Dawn Raids for Indecent Images

At BSQ we have represented dozens of individuals in indecent images cases in recent years. Most contact us shortly after a surprise dawn raid by police officers. Dealing with the fallout from a dawn raid is one of the first things they want to address.


When Officers Arrive at Your Doorstep

Arriving early in the morning, a group of officers at your doorstep demanding entry to your home will be the first time that you will learn an investigation is on the way. Armed with a search-warrant, or purporting to exercise powers under PACE 1984, they will claim that they have the right to enter your house with or without your permission. After the search has concluded, you will normally be arrested and taken to the nearest police station to be questioned.

Seizure of Digital Devices

During the search of your home any digital devices found will be seized. These could include devices that do not belong to you. These will later be sent to the police high-tech crime unit for forensic examination. After the search has concluded, you will normally be arrested and taken to the nearest police station to be questioned.

The Beginning of the Investigation

Unbeknownst to you, an investigation into your digital profile will have begun well before the dawn raid. Acting on Police intelligence – which can come from a variety of sources – the local sex offending team will have identified your IP address or other information which leads them to believe that someone at your premises may have been accessing unlawful material.

Legal Advice at the Police Station

Once at the police station you will be offered legal advice. Deep in shock, you may take the view that you have done nothing wrong and refuse a solicitor. Our advice will always be that clients should exercise the right to independent legal advice and ask for a lawyer at the station. After your interview, typically, you will be released whilst police enquiries continue. You may be told that the forensic examination of your devices will just take a few weeks. Unfortunately, the reality is that delays in this process means that you can expect to wait months before the results are available.

Bail Conditions and Impact on Your Life

In the meantime, there will usually be conditions attached to your bail. Unsupervised contact with children may be prohibited.  If you have children or a young family, returning home may not be an option. Social services may call. There may be conditions imposed on your use of digital devices. You may have to work out how to deal with the loss of important work computers. There will inevitably be worries about whether your employers, neighbours, or friends will find out. Or if the local press will take an interest.

Seeking Advice After Leaving the Police Station

The law and procedures in indecent images cases is far from straightforward. Most of our clients - who are mainly working professionals but can be drawn from every walk of life - find themselves in a situation they never imagined. Seeking guidance and legal advice from an experienced professional who specializes in indecent images cases becomes critical.

At BSQ, we provide an initial post-police interview consultation to our clients. During this consultation, we outline the following:

• What to expect in the upcoming legal process.

• Potential defences and alternatives to prosecution.

• Worst-case scenarios and possible outcomes.
  

Our goal is to ensure that our clients have a clear understanding of their situation and the legal options available to them

Contacting the Police and Keeping You Informed

Worrying about whether the police will attend their address again, contact friends or visit their workplace after a dawn raid is one of our client’s main concerns. When you engage our services, we take charge of all communications with the police on your behalf. Early on, we will speak with the investigating officer to find out what stage the investigation has reached and estimate how long it will take to conclude.  

At regular intervals thereafter, we will keep you informed about the progress of your case by maintaining open lines of communication with the police. If you are required to attend another interview we will try and organise a convenient time and date for this to take place and ensure you are fully briefed beforehand.

Enquiries from friends and family

If you are worried about your partner or a close friend or family member who has recently been arrested in an indecent images investigation, we would be happy to speak to you. As long as certain rules are complied with, we are permitted to taking instructions from third parties. 

You can find more information about our indecent images solicitors defence services, see our practice page.

If you are accused of an indecent images offence and require legal representation, please contact our London offices on 020 3858 0851.