Pleading Not Guilty To Drink Driving
Pleading Not Guilty To Drink Driving
Pleading not guilty to drink driving can be the right choice in many situations, even if you were told you were over the legal alcohol limit when stopped by the police. However, entering a not-guilty plea is not something we recommend doing alone. Successfully proving your innocence requires expert analysis of the evidence against you and a deep understanding of the legal system.
If you’ve been caught drink driving and are considering a not-guilty plea, please speak with our specialist solicitors first. We can advise you on the best route to take and give you the best chance of getting your desired outcome. Call us now on 033 03411690 or make a free online enquiry with zero obligation.
Pleading Not Guilty To Drink Driving: Everything You Need to Know
Here’s everything you need to know about whether a not-guilty plea is appropriate for you.
Can I Plead Not Guilty To Drink Driving?
Yes, you can plead not guilty to drink driving. There are real risks to being convicted of drunk driving. Some of the drink driving court outcomes include:
- A mandatory 12-month driving ban
- A fine, often several thousand pounds, up to a maximum of £5000
- If it’s not your first offence, you could face prison time.
These consequences have a knock-on effect. For example, how will you travel to work if you can’t drive? You will also have a criminal record, which may make it more challenging to get a new job or move to a different country.
A not-guilty plea could be worth considering if you know you have a solid legal case. Although this decision means taking your case to trial, being found not guilty would allow you to walk away without any such penalties.
Results Achieved For Our Clients
Drink Driving Not Guilty Plea – Is It The Right Choice?
Whether a not-guilty plea is the right choice for your drink driving charge depends on the strengths and weaknesses of the evidence against you. However, in the UK legal system, the prosecution isn’t required to show you the evidence unless you choose to challenge the charge. Unfortunately, this means many people end up pleading guilty and get banned from driving without knowing whether the evidence against them is weak – or if there’s any solid evidence at all.
Benefits of Challenging Your Charge:
Generally speaking, it is worth challenging the charge to force the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to disclose their evidence against you. Since this process is time-consuming and costly for them, they often rely on the assumption that most motorists will simply plead guilty.
By forcing the CPS to follow disclosure requirements, your skilled drink driving solicitor may uncover holes or weaknesses in the case, which we can use to challenge the prosecution effectively. For more details on the technical defences we have used successfully, see our dedicated ‘Drink Driving’ page. With this information and expert advice, you can make a well-informed decision about whether to plead guilty or not.
Do I Need A Solicitor If I Plead Not Guilty To Drink Driving?
Yes, if you are considering pleading not guilty and wish to contest a drink driving charge, you will need a solicitor. However, you need a motor offence specialist, not a free-duty solicitor from the police station. While the latter are dedicated professionals, they often advise clients to accept and mitigate the charge with an early guilty plea. Unfortunately, this still results in a mandatory driving ban from the court.
The best drink driving court outcomes will always come from a specialist lawyer with extensive knowledge of the legal system and plenty of experience handling complex motoring offences. View our excellent testimonials and case studies to learn about the successful results we’ve secured for previous clients.
What Happens If I Plead Not Guilty To Drink Driving?
If, with your solicitor’s expert advice, you decide to plead not guilty, here is what will happen:
- Initial Hearing: You will attend the hearing where you can plead not guilty.
- Case Adjournment: Your case will be adjourned, usually for around three or four months until your trial. If this goes ahead, most drink driving solicitors will aim to get your case dropped.
- Evidence Gathering: Your solicitor will gather and review evidence, such as collecting witness statements or proving the breathalyser used was malfunctioning.
- Court Preparation: If the CPS insists it has a case, your solicitor will help you prepare for court, discussing strategies with the best chance of success.
- Court Representation: Your solicitor will represent you in court. While it is possible to represent yourself, it’s rarely advisable unless you are very familiar with the legal system and public speaking. Magistrates tend not to respond well to simple sob stories.
Speak With A Professional Drink Driving Solicitor Today
The first step before you decide whether pleading not guilty to drink driving is the right choice for you is to talk it over with an expert. Call us now on 033 03411690 or make a free online enquiry with zero obligation. Let’s work together to achieve the best possible results.
I am extremely grateful for the exceptional services provided by solicitor Abdul in my drink-driving case.
His expertise and dedication resulted in a successful outcome even before we went to court.
I was impressed by his thorough understanding of the legal system and his ability to navigate through the complexities of my case.
I highly recommend Abdul for anyone in need of a reliable and skilled solicitor.
Thank you for your outstanding work!
These guys are the real deal. Abdul was absolutely excellent in dealing with my drink driving case. We didn’t have a very strong case but thanks to his preparation, perseverance and calm approach in court, the charge was dropped.
In court, Abdul was quick thinking and really dictated the speed and flow of proceedings, taking time to properly consider the argument put forward and close down the prosecution.
Highly recommend.
Abdul Ali was extremely helpful and re-assuring throughout the process.
He was always available and on-call even outside your traditional working hours.
I’d highly recommend Abdul as with his experience and confidence regarding the matter, he’s always comfortable in dealing with it as he’s been there and done it many times before!
“Hi Abdul, I would like to thank you and your team for looking after me after been charged with Drink Driving, from the initial contact with Nancy to speaking to you and especially Keiran who represented me in court, who I can’t thank enough. When I thought there was no hope you and Kieran sorted what I thought was a hopeless case. I would strongly recommend you to anyone in the same position. Again thank you to you and your team.”
I was stopped for drink drive I was devastated as I stood on the verge of losing everything
I spoke to Abdul and he was reassuring and informed me that we could put a technical defence forward.
The prosecution on the day of the trial offered no evidence.
I am so grateful to the team at Parnel.
My experience was excellent particular thanks go to Abdul
Abdul was brilliant to work with.
Answered all calls and texts with helpful information and on the day of court.
He got me the outcome I wanted
Wow, words cannot express how happy I am today when I was told the good news by Abdul that my drink drive court case has been dropped.
From the very first day I contacted Abdul when i was charged with drink drive offense, he assured me to calm down and that he will do all he can to get me the possible outcome and that is exacted what I had.
I will 100% recommend Parnell and Peel Solicitors to you if you find yourself at the wrong side of the law.
Once again, thank you Abdul, Thank you Parnell and Peel Solicitors.
Contacted Pamell and Peel on Friday re a driving offence.
Answered immediately.
Abdul has been extremely helpful.
I would definitely recommend.
“My family and friends were sceptical about using Solicitors after I was stopped for drink driving. Parnell & Peel Solicitors were willing take a case on that others told was hopeless. I am astounded by Abdul and his teams brilliance in helping me to avoid conviction. If you have been stopped for drink driving do not hesitate to use Parnell & Peel Solicitors.”
Can’t recommend Abdul and his team enough.
Even when I taught there was nothing I could Abdul reassured he would do everything he could.
Very perfessional and were always at the other end of the phone.
Received the best outcome there is and kept my license.
Drink driving- Not guilty.
Worth every penny!
I was certain I would lose my license at the time.
After contacting Parnell and Peel, Abdul quickly filled me with confidence and explained in great detail how he would defend my case.
He clearly has a lot of experience and knowledge.
In the end I didn’t even need to go to trial as my case was dropped a few days before, all thanks to Abdul and his team.
I can’t thank him enough and I would highly recommend Parnell and Peel solicitors to anyone.
Mr Abdul Ali took my case on a few weeks before my case, he understood how vital it was for me to not get a ban on my driving licence due to totting up of points.
He was reassuring all through out the build up to my case, he guided me all through the information I would need for presenting evidence for an exceptional hardship case and on the day went through how the court process would be.
I was very nervous but through his expertise and guidance I was able to present my case and was successful in not being banned from driving.
I could not state highly enough how valuable he was to my case and me personally as soon as I met him I knew he was the right solicitor for me.
He took the time to understand my case and what I had to loose and did everything in professional capacity in court to ensure I received the verdict that I wanted.
I would highly recommend his services and expertise to anyone in such driving offences situation.
They done the impossible, got caught drink driving, I thought I would lose my license, however Abdul Ali insisted that I had a case, I just decided to take the risk, it went a lot better than I could have ever imagined.
He managed to drop my case before it got to the second trial, the whole experience was very smooth and he was very positive and uplifting throughout the whole process.
Just trust them and leave them to do their job.
THEY WILL SORT IT.
Will recommend them to everyone!
Amazing support from Abdul.
I had charge from the court for 12 points for two different incidents.
Abdul assisted me with this like family and finally got out of the charges. It was nearly a year journey and I never felt left alone.
I recommend everyone to seek advice from him, very knowledgeable and helpful.
After a gruelling process of putting forward a post consumption defence the CPS failed to counter defend the evidence presented by the team at Parnell and Peel.
I’m a happy man and glad I get to keep my licence!
First of all I would like to start with a massive Thankyou to Abdul Ali and his team.
This is to be my first review as I have never ever posted one.
I was charged with Failure To Provide Specimen with the suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
The prosecution was looking to throw the book at me give a custodial sentence however due to Abdul’s above and beyond examination of the evidence it was concluded that the prosecution had no case as they had no evidence of me driving the car.
If you are in trouble it is always worth getting legal advice and seeing what can be done.
This guy is an extremely educated person and knows exactly what he is talking about.
He was throughout in contact even answering my phone at stupid times when I used to have some questions so I got to give it to him for his dedication.
All in all I would definitely say this firm and Abdul Ali is definitely someone I’d blindly put my trust in.
“Stopped for drink driving, I started a dream job, and I could have lost everything, Kieran was brilliant at putting forward detailed legal arguments, which resulted in the prosecution offering no evidence in my case. Unbelievable, Thank you to Parnell & Peel Solicitors.”
