Peterborough & Stamford Prison Law Specialists

If you or a loved one is sent to prison or held in prison on remand there may be occasions when you/they will need our support. Complicated rules and procedures apply to prisoners so it is important to get help from prison law specialists such as the criminal defence team at Hegarty LLP. We are an experienced team with a contract to offer prisoners legal aid (public funding).

Some of the areas in which we can help:

Categorisation. Prisons fall into different categories depending on the crime and perceived threat to the public. These categories have practical implications for the prisoner’s day to day living arrangements including level of freedom and geographical location; this can make it easier or harder for family and friends to visit. A prisoner may require representation for us to argue the case for re-categorisation if you/your loved one is not happy with the result of the initial assessment and /or subsequent reviews.

Adjudications. We can support prisoners in instances of alleged breach of prison laws. We can represent prisoners in proceedings which take place before an independent adjudicator. Funding is not usually available for proceedings before a Governor, however we can provide advice and in some cases funding may be granted, so it is always worth asking the question.

Sentence Planning. We can help with rehabilitative courses by requesting places on courses; jobs etc. If there are no places available we can help by seeking alternatives or in special circumstances requesting transfers to enable the rehabilitative programme to be followed. This is important for your personal development and also shows you can integrate  - this may be advantageous for future parole reviews and assist you on your release.

IPP/Life Sentence Reviews & Representations.  A  ‘lifer’ or prisoner who is subject to an indeterminate sentence will be subject to a review before the tariff expiry date. This review is in document form and is prepared by the Prison and Probation Service. Once the prisoner has been provided with this dossier (s)he should contact us immediately, as in most circumstances we can request a hearing to determine whether the prisoner is suitable for release.

Parole Hearings. We can help with applications to the Parole Board for release, including representation at a hearing should an initial request for release be refused.

Recalls. If a prisoner is said to be in breach of the terms of their parole licence then the prisoner may be recalled to prison. We can help challenge these allegations of breach of licence. This is a very complicated area of prison law and so we would strongly recommend that prisoners accused of a breach seek our expert assistance.

HDC. If a prisoner is not automatically eligible for a Home Detention Curfew but has special circumstances we would strongly suggest they apply. Contact us and we can advise if the prisoner has a strong argument and can pursue a case for this on their behalf.

Family & Friends. If you have a friend or member of the family who is in prison and you suspect is in need of legal advice then please do contact us. We also represent families following a prisoner’s death in custody.

Whatever your prison law issue, contact the criminal defence team to discuss your case and funding.