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Motoring Offences

Castle Solicitors are specialists when it comes to representing clients charged with motoring offences such as speeding, no insurance and drink driving (driving with excess alcohol)

Whether you are pleading not guilty to drink driving, trying to avoid a driving ban or don’t want too many penalty points, we can help.

Call our 24h helpline

07912 784485

Motoring Offences Fees

What service do I get for a fixed fee?

If you have a date for your hearing, having entered a guilty plea, the work we can undertake is as follows:

  • Letters, emails, and phone calls
  • Your full instructions took at our office or a mutually convenient location
  • Read and consider all the evidence served by the Crown prosecution Service
  • Advice about the strength and weaknesses of your case
  • Providing you with advice as to plea and sentence
  • Representing you at court

What isn’t included in the fixed fee service?

If you have entered a guilty plea and have a date for your hearing;

  • The cost of expert witnesses
  • If we need to see a witness to get their account
  • Advice or assistance regarding an appeal
  • Advice and assistance regarding a special reasons hearing/exceptional hardship argument
  • Travel expenses incurred during your case will be discussed with you at the outset of the case

Motoring fixed fees

It is essential that you know what the outcome of your road traffic matter is, but it is just as important for you to know the costs of our representation in advance and what our prices include.

We will provide you with advice regarding your entitlement to legal aid, if this is granted then any of our advice and representation to you in the Magistrates’ Court will be free of charge. 

Where legal aid is not available, we have helped you by setting out the details of the motoring offences fixed fees that we offer to deal with straightforward cases before the Magistrates’ Courts in the West Midlands.

We are able to represent you if you require us in a Court outside of the area, the core cost will remain the same but there will be additional costs including travel costs.

Expenses and Disbursements not included in the fee quoted

Expenses and disbursements could include:

  • Interpreters fees at £25 plus VAT @ 20% (£5) (total fee £30) per hour if needed.
  • Translation of documents at 10 pence per word 1000 words = £100 plus VAT @ 20% (£20) (total fee £120) if needed. It is not possible to predict the cost of these as this varies according to particular circumstances.
  • Travel costs to the Court – there will be additional disbursements in respect of our mileage/travel expenses based upon a rate of £0.54 per mile or second class public transport (plus VAT @ 20%).
  • If we need to stay overnight then hotel accommodation may be chargeable (amounts subject to VAT @ 20%) but we would try and avoid these where possible.
  • An expert producing a backtrack calculation report would cost £250 (plus VAT @ 20%).
  • Representation at a more distant court will incur an additional expense of £60 per hour inclusive travel time (plus VAT @ 20%).

Below we have set out the fixed fee rates which are inclusive of VAT. The fees include preparation for the Magistrates’ Court hearing, advice and collation of evidence representation at court by one of our specialist solicitors and advice on appeal if necessary.

Representation at court upon Guilty plea with sentence at a single hearing
£420 inclusive

Representation at court upon guilty plea with sentence at a separate hearing
£600 inclusive

Not guilty plea and half day trial
£1440 inclusive

Not guilty plea and full day trial
£2160 inclusive

Additional day or part day of trial
£600 inclusive

Exceptional hardship argument to avoid disqualification
£600 inclusive

Special reasons argument to avoid disqualification
Fees as for trials
Half day – £1440 inclusive
Inclusive Full day –  £2160 inclusive
Inclusive Additional day of part day – £600 inclusive

Appeal to the Crown Court Appeal against sentence
£1020 inclusive

What happens if I am caught drink driving?

If you are caught driving, having consumed an amount over the alcohol limit, there is a mandatory driving ban from driving for a minimum of 12 months. This will be a longer ban if you consume an amount much more than the legal limit. You can be fined up to a maximum of £5000. However, the court will look at your financial means before deciding the amount of your fine.

Where someone has consumed a considerable amount of alcohol and found to be many times over the legal limit, the court can impose a prison sentence up to six months.

If I am pleading guilty, how can Castle Solicitors help?

If you have a family and/or work commitments, a driving ban can have a significant effect on your daily life. Our role would be to keep your driving ban and fine to a minimum so that your life is disrupted for as short a period as possible. If you deal with the court hearing yourself, having no experience of the court system, you may not be able to represent yourself adequately. This could mean you receive a longer ban and more costs because you were not able to give the court the correct information that could benefit your case.

We have the knowledge and expertise to make the sentencing hearing as painless as possible. Having legal representation could mean the difference between going to prison and not going to prison, thus saving your job, or your family from suffering while you serve your sentence.

Do I automatically get my driving licence back after a ban?

To be able to drive your vehicle again at the end of the ban, you must first reapply for your driving licence. The earliest you can reapply is 56 days before the end of the ban.

What are the penalties for speeding?
  • The minimum penalty is 3 points on your driving licence and a £100 fine
  • The maximum is a driving ban and £1000 fine (rising up to £2500 if the offence was committed on a motorway)
What happens if already have penalty points and I’m worried I might be banned after I was caught speeding?

The start of the case usually starts with a fixed penalty notice sent through the post. At this stage, you should contact our legal team to explore how we can help you. Our motoring specialist solicitors may be able to help you retain your driving licence, so you’re not banned from driving.

What happens if I’m caught driving without insurance?

The minimum requirement in the UK is third party insurance for your vehicle. Not only does this apply to driving the vehicle, it also applies to having the vehicle on a public highway.

The police can give you 6 penalty points and a £300 fine if you’re caught with a vehicle without insurance on a public highway.

If the matter goes to court, you could get:

  • An unlimited fine
  • A disqualification from driving

Also, the police may seize your car. In some cases they destroy it.

Key stages

Talk

First, we meet up and discuss your case. Remember to bring the papers given to you by the CPS

Advise

Our lawyers will need to consider the evidence combined with your instructions. We can then provide advice

Witnesses

If we need to speak to any witnesses to take statements, we will make arrangements to do so. This will be an additional hourly cost

Explain

We will explain what will be happening at court on the day of your hearing, plus the options available to the court when sentencing you

Preparation

Once we have started with the preparation of your case, we may need to contact you and ask further questions about your case

Hearing

Your hearing will be listed for a date and time. There is no guarantee it will be heard at the listed time

Court

We will be at court before the listed time of your hearing to discuss any matters you wish to address before the hearing

Outcome

After the hearing, we will discuss the outcome of your case. If you require further advice as to appeal, this will be at additional costs as per our hourly rates

Timescales

There is no fixed timescale as to how long it will take for a matter to be dealt with as it is all dependant on the seriousness of the matter. Each offence is given an estimate timescale after the initial meeting.

Most straightforward cases at the Magistrates’ Court conclude within 6 months. However cases could take longer depending on various factors including Court Listing and whether any case is sent to the Crown Court for Trial or Sentence. 

Our people

Jahangeer Aslam

Director

Self supervises

Jahangeer Aslam is the director of the firm and was admitted as a solicitor in 2010. He is also an accomplished Advocate with Higher Rights of Audience in Criminal Proceedings.

With a strong network of professional relationships and over ten years’ experience, Jahangeer excels in customer care and is passionate about achieving the best possible results for his clients. He has the ability to advise and represent clients in relation to all criminal allegations, and over the years has gained reputable experience in dealing with complex cases such as conspiracy, terrorism, firearms and fraud. He is notable for handling allegations relating to serious sexual offences (including historic and non-historic allegations of rape and indecent assault against children), armed robbery, significant drug importations and conspiracies to supply, and other offences of dishonesty, offences against the person, and death by dangerous driving.

Mr Aslam is second to none in his commitment to achieving social justice and providing an exceptional standard of representation, leaving no stone unturned in preparing his cases, conducting research and exploring every possibility to secure the best outcome for the client. 

Iram Akhtar

Paralegal

Supervised by Mr Aslam

Iram graduated in 2019 with an LLB Hons from Aston University and completed her Legal Practice Course with Masters in Law in 2020. Iram has continued gaining experience whilst studying and working as a paralegal undertaking all areas of case preparation and is currently working towards qualifying as a solicitor.

Why should I choose Castle Solicitors?

We understand

24 hours a day you can contact us if you require legal advice.

We’re experienced

We don’t like losing, so if matters do go to trial, you’re guaranteed a solicitor who has a successful track record.

We win

Our goal is always to get the very best result for our clients, whether that be the police taking no further action, preventing someone from receiving a custodial sentence or clearing a client’s name with an acquittal after trial.

What should I do now?

Contact us by calling on 0121 226 3636, emailing admin@castlesolicitors.co.uk or even sending a message from this website on the contact page. We will call you back as soon as possible (usually within 2 hours) but in any event no later than 24 hours.

For emergencies, you can also contact our 24-hour helpline on 07912 784485

Remember

If you have been arrested to simply ask for Castle Solicitors at the police station and we will receive the call. 

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