experience in defending such cases.

[Swirl]

That's great really appreciate that, does he specialise in these cases?
Have you heard anything of ITNS Hilary doherty?
Thanks

[Rights Fighter]

Gerry McDonald is the man for the job and he does legal aid too. He is very careful which barristers he instructs and makes sure that they have masses of experience in defending such cases.

Well yes he does!!!

I have heard of Hilary Doherty from one person on here - and it was good - but I don't know if she works on legal aid.

[Swirl]

Yeah no she doesn't we have had a quote, but We feel if we are going to fight this we need a good team! As I'm sure you understand!
To be honest I think that when your innocent you shouldn't need to pay out for a specialist because the truth will come out! But people that are innocent aren't always proved innocent, sometimes innocent people get sent down for things they haven't done. I'm sure you know what I mean.
What would you advise?

[Rights Fighter]

I can't tell you who you should instruct. Unfortunately with legal aid you often have to pay contributions towards it. In years gone by that didn't happen.

If you have legal aid and found not guilty you should get your money back.

If you are eligible for LA but choose to pay privately, you get nothing back. Initially it was thought that paying privately meant you would get costs at LA rates back. However I know some cases where that didn't happen.

[Swirl]

Yeah I have read a lot about Gerry on here, just wondered if any reviews on Hilary, yes she is private and yeah will definately cost. Just trying to do what's best, and with the not knowing its diving us mad, we both know he's not done what she's saying just can't see how it can go this far when someone is lying.

[Rights Fighter]

Do a search for her name on the forum search box.

[Casehardened]

Cat linked to the recommended solicitors section earlier on in this thread.

There is a sticky on here with recommended solicitors in different areas of the country, I ll see if I can find it for you.

http://www.daftmoo.org.uk/mooforum/s...ght=specialist

It is well worth having a look through there as the consensus of opinion seems to be that if you wish to pay for private legal representation then Chris Saltrese is one of the best firms to go with. He has a documented track record on the forum of winning cases.

http://www.chrissaltrese.co.uk/

[Swirl]

It's knowing who to go with? It's a hard decision to make just need as much advice as we can get, on experiences people have had with certain solicitors.

[Rights Fighter]

Have a look at the link above in CH's response. You'll see people's various experiences there