It is crucial to take legal advice as soon as possible if there is a possibility an investigation will be launched or allegations have been made concerning corruption and / or bribery.
The Bribery Act 2010 and the introduction of the Deferred Prosecution Agreements have been game changers in how UK authorities investigate and prosecute allegations of corruption and bribery. As well as the Bribery Act 2010, many investigations continue under the old regime, such as under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906, the Prevention of Corruption Act 1916, the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act 1889, and common law offences of bribery.
The Bribery Act 2010 created a number of offences which impact business, these are as follows:
Failure of a commercial organisation to prevent bribery
Prosecution of Senior Officers
Bribery of Foreign Public Officials
Corporate Hospitality
Facilitation Payments
These investigations are extremely thoroughly investigated and can cause immense disruption to a business, and individuals, who are the subject matter of those investigations. These investigations may cause irreparable damage to reputations.
Belgravia Solicitors can advise you and liaise with authorities which may be involved in a bribery and / or corruption investigation, including the following:
The Police Service (including the City of London Police)
The Local Authority Legal Department
Trading Standards
Department for Work & Pensions (DWP)
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
National Crime Agency (NCA)
Serious Fraud Office (SFO)
At Belgravia Solicitors we robustly challenge the evidence presented, where necessary challenging the procedures undertaken to obtain the evidence, challenge the admissibility of the evidence and ensure the evidence, a bribery and / or corruption case is built upon, is not misinterpreted and fight your corner to give you the best chance of achieving the result you want from your case.
We will always ensure that the evidence is properly considered and will instruct appropriate experts on your behalf when evidence needs to be obtained, challenged, further examined, or excluded.
If you, your business / company, a family member / relative, or a friend are accused of or under investigation for bribery and / or corruption, it is important to seek legal advice. Discussing your case with a specialist lawyer who understands these investigations at an early stage is essential to help understand what can be done to prepare a proper defence. We can be contacted on 03330 16 96 16 or on email: mail@belgraviasolicitors.co.uk