+44 (0)161 228 2244

Robbery & Theft Solicitors 

Our Robbery Solicitors provide a legal defence for individuals accused of robbery and related serious offences.

You may be facing a police interview, restrictions while an investigation continues, or the possibility of proceedings in the Crown Court. What you say and how the evidence is handled early on can matter, so it is important to understand your legal position from the outset.

Robbery involves an allegation of theft combined with the use or threat of force in order to steal. The precise circumstances matter. Questions may arise about whether a theft took place, what force was allegedly used, identification evidence, your intention at the time and, where more than one person is accused, the part each person is said to have played.

Our solicitors will examine the prosecution case carefully and advise you on the evidence that supports or challenges those allegations. That can include scrutinising witness accounts, identification evidence, CCTV or other available material, as well as considering whether the prosecution can prove the elements of the offence against you.

With more than 25 years of criminal defence experience, Draycott Browne has represented clients facing complex robbery charges nationwide. Our solicitors act quickly to protect your position. We advise you before and during police interviews, scrutinise the prosecution's evidence for weaknesses, and build a bespoke defence strategy if charges follow.

Our serious crime department is led by Shaun Draycott, Managing Director of Draycott Browne and an SRA-regulated solicitor. Shaun and his team of solicitors regularly defend serious allegations in the Crown Court and provide the technical expertise, skilled advocacy and determined representation these cases demand.

If you have been arrested or are under investigation for robbery, contact our Robbery Solicitors for immediate advice. Simply call today on +44 (0)161 228 2244 or fill out our contact form to request a call.

How Our Robbery Solicitors Can Help 

Robbery cases often turn on exactly what happened during a short, fast-moving incident. Our solicitors examine whether the prosecution can prove the alleged theft alongside the use or threat of force, and whether the evidence reliably identifies you as the person involved.


We can help by:

  • Examining whether the evidence proves a theft took place
  • Challenging claims that force was used to steal
  • Testing eyewitness and identification evidence
  • Reviewing CCTV and body worn video footage
  • Analysing phone evidence and location data
  • Examining recovered property and forensic evidence
  • Separating your alleged role from other defendants
  • Challenging inconsistencies in the prosecution account

Robbery allegations are often built from several different sources of evidence that need to be considered together. By becoming involved early our team can reconstruct what happened and identify where the evidence does not support the prosecution case.

Speak to an expert

Our legal team is available 7 days a week

Criminal Defence Expertise for Robbery Offences

Our Specialist Robbery Defence Team

Shaun Draycott

Shaun Draycott

Managing Director & Serious Crime Solicitor
Rob Mann

Rob Mann

Director & Serious Crime Solicitor
Venessa Schweitzer

Venessa Schweitzer

Consultant Litigator
Caitlin Cardwell

Caitlin Cardwell

Crown Court Litigator
Meet the Team

How We Defend Against Robbery Charges

There is no single defence to a robbery allegation. The correct strategy depends on what the prosecution alleges happened and the evidence it has obtained.

Our first task is to understand the prosecution case and test whether the evidence supports it.

Mistaken Identification

A witness may have had limited opportunity to see the person involved or may later identify someone from CCTV or an identification procedure. We examine how an identification was made and whether other evidence supports or contradicts it.

Disputed Use of Force

Robbery requires the use or threat of force in connection with stealing. There may be a factual dispute about whether force was used at all or why it was used. 

Lack of Dishonest Intent

Robbery requires an underlying theft. This means the prosecution must establish the necessary elements of theft as well as the use or threat of force. In some cases there may be a dispute about ownership, intention or the circumstances in which property was taken.

Disputed Participation

Robbery allegations frequently involve more than one suspect. The prosecution must still prove the case against each individual defendant. We examine what our client is alleged to have done, what they knew and what evidence links them to the offence.

Unreliable or Incomplete Evidence

CCTV, witness accounts, phone evidence and forensic material should never be considered in isolation. Our solicitors compare the different strands of evidence and identify inconsistencies, gaps and alternative explanations.

 

Specialist Robbery Lawyers

  • 24/7 Availability
  • Proven Success in High Profile Cases
  • Non-Judgemental Representation Tailored to Your Situation

Protect your future with trusted, expert legal defence—contact Draycott Browne’s Robbery Solicitors today.

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24 Hour Availability

Robbery arrests can happen without warning and may quickly lead to detention, interview under caution and urgent decisions about bail or charge. Our Robbery Defence Solicitors are available 24 hours a day to provide immediate advice, attend the police station and protect your position from the earliest stage of the investigation.
If you have been arrested or contacted by the police in connection with a robbery allegation, speak to us before answering questions or providing an account.

Funding Your Defence 

At Draycott Browne, we believe that financial circumstances should not prevent you from accessing experienced legal representation when facing a robbery allegation. Depending on your circumstances and the stage of your case, you may qualify for Legal Aid and our Legal Aid Solicitors can advise you on the funding available.

Private funding can provide greater scope to examine the evidence in detail and prepare your defence more extensively. In robbery cases this can be particularly important where the prosecution relies on CCTV, eyewitness identification, mobile phone data, forensic evidence or property said to connect you with the offence.

Additional preparation may also be required where several people are accused and the prosecution must establish each defendant's individual role, or where there is a dispute about whether force was used for the purpose of stealing. Our Private Criminal Defence Solicitors can devote additional time and resources to testing these issues and instruct appropriate experts where necessary.

For serious robbery allegations, we recommend considering private funding where financially possible. It allows us to investigate the prosecution case in greater depth and ensure that the evidence relating to identity, force, intent and participation receives proper scrutiny.
 

Speak to an expert

Our legal team is available 7 days a week

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Contact our Robbery Solicitors

If you have been arrested or are under investigation for robbery, early legal representation can be critical.

Draycott Browne has over 25 years experience defending serious criminal allegations. Our solicitors combine technical legal expertise, skilled advocacy and determined representation with a clear focus on protecting each client's position.

Our serious crime solicitors includes practitioners accredited under the Law Society's Criminal Litigation Accreditation scheme.

We represent clients in Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, London and throughout England and Wales.

Contact Draycott Browne today for confidential advice by calling the number at the top of this page or by completing the contact form.
 

Frequently Asked Questions for Robbery Offences 

Robbery is committed when a person steals and immediately before or at the time of stealing uses force on another person or puts them in fear of immediate force in order to steal.

The offence is defined under section 8 of the Theft Act 1968.

The prosecution therefore has to establish more than the fact that property was taken. There must be evidence capable of proving theft together with the required use or threat of force and a connection between that force and the act of stealing.

Robbery carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, but for adults the sentencing guidelines provide an offence range of a community order to 12 years’ custody for street and less sophisticated commercial robbery, 1 to 16 years’ custody for robbery in a dwelling and 18 months to 20 years’ custody for professionally planned commercial robbery. The court determines where the offence falls within the relevant range by assessing culpability and harm, including factors such as planning, the level of force or any weapon used, the impact on the victim and the defendant’s role. The final sentence can then be adjusted to reflect aggravating and mitigating circumstances and any credit for a guilty plea. 

The key distinction is the use or threat of force.

Theft involves dishonestly appropriating property belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving them of it. Robbery requires a theft together with force or the threat of immediate force used to steal.

The Sentencing Council groups adult robbery offences into three main categories: street robbery, commercial robbery targeting banks, shops and post offices, robbery in a dwelling, and carjacking. The category used depends on the circumstances of the offence, including where it took place and the level of planning or organisation involved.

Our armed robbery solicitors can also help if you've been charged with robbery using a weapon.

Robbery is an indictable-only offence, so your case will begin in the Magistrates’ Court before being sent to the Crown Court, where bail or remand and the next stages of the case will be considered. You will then be asked to enter a plea, while your defence team reviews the prosecution evidence, prepares your case and, where necessary, obtains expert evidence. If you plead not guilty, the case will usually proceed to a Crown Court trial before a judge and jury; if you plead guilty, it will move towards sentencing.

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We are ready to assist.