Criminal Charges

Facing criminal charges is one of the most challenging situations you’ll encounter in your life. The fear and uncertainty you’re feeling are normal, but you don’t have to face this alone. Our team of criminal lawyers have over 30 years combined experience in helping people just like you.

Sarah Whitehead is an experienced and passionate advocate who will guide you through this journey, ensuring you understand the process and all your options before you face court. She will provide you with insightful, honest and strategic legal advice regarding your case and empower you to make informed choices.

As practitioners in a boutique law firm, we spend as much time with you as you need to understand your unique circumstances. Sarah will attend Court as your lawyer, navigating the system to your advantage and help you achieve the best outcome possible. Don’t take the risk of being self-represented in Court, let us help you.

We can assist you with a wide range of criminal charges including offences relating to:

Road traffic
Drink and drug driving
Assaults
Weapons offences
Drug offences
Domestic violence
Fraud and theft
Sexual offences
Tax offences

We have the experience to help you with every aspect of your case and offer a competitive, fixed-fee service. Whatever charges you’re facing, we can help you find a way forward. We understand the pressures you’re facing, so we offer online consultations and a range of after-hours services. Your first consultation is free and we offer fixed-fee representation. To book a free consultation, just get in touch.

Types of Charges

Some of the most common offences are outlined here to give you a better understanding of how we can help you.

Driving Offences

If you are facing a traffic charge, you will benefit from effective representation to deal with it. A traffic offence refers to any violation of the laws and regulations governing the operation of a motor vehicle on a public road. Traffic offences include a wide range of violations, including:

Speeding
Driving carelessly or dangerously
Drink driving, drug driving or a combination of both
Offences related to P-plate or Learner drivers
Offences relating to car accidents, including culpable driving causing serious injury or death.

Don’t make the mistake of assuming the Court will deal with it lightly. The Magistrate may consider penalties such as recording a conviction against you, loss of licence, diversion, fines or community-based orders. For repeat offenders and serious offending, such as dangerous driving or culpable driving causing serious injury or death, the Court will consider a term of imprisonment.

If you want to contest the charges, we can give you strategic advice tailored to your situation and help you craft an effective defence strategy. We can represent you in each stage of the process so you are supported and can make well-informed decisions regarding your case.

If you plead guilty, our lawyers can give you the best chance to:

Effectively negotiate with police or prosecutors to withdraw some charges against you, potentially saving you from losing your license or even imprisonment. Having charges withdrawn saves you from incurring time off the road, demerit points and potentially gaol, depending on the nature of the charges.
Reduce your penalty, based on the circumstances of your offending and your broader situation. This could involve keeping your driver’s licence or decreasing the time for which your licence is be suspended.
Avoid a custodial sentence or minimise the time you spend in custody for very serious offending.

No matter what type of charge you’re facing, we can provide expert guidance and representation for your Court hearing.

Assault Offences

The term ‘assault’ covers both the use of force against another person and the threat of force. If a person’s actions create a fear of an imminent threat of harm, that is enough to satisfy the criteria for assault. Assault generally falls into 3 categories:

The first are assault charges based on threatened or perceived violence;
The second are assaults that result in physical touching but no injury is caused; and
The third are assaults where physical violence has caused an injury.

There are different types of assault charges in each of these categories that result in drastically different penalties, depending on whether you’re charged with a summary offence (less serious) or an indictable offence (more serious). You may face more than one type of assault charge over the same incident.

We can help you determine whether you have any defence to the charges and which charges should be withdrawn. Our lawyers will equip you to make informed decisions about your case and represent you in every aspect of your Court case. Let us help you determine exactly where you stand and maximise your chance of an excellent outcome at Court.

Property Offences

Property offences primarily concern the destruction, damage, or theft of property. There is a range of property offences that can be committed under the Victorian criminal law and these range from minor summary offences to serious indictable offences that carry significant penalties. Common charges can include:

Theft
Wilful or Criminal Damage to property
Arson
Burglary and Aggravated Burglary
Home Invasion and Aggravated Home Invasion

Penalties range from a diversion to a term of imprisonment, depending on the circumstances of the offending and which charges you’re facing. We can help you to determine whether you have any defense to the charges and effectively advocate for you in every aspect of your case.

Drug Offences

There are a number of categories of offences related to illegal drugs, including

use
possession
cultivation and
trafficking drugs of dependence

The type of offence charged depends on the drug of dependence in question and the quantity of the drug used, possessed, cultivated or trafficked. Victoria Police and Victorian courts have introduced several supports for people who commit drug offences. Some schemes aim to divert people away from the criminal legal system, while others focus on harm minimisation and treatment options for people who use drugs.

A key element of successfully dealing with drug charges is to help you address any underlying issues which have given rise to these charges. We can help you access to a wide range of support services which can dramatically alter not only the outcome of your Court case but can help you change the direction of your life.

For a confidential and compassionate conversation about your situation, please contact us for assistance.

Financial Offences

Financial Crimes are criminal activities carried out by individuals or criminal organisations to provide economic benefits through illegal methods. Financial crimes have become a critical issue in recent years worldwide and cause significant harm to the economy and society. They can be simple or aggravated and attract a range of penalties depending on the circumstances. They can include charges such as:

Fraud
Obtaining financial advantage by deception
money laundering
tax evasion
embezzlement
forgery and counterfeiting
identity theft
bribery and corruption
terrorism financing.

A key aggravating factor is the breach of trust that is often implicit in the commission of these offences. Courts take this seriously so it’s important not to risk representing yourself in these matters. We can advise you about any possible defenses and help you effectively navigate the Court process.

For a free initial consultation about your situation, please give Sarah a call on

0407 094 058, or click the button below for more options.

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