What to do if accused of a drug crime
If you have accused or charged with a drug related crime fast action is needed.
You need to find the perfect drug lawyer to represent you and prevent you from doing anything rash that could make things worse or jeopardise your chances of a positive outcome.
Drug lawyers represent those who have been accused or all sorts of different offences including possession, supplying, trafficking, and more.
Much of the law surrounding drug crime is established in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 but the potential implications of a conviction vary widely depending on the type of substance involved, your intent, and a number of other key factors.
What sentence could I get for a drug crime?
Drug crime is one of the broadest areas of crime with a massive range of potential punishments for those found guilty. From a slap on the wrist to serious prison time, the sentences for drug offences vary massively from case to case.
Just some of the factors that go into determining the severity of the penalty include the type of dug involved (Type A drugs tend to carry the most severe penalties), the type of offence (supplying drugs is considered much worse than possessing them for personal use), and how involved you were in the offence committed.
If convicted, the penalties that you may receive include a fine, community service, a warning, and, in the most severe cases, prison time.
Are there any mitigating factors that could affect the outcome of your case?
Yes. Mitigating factors will be considered during any drug case and could well be the foundation of the defence prepared by your lawyer.
Some of the mitigating factors that might apply to your case include:
Good Character – If you have never been involved in drug crime, or any other crime for that matter, in the past, this may be taken into account by a judge in your drug crime case. A criminal record is only part of what goes into determining good character, however, and if you have demonstrated poor character in other ways this defence may not be much use.
Co-operation – If a person co-operates with an investigation they may be given a reduced sentence. However, this may not always be the best option. The police have been known to use the promise of a reduced sentence to secure a guilty please, also known as a plea agreement. If a conviction is inevitable this might make sense but if you know that you are not guilty and your drug lawyer believes that you have a good chance of being acquitted at trial you may decide that this is the better route forward.
Listen to the advice of your lawyer but at the end of the day this is your decision to make. After all, it is your future on the line and whilst the sensible decision is usually to listen to the professional, they are your representative at the end of the day.