Successful Outcome to a Voluntary Police Interview
It is important to understand that if you are required to attend a formal interview by any law enforcement agency, whether it is presented as a relaxed, casual discussion or described as a voluntary interview, the underlying purpose of such an interview is to gather evidence that may be used to support a criminal prosecution.
There are a several key questions that are frequently asked by those asked to attend a police interview, such as:
- What is a voluntary police interview?
- Do I have to attend a voluntary interview?
- Should I have legal representation?
- What happens after a voluntary police interview?
We have answered these questions in a previous article titled, 8 Things You Need To Know About a Voluntary Police Interview.
Why Legal Advice Matters Before a Voluntary Police Interview
We cannot overstate the importance of obtaining legal advice if you are asked to attend a voluntary interview.
An experienced lawyer will guide you through the process, address any questions you may have and outline your possible options. Additionally, they can help ensure that you do not say anything to inadvertently incriminate yourself.
You are entitled to free legal representation during a police interview. However, many choose to privately fund their legal representation due to the significant advantages. For instance, when representing our clients, we undertake proactive preparation by seeking to obtain pre-interview disclosure in advance of the interview date. This allows our clients to understand the purpose of the interview and ensure they are fully prepared.
This proactive preparation undertaken by our lawyers can make a real difference. In some cases, it may result in the police or other law enforcement authority deciding to remove our clients from the investigation or terminate their enquiries and take no further action, rather than proceed to formal court proceedings.
Successful Outcome to Voluntary Interview
A successful outcome was recently achieved whilst representing a client who was invited by the police to attend a voluntary interview to discuss allegations of sexual misconduct under Section 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, made against him by a former female partner.
Mohammed Ahmed of KANGS outlines how this very successful result was achieved.
The Allegations Against Our Client
The complainant alleged that during her relationship with our client:
- she had been sexually assaulted by penetration on multiple occasions, both at the college where they attended and at her home,
- he had persistently requested sexualised images and
- he threatened to end their relationship if she refused to comply with his demands.
The Relevant Law
The Sexual Offences Act 2003 provides as follows.
s.2 Assault by penetration
A person commits an offence if:
- he intentionally penetrates the vagina or anus of another person with a part of his body or anything else,
- the penetration is sexual, in nature,
- the other person does not consent to the penetration, and
- the perpetrator does not reasonably believe that consent has been given.
How We Prepared Our Client for His Voluntary Interview
Immediately following instruction by our client, we arranged a mutually convenient voluntary interview and ensured that inaccuracies within the initial Pre-interview disclosure documents were rectified.
Thereafter, we:
- attended our client discussing in detail the history of his relationship with the complainant and the Pre-interview documents which had been served,
- discussed the allegations in detail and explained the relevant law,
- advised our client upon the appropriate manner in which to proceed, and prepared him generally for his police interview, which involved the preparation of a ‘Prepared Statement’ to be read out at that time.
The Prepared Statement
During a police interview, there are several options on how to proceed. One of which is to produce a ‘Prepared Statement,’ which sets out in detail the interviewee’s version of events and is typically read out by the attending lawyer.
When considering which option to adopt, substantial practise experience has to be drawn upon to ensure that the correct decision is made according to the discrete circumstances presented. Choosing the wrong option may have damaging consequences.
In this instance, presenting a Prepared Statement was deemed appropriate given the nature of the limited evidence which had been produced. Additionally, our client was young, inexperienced, nervous and worried that his responses may be misinterpreted.
The Statement prepared by the lawyers at KANGS was comprehensive and:
- provided a thorough account of his relationship with the complainant which began during a Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition,
- referenced incidents when the complainant fabricated stories concerning a suicide attempt and the creation of fake social media accounts,
- explained some negative behaviour on the part of our client, attributable to emotional turmoil experienced after the sudden loss of a parent, exacerbated by the breakdown of the relationship with the complainant.
- denied all allegations of non-consensual sexual activity, asserting that all physical contact was consensual, limited to kissing and hugging, frequently in the presence of family members and friends.
- denied the allegations of persistently requesting sexualized images and threatening to end the relationship if the same was not provided.
The Satisfactory Outcome
At the Voluntary Interview, the Prepared Statement was read out by a one of our lawyers and supportive photographs and videos were also handed over.
Thereafter, the police determined there was insufficient evidence to proceed, and a decision to take ‘No Further Action’ was made, meaning that no charges were going to be brought against our client.
Naturally, our client was delighted with this result and expressed gratitude for the professional assistance provided by KANGS. He was greatly relieved that the outcome delivered a significant sense of closure and enabled him to enter 2026 with renewed enthusiasm and optimism, leaving the stress and worry behind him.
How Can We Help You?
KANGS has earned a nationwide reputation for our services to clients and we are consistently top ranked by the leading legal directories, Chambers UK and The Legal 500, for the outstanding quality of our work.
For over twenty-five years, our lawyers have regularly assisted clients prepare for interviews with prosecuting authorities, achieving successful outcomes. If you are asked by any law enforcement agency to attend any form of interview, it is essential to immediately obtain professional legal advice before agreeing to any form of questioning.
Please do not hesitate to contact the team at KANGS using the contact details below, they will be delighted to hear from you:
Tel: 0333 370 4333
Email: info@kangssolicitors.co.uk
We provide initial no obligation discussion at our three offices in London, Birmingham, and Manchester. Alternatively, discussions can be held through video conferencing or telephone.
Top ranked by leading legal directories Chambers UK and the Legal 500.
