Contact our offices
Make an enquiry
How can we help?
Our specialist solicitors understand that facing a charge of manslaughter will affect every aspect of your life. To be considered as responsible for the death of someone by virtue of being the driver of a vehicle or as a result of being the company responsible for that vehicle, can be a life changing experience in every way.
For a company or organisation, whether in the road transport sector or otherwise, to be prosecuted for manslaughter it must be established that:
If you are facing allegations of manslaughter please call our criminal defence team on 0161 696 6188 or complete our online enquiry form and we will contact you directly to discuss your situation.
Due to the seriousness of the offence these cases are heard in the Magistrates' Court first before being sent to the Crown Court. There are no set sentencing guidelines for vehicular manslaughter. However, they typically range from 2-10 years but the maximum sentence can be life imprisonment. It is vital you have the best possible representation. Manslaughter does not need to be as a consequence of anything thought out or planned and can be classed as voluntary of involuntary.
If a driver is responsible for someone’s death with the intent for murder, in order for the offence to be regarded as voluntary manslaughter and not murder the court need to be satisfied of a loss of control, a diminished responsibility or killing pursuant to a suicide pact.
Involuntary manslaughter occurs where there is no deliberate intention to harm for instance if death occurred due to keeping a vehicle in poor condition, overloading, driving under the influence of drug and alcohol, texting whilst driving and other offences. Whilst the death may ultimately be caused by a driver’s actions, a company can be considered legally liable if the above test establishes culpability.
Compliance with transport systems such as operator licensing obligations as well as general health and safety obligations are issues that can directly impact on a decision by the Crown Prosecution Service to charge a company.
It is important to obtain the right initial advice regarding how to approach such a charge given the potential for impact on sentence in the event of an unsuccessful outcome at the end of the case. Our solicitors can investigate and provide advice regarding prospects of defending any allegation or simply minimising any penalty and can provide robust representation thereafter. Whether you are an individual (driver) being pursued for an offence such as causing death by dangerous or careless driving, or you are a corporate body being perused for corporate manslaughter or gross negligence manslaughter, our solicitors can provide you with the right guidance and representation.
In deciding on the sentence a judge will assess these factors:
Although manslaughter often involves a prison sentence, judges can issue suspended sentences based on conditions or community orders. We can help you all the way through your case we can represent you at interview under caution, preparing evidence to support our case at court and during an appeal. Call our award winning criminal defence team on 0161 696 6188.
loading staff
Motoring organisation calls for graduated driving licence to help save lives on UK roads
A new campaign by the motoring organisation, the AA, is calling for new drivers under 21 to be banned from carrying passengers of a similar age for six months after passing their test. The AA has estimated that introducing a graduated driving licence...
Drink drive deaths spiral to their highest level for 13 years
Deaths due to drinking and driving on UK roads have increased to 300 every year, a 13-year high, according to newly published data from the Department of Transport. There were an estimated 300 deaths where at least one driver was over the legal...
Staff reorder - road transport
