Public order offences in Scotland include common law crimes such as breach of the peace and statutory crimes such as threatening or abusive behaviour and harassment. Whilst many people are charged with public order offences each year in Scotland they can in fact be very difficult crimes for the Crown to prove. It is often the case that the police will charge an individual with a public order offence when they are not happy with particular behaviour but are not sure whether it constitutes a crime. As a result there are many crimes of this nature before the courts in Scotland each year that are challenged at trial. There is a huge body of case law in respect of public order offences that must be considered in the context of particular alleged conduct. We have made legal submissions in many cases of this nature on the basis that the conduct complained of does not satisfy the legal requirements for the crime charged. We have secured many acquittals as a result.
If you have been charged with a public order offence and feel that your conduct was justified or was not severe enough to constitute a crime please contact our office immediately and we will be happy to advise. If you require representation in court our expect criminal defence lawyers will assist in the preparation and conduct of your trial.
Recent Comments