Our expert solicitors at Wilkstone Law have years of experience in defending sexual communication offences. We understand that being falsely accused of sexually communicating with a child can cause you significant anxiety. Any conversation or advice you receive from us is confidential, we have an absolute duty of confidentiality to our clients.
The offence of engaging in sexual communication with a child is an offence under section 15A of the Sexual Offences Act 2015. The Offences is committed where a person aged 18 or over intentionally communicates with a child under 16, who the adult does not reasonably believe to be 16 or over, if the communication is sexual or if it is intended to encourage the child to make a communication which is sexual.
The purpose of the law is to prevent the online grooming of children under the age of 16 by an adult. An offence of sexual communication can be committed against fake profiles of children and ‘virtual children’ provided the adult accused of the offence believed they were speaking to a child under the age of 16.
The definition of communication includes any type of communication with a child which can be verbal, digital or written. In most cases the communication will include digital messages on social media, apps such as Telegram or Kik or conversations in online chats or forums. This can include requests to send explicit messages or explicit images and the attempts to meet with the view to engaging in sexual activity with a child.
If you have been falsely accused of sexual communication with a child, it can be a defence to argue that you had a reasonable belief that the child was in fact older than 16 years old and that you had taken all reasonable steps to determine the age of the child.
Offences of engaging in sexual communication with a child are often initiated by online vigilante groups or paedophile hunters whose purpose is to create a fake online profile of a child to entice an adult to engage in sexual communication with that fake profile. Likewise, undercover Police officers can create false online profiles with a view to engaging in sexual communications often arranging to meet for physical sexual activity.
Speak with a legal expert
Reassurance and possible next steps
Learn about costs involved (no obligation)
Completely confidential conversation
In such cases, it is imperative that you seek advice from an expert solicitor who has experienced in defending sexual communication offences to advise us to whether activities by vigilante groups or undercover police officers are lawful and whether evidence gained in enticing you to communicate with a fake profile is admissible evidence in court proceedings.
Wilkstone Law can provide you with this advice and provide you with a second opinion in respect of any advice or representation you have received in relation to Sexual Communications with a child from any other solicitor or third party.
Offences of sexual communication with a child can be dealt with in either the magistrates court or the Crown Court. These offences are serious and carry a maximum Prison sentence of up to 2 years with a requirement that you are placed on the sex offences register.
Upon sentence, you will not automatically receive an immediate prison sentence for an offence of sexual communication with a child. It is possible to argue for suspended sentence of imprisonment with the right mitigation.
The expert sexual communication solicitors at Wilkstone Law can help build a package of mitigation to increase your prospects of a suspended sentence. We offer an initial fixed fee consultation to consider your case and provide you with an initial advice to defend or mitigate an allegation of sexually communicating with a child.
"Thank you so much for your hard work on the case…. we are delighted with the outcome"
"I just wanted to thank you again for all your help and advice over the last few months. Your calm, reassurance and professionalism has been so helpful"
"I appreciate all your help and support this year. During a very difficult time your approach, guidance and immaculate communication gave me comfort and clarity when I needed it most"
"Jon Wilkins leads the Firm which runs like clockwork - he is a very impressive lawyer"
"Jon Wilkins has excellent client skills and a great grasp of detail"
"Skilled at handling a range of fraud, general crime and motoring offences, his client base includes High Profile and High Net Worth individuals"
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrudLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud
If you have been arrested, you should not answer police questions until you have received expert legal advice from criminal defence solicitors.
You should only confirm your name and basic personal details before requesting legal representation. You are entitled to free legal advice whilst in police custody, and early representation at the police station can significantly affect the outcome of a criminal investigation.
Wilkstone Law provide immediate police station representation and expert legal advice for clients accused of criminal offences throughout Cardiff and across England and Wales.
If you have been released on police bail or released under investigation, it is important to seek expert legal advice as soon as possible.
Our criminal defence solicitors can review the evidence, advise you in relation to the investigation and consider whether pre-charge engagement with the police may be appropriate. In some criminal cases, early representations can result in allegations being dropped or no further action being taken.
We can also advise upon:
Early strategic advice can strengthen your defence and improve the outcome of your case.
Wilkstone Law can provide independent expert legal advice and a second opinion regarding your criminal defence matter.
Our solicitors can obtain the police disclosure and paperwork from the Duty Solicitor, review the evidence and advise whether the legal advice previously provided was appropriate in the circumstances.
We regularly assist clients who require ongoing representation following release from police custody and can take over conduct of the case where appropriate.
Call us as soon as possible – we will agree a fixed fee consultation to discuss and advise upon your case. At this meeting, we will advise you upon what happens next and will apply for copies of the police statements and evidence before your first court appearance.
We will carefully consider the evidence and advise you upon the strength of the police evidence and upon any defence that you may have to the charges you face. There may be urgent steps that we advise you to take to strengthen your defence before you appear in court.
The first appearance in any court case is at the Magistrates Court – we can appear in court on your behalf to represent you.
If you have been charged with a criminal offence and required to attend court, you should seek legal advice immediately.
Our criminal defence solicitors in Cardiff can advise you upon:
The first hearing in a criminal case will usually take place before the Magistrates’ Court. Early preparation and expert representation can make a significant difference to the progression and outcome of proceedings.
Yes. The first call to Wilkstone Law is free.
During the initial call, we can provide general guidance regarding next steps and arrange a fixed fee consultation to discuss your case in greater detail. However, we cannot provide case-specific legal advice until formally instructed.
Consultations can usually be arranged at short notice either in person, by telephone, or via video conference.
Our fixed fee consultations start from £500 plus VAT.
Following the initial consultation, we are often able to provide a fixed fee quotation for representation throughout the lifetime of your criminal case.
Legal fees will depend upon several factors including:
Wilkstone Law also advise clients in relation to legal aid and Legal Aid Agency funding where available.
Wilkstone Law are accredited by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Our Managing Director, Jon Wilkins, is recognised as a Grade A Solicitor by the Legal Aid Agency and is a recommended lawyer in The Legal 500.
Our criminal defence solicitors are highly regarded for providing expert legal advice and representation in serious and complex criminal cases.