Worldwide: Criminal Law

Survivors of the 2023 Nottingham attacks are demanding a meeting with the Prime Minister following the conclusion of the Nottingham Inquiry hearings, which exposed serious failings across mental health services, policing, victim support and public protection. Wayne Birkett and Sharon Miller continue to recover from life-changing injuries while calling for meaningful reforms to prevent others from being failed in the same way.

A restraint order is a court order used in criminal proceedings to freeze assets, when it is suspected by the police or other authorities that someone has benefited from criminal conduct. It is often imposed at an early stage of a criminal investigation and can prevent individuals and businesses from accessing or disposing of their finances and property anywhere in the world. This measure is designed to make sure that assets remain available for potential confiscation following a conviction.

A restraint order is a type of court order used in criminal investigations where the authorities believe that a person has benefited financially from criminal conduct. Its purpose is to freeze assets including bank accounts, property, vehicles or investments that the police believe may be connected to a criminal offence while an investigation takes place. The restraint order ensures that assets cannot be dissipated, moved, withdrawn or spent before the conclusion of criminal proceedings.

False accounting allegations arise when financial records are deliberately altered or used to mislead, but not every accounting error constitutes criminal conduct. Understanding the distinction between mistakes and criminal false accounting requires examining who was responsible, what they knew, and whether there was dishonesty with intent to gain or cause loss.

VAT fraud investigations can lead to criminal prosecution, significant financial liabilities, and serious reputational damage for businesses and individuals. Our fraud and criminal defence solicitors advise clients facing HMRC VAT fraud investigations, from early-stage enquiries through to trial, helping establish what HMRC is alleging and developing defence strategies before positions become entrenched.

As the first anniversary of the Failure to Prevent Fraud offence approaches, organisations must shift from simply implementing compliance frameworks to demonstrating their effectiveness. With the implementation period over, can your fraud prevention procedures withstand regulatory scrutiny and support a reasonable procedures defence?

A fraudulent trading investigation can expose directors to criminal prosecution, personal financial liability, confiscation proceedings and director disqualification. Early legal advice can materially affect the outcome, as statements made to liquidators, insolvency investigators, HMRC or police may be used in other proceedings, making it essential to coordinate criminal, insolvency and commercial responses from the outset.

The National Crime Agency has secured the forfeiture of over $5.2 million from an agricultural trading company following a civil recovery investigation into suspected money laundering and sanctions evasion. The case involved complex international fund flows through multiple jurisdictions, cryptocurrency conversion, and alleged connections to entities later designated under US sanctions for facilitating illicit Iranian oil sales.

The Home Office has published Jonathan Fisher KC’s independent review of Fraud in the Digital Age, which offers recommendations for structural changes in the UK’s response to fraud.