Regulatory Offences

Regulations surrounding Fire Safety have recently undergone major changes with increased prominence. Inspectors now have more power to enforce alterations, enforcement or even entirely shut down premises. Read more

Tax legislation can feel like an overly-complicated minefield with the number of Government departments and police bodies potentially involved in the case. There’s also huge amounts of paperwork and strict timescales for compliance. Read more

Health and Safety regulations can affect almost any business or any employee. Prosecutions can be severe, sometimes even resulting in imprisonment. UK businesses are also subject to EU Health and Safety regulations, so appointing a specialist solicitor is a must. Read more

Trading Standards investigations can be confusing, as it is often the case that no one knows why or how they have started investigating. These investigations can also be extremely disruptive, so in order to reduce disruption, it’s important to get specialist advice and guidance as soon as possible. Read more

All types of fraud offences are serious and while some constitute theft, those specifically defined under the Fraud Act fall into three categories – false representation, abuse of position and failure to disclose information. All of these may carry a sentence of several years’ imprisonment. Read more

VAT appeals can be a long-drawn out process and it is important to have the right legal guidance at every step to ensure success. If HMRC does not provide a satisfactory response in the first instance then an internal review will take place, followed if necessary by an appeal to the First Tier Tax Tribunal. Read more

There are a large number of offences that can be called business crime, but the most common include bribery, insider trading, tax offences and money laundering. The punishments for these offences are often severe and custodial sentences are common. The prosecution will attempt to determine if one person can be held responsible. Read more

Director investigations are conducted where a company has initiated insolvency proceedings, and may uncover evidence of civil offences such as wrongful trading. They can lead directors to be disqualified from running a company for a set number of years and in some circumstances may give rise to criminal investigations. Read more

If you or your business is accused of a data protection offence, the consequences can include significant costs and reputational damage. Under the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) these offences are closely regulated by the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office). It is crucial to seek the services of a specialist lawyer who will be up to date on the latest legal developments in this area and examine the case in detail. Read more