Criminal Lawyer Sydney
Fearless Criminal Defence Across Sydney Protecting Your Rights from the First 24 Hours
Being charged with a criminal offence can turn your life upside down. The decisions you make in the first 24 hours, particularly what you say to police, can determine the outcome of your entire case.
At DSP Lawyers, we provide strategic, fearless criminal defence for clients across Sydney, from the Inner West to the CBD and beyond. Led by court advocate Vince D’Arcy, our team appears regularly in Local and District Courts. We believe in the presumption of innocence. We fight to uphold it.
Arrested or charged? Contact us immediately. We offer 24-hour urgent advice available.
Your Rights with Police: Read This First
Many people believe that cooperating with police will help them. In reality, police interviews are designed to gather evidence to use against you. Know your rights:
- Right to Silence: You are generally only required to provide your name and address. Exercise this right until you have legal advice.
- ERISP Interviews: An Electronically Recorded Interview of a Suspected Person cannot be undone. Declining an interview does not make you look guilty. It protects you.
- Search Powers: We scrutinise the legality of your arrest and any searches conducted. Police must have reasonable suspicion. If they don’t, we apply to have that evidence excluded.
Do not speak to police without legal advice. Call us first.
Criminal Matters We Defend
Assault & Violence Offences
From Common Assault and Affray to Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm (AOABH) and Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH), we provide a rigorous defence. We also assist with Apprehended Violence Orders (AVOs), whether you need protection, or you’re the respondent.
- We negotiate AVO terms to minimise the impact on your employment and family life
- We challenge the reliability of evidence and the credibility of complainant accounts
Drug Offences
NSW drug laws are severe. The line between possession and supply, ‘deemed supply’, often comes down to quantity alone. We fight to:
- Ensure charges reflect the actual facts, not a worst-case interpretation
- Argue for leniency based on rehabilitation and personal circumstances
- Challenge the admissibility of evidence where police powers were exceeded
Sexual Offences
Sexual assault allegations require a lawyer with both forensic precision and high emotional intelligence. We provide a robust defence, challenging the reliability of complainant evidence and ensuring your right to be presumed innocent is upheld throughout the process.
Bail Applications
If police have refused bail, your first court appearance is critical. You generally have one opportunity to make a release application in the Local Court. We act fast, we have two (2) regular Barristers we brief, one is always on hand to assist in bail applications.
- Show Cause matters: for serious offences, we build the strongest possible argument for why detention is not justified
- Tailored bail conditions: curfews, sureties, reporting conditions to address the court’s specific concerns about risk
Why Choose DSP Lawyers for Criminal Defence
- Court experience: we know the magistrates, the prosecutors, and the procedures. We know when to negotiate and when to fight all the way to a hearing.
- Honest advice: we won’t tell you what you want to hear. We’ll tell you what you need to know, including likely penalties and realistic outcomes.
- Holistic support: a criminal charge affects your employment, your travel rights, and your family. We help you manage the full picture, not just the court appearance.
- Inner West roots: our Balmain office means you have a local team who is accessible, responsive, and easy to reach when you need us most.
Protect Your Rights Today
Do not face the complexities of the criminal justice system alone when your freedom and reputation are on the line. Contact D’Arcy Sloman Peacock Lawyers immediately for a confidential and strategic defence that tirelessly fights for your presumption of innocence. This is to ensure that you have an experienced advocate protecting your rights from the very first moment.