Possession of Indecent Images

The arrival of the internet has brought many plusses and negatives with it. One of the negatives is the arrival of websites that contain illegal pornography. Even people who previously had no interest in indecent images have become corrupted, and innocent computer users have had to suffer the consequences of suspicious minds. With this type of material now being freely available, the courts are handling people who never thought they would be in this situation.

Allegations of this nature can be particularly challenging. Those who are accused sometimes have to suffer from having the social services involved to gain access to their own children. There is also the fact that the stigma of committing a criminal offence, can be extremely hard to handle.

We know how traumatic this can be. This is a situation that can affect your well-being and those around you. We do not judge; we work only to obtain the best possible legal outcome.

Taking images of children that are indecent, or sexual, showing them, distributing them or publishing them are all illegal acts for which you can be imprisoned.

These cases can cause sleepless nights, anxiety and horror.

We understand the need for you and your family to be advised and informed on how court proceedings work and that such procedures may be unfamiliar to you. Legal proceedings are very complex and uncertainty further fuels the fear of the entire experience. We are here to do the hard work for you and to lessen the impact of your troubles at this difficult time.

More than anything, it’s crucial to engage with an expert indecent images solicitor as early as possible in the allegations.

We have put together some questions and answers to provide you with guidance and support. We aim to make this easier for you and to provide you with the information that you need to take your first step in protecting yourself.

If you have a question that you cannot find an answer to here, contact us, and we will do all we can to provide you with information.

Have you been arrested or charged for Possession of Indecent Images?

If you or somebody close to you has been arrested or charged in connection with possession of indecent images case, there’s no doubt that you will probably be feeling stressed, confused and worried about what’s going to happen.

In some cases, the charge is not based on fact but purely on allegations. However, whatever your circumstances it can be very stressful as you wonder who will find out and how this might affect your day-to-day life. You will be concerned about how friends, family and colleagues might think of you.

What happens in a Possession of Indecent Images Investigation?

When a possession of indecent images investigation takes place, it can be a very worrying time. You may worry about your reputation, your job, that you won’t be able to cover your bills or have enough food for your family to eat. Everything feels very unstable and uncertain.

In every case of a possession of indecent images, the circumstances are different. However, it’s absolutely vital that you seek legal advice to support you and guide you. You need to engage experienced lawyers who can provide you with the expertise and guidance to handle the investigation process. The process can be complicated and lengthy. It’s crucial that you engage legal professionals who have experience in defending indecent images cases and to whom you can speak to in the strictest confidence.

You’ll typically discover that you’re being investigated for possession of indecent images offences when you get a knock on the door from the police. The police may invite you to the police station for an interview. You have a right to consult a lawyer and the right to attend the interview with someone else.

You may have been falsely accused of possession of indecent images

Please note that in many cases, people are wrongly accused of possession of indecent images offences. If you feel this is you, there are many reasons why you may have had false claims made about you. In some cases, it’s malicious, and in others, it could be somebody who is seeking a financial payment.  You may even have lent your computer to somebody, and they downloaded, produced or distributed the indecent images using your equipment.

Without a lawyer, you cannot find out more until the interview

You’re very unlikely to be told why you’re being investigated or any other details about your possession of indecent images offence case until you are at the police interview and in a situation where you can be questioned.

Your police interview will be recorded so that any evidence captured can be played in court.

However, you have the right to access legal advice. It’s essential that you hire an experienced and competent possession of indecent images solicitor to support you and provide you with guidance about how best to handle the case. Once you have engaged a solicitor, they will examine your situation and what’s known about it to create a strong defence.

Instruct a legal professional as soon as possible

If you are being investigated or have been charged, it is imperative that you seek early advice and guidance to protect your position. The best approach to take now is to engage a legal professional who has experience of building a defence for possession of indecent images and child pornography cases.

What should you do if you get arrested or charged with Possession of Indecent Images Offences?

Possession of indecent images, and sexual offences in general, are an area of law that can be complicated. It’s also an area of law that can have a devastating effect on the lives of anybody who is involved – accused and accuser.

It’s recommended that the first action you take is to hire an indecent images lawyer to help you. Not only will you gain access to the most current laws and defence strategies, but you will be given supportive guidance to get you through this challenging time in your life.

You’ll be supported throughout the entire process, and a competent lawyer will ensure that you get the best possible outcome.

Can the police search my home?

What many people find difficult is that along with interviewing you, there is likely to have been a search warrant issued so that the law enforcement officers can make a thorough investigation. This includes your home, smartphone, tablet, computer plus any data containers such as hard drives.

During the search, your emails and social media accounts will be examined for evidence.

Could you go to prison for Possession of Indecent Images?

Possession of indecent images is a serious crime. Whether you will need to spend time inside a prison will depend on the crime for which you are convicted and how well you are defended.

If you are convicted of possession of indecent images offences, it is possible that you’ll be handed a sentence of imprisonment as punishment. By taking the right steps, it may be possible to have your case dismissed before it reaches the point of being a trial in court.

We handle indecent images cases regularly and have deep expertise in this field. We can help you by recommending the best course of action to take to mitigate the outcome. No matter what size your case is, get in touch.

What type of sentence could you get for Possession of Indecent Images Offences?

Depending on what you are convicted of, your name may be added to the sex offenders register. Prison sentences range from 3 months to 10 years imprisonment. Read detailed information about the typical sentencing for possession of indecent images.

If you engage an indecent images solicitor with experience and knowledge of this area of the law, they will advise you of the typical sentence and the likelihood of a conviction.

Read about the possible defences that could be used for a Possession of Indecent Images offence

Does a conviction for Possession of Indecent Images go on your criminal record?

If your possession of indecent images case is heard in court and you are convicted of the crime, your conviction will be recorded on your CRB / police record.

The period of the endorsement will depend on the nature and length of the sentence imposed on you.

In addition, your name will be added to the ‘sex offenders register’ and you will be subjected to ‘notification requirements’.

How Can Stuart Miller Solicitors Help?

If you are investigated or prosecuted for possession of indecent images, it is essential that you are represented by a specialist team of indecent image solicitors and caseworkers. We boast an extensive understanding of the Criminal Justice Act and have a wealth of experience representing those who are accused of offences within the realm of this complex area of law.

Our indecent images solicitors understand that being accused of an offence of this nature can be humiliating and expect you to have many questions that need answers. Our team appreciates the need to be discreet and sensitive when providing advice. We are on hand to guide you through every step of what can be a lengthy and unpleasant process.

We believe the foundation of excellent representation is ensuring you understand the offence that you face and knowing what to expect throughout each step of your case.

Arrest & Interview

At the outset of an investigation of this nature, it is commonplace for the police to seize all of your electronic devices for analysis. We understand you will feel a sense of embarrassment with such levels of intrusion into your privacy. They may be seized for weeks, months and sometimes even longer.  In this day and age where people rely heavily upon technology we understand you may feel at a loss without them.

It is essential you contact our team of indecent image solicitors the moment you become aware an investigation is imminent or underway. Not only can our team prepare you for what can be a lengthy and gruelling process, once the investigation is underway we can put pressure on the police to conclude their investigation as quickly as possible. Our indecent image solicitors provide representation throughout police interviews and at all stages of the court process.

Categorising the images

Once indecent images are located on the electronic device, the police will categorise them as an A, B or C image – depending on the nature of the image or video. To prove the charge of possession of indecent images, it is for the prosecution to prove that you knowingly had custody and control of the images stored on a device and you were able to retrieve the images from the device. It is essential you contact our team of experts as early as possible so we can engage the UK’s leading experts to analyse the devices where the indecent images were found.

The experts we use may be able to re-categorise indecent images if we dispute the prosecution’s categorisation. They can explore numerous avenues that can prove essential to support your case. They are able to provide evidence on where the indecent images were found, when they were downloaded and how many times they have been viewed. They can often confirm whether they were found as part of a search or whether they came into existence on the device following a pop-up from a legitimate legal website.

How we can help

If you believe someone else has used your device, they are able to check which websites were running simultaneously at the time of the download to see if the user can be identified. Our indecent images solicitors will believe in your case and ensure all realms of possibility are explored when defending your case. We will never accept the prosecution’s case at face value. We will seek out weaknesses in their case, we will challenge illegally obtained evidence and try to kick out inadmissible evidence. If any of the charges cannot be proved by law, we will apply for those charges to be dismissed.

In the event that you accept the offence and are looking at the potential consequences or sentences imposed for possession of indecent images cases, our solicitors will create a defence strategy to do their best to achieve your objectives. We will do everything possible to present your case and personal circumstances in the best light, so the judge feels legally incapable of imposing unduly harsh sentences. Where possible, we will fight tooth and nail to avoid jail terms.

Book a free consultation with an Indecent Images Expert

If you are accused of possession of indecent images offences, please contact us and ask to speak to one of our specialist indecent images solicitors.

Due to the sensitive nature of our indecent images cases, we publish very limited information about them on our website.

Our team are very competent and can support you in any sexual offences that you may be accused of. It’s critical that you engage a solicitor who has deep experience and knowledge of the laws. Being sensitive and considerate to the nature of the cases that we handle is also an important goal for us.

Would you like to discuss your case before instructing us?

If you’d like to have a no obligation chat with us before you instruct us to take your case, then call us today.

In addition to giving you a free consultation, we can also represent you at the police station if you’ve been arrested. We can look at securing your legal aid.

Please contact us and ask to speak to our indecent images solicitors to arrange a meeting in person, online or by telephone. If you prefer, you can WhatsApp us from the link you will find on this page.