Advise Regarding Solicitor/ Crown Court Criminal Defence

[Argot123]

In 2007 I met my ex partner through work. He was a police officer and I worked in A&E. We had a child in 2008 and I noticed my partner changed and domestic abuse started. The police were called on numerous occasions but everytime he would threaten me and say if I pressed charges he would loose his job. My life was hell. We separated and I refused to let him know where I lived but would let him have access to our daughter but would meet in a neutral place. Eventually he found out where I lived and continued the harassment and abuse. In 2013 the police force that he was employed by decided that enough was enough and he was dismissed. He blamed me for him loosing his job and in Jan 2014 he barged into my house and held me and my daughter at knife point. Police were called and he locked himeself in the bathroom. It took armed officers and a negotiator to end the situation. While all this was going on I met my current partner and we decided to rent a property together. it was agreed that my ex partner should not know our address for obvious reasons.

I was taken unwell with abdominal problems at work and came home very ill in May 2014, I went to bed but I was worse by the time I woke up and i collapsed. My current partner is a paramedic and felt I needed an ambulance so he dialled 999. He opened the door and to our shock it was my ex partner who now works as a emergency care assistant who was part of the ambulance crew. He was accompanied by a female and they entered the house asked where I was and then started to tell me to shut up. The female then forced gas and air into my mouth and grabbed my arm while my ex partner said dont say anything. I was so scared I didnt know what to do. I thought just go with them eventually they will have to take me to hospital. I went to the ambulance with them.

What I didnt know was my ex partner said to the control room that he recognised my name and that I was his ex partner. The control room insisted that he attend but they sent a senior paramedic who entered my house and went to speak to my current partner & was fully informed of the situation and that a big complaint was going to be made. It was agreed that the senior paramedic would lety ex go and he would take over my care. At no time was any of this explained to me.

When I arrive at hospital there are police at the end of my bed. I was confused about this so I asked them to leave. To my astonishment they say I am arrested for assault on a paramedic. I was not overly bothered by this as my ex partner has made allegations against me in the past and its always clear he does this maliciously. In hospital I was given lots of pain killers and then taken to police station at 1am. I was then taken for questioning at 4:30 am and cross questioned for 2.5 hours. I was sweating and told the police I was sweating with pain. My head was spinning. They asked if I wanted to continue I agreed but asked for a doctor which was refused.

Anyway I assumed it was my ex partner making the allegation but during interview I was told it was the female.

I was charged and went to magistrates court where charge was upped to ABH. I asked for it to be heard at crown.

In the meantime an phone call to my place of work was made saying I am violent and assault vulnerable victims. This was reported but never got any conclusion .

There is so much background to this case. I have been through it with solicitor and barrister in October and was on warn list for Feb 15 now warned for next week. I haven't a clue what is happening or what the progress is (ambulance paperwork and statements did not tally). I have been in counselling since this occurred and all people I have seen say I have symptoms if PTSD and extreme mental trauma. I really don't understand whether I am focusing on irrelevant details. Solicitor has not returned my call can I sack them at this stage? If so what would happen? Would I have to represent myself?

[bednobs]

you need to be more specific. I gather your question is all in hte last paragraph. You can sack your solicitor any time you want - you are the one comissioning and paying for their work. Whether it is advisable or not is another matter.
If for example you called them this morning and they hve not returned your call, that's different from saying htey are refusing to speak to you

[Argot123]

Thanks for answering. Its difficult to give details of the complex situation in 4000 characters. I guess u am trying to say the allegations are malicious.

I have not heard anything from the solicitor since a letter telling me I was on a warned list. I phoned last week asking for them to call me. In October a letter was sent to CPS asking them for statements regarding this incident which the police did not submit but I managed to gain these. You could say that the police didnt know these existed but they were on police statement paper. I have never been updated regarding this so do not know the outcome. There seems to be no urgency with my solicitor and this is costing me over £8,000.

Is is normal for solicitors not to update their clients on their case so the client finds out the day they attend court?

[New Judge]

You're not by any chance related to cb123, are you argot?

You both joined AB today (within a couple of hours or so); you both have chosen the suffix "123" as your AB name; you both write similarly; and you have both become involved in fairly serious and complex (but somewhat different) criminal matters:

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Law/Criminal/Question1425532.html

Is this a bit spookey or am I drawing the wrong conclusions?

[Argot123]

At New Judge. I havent joined with anybody & I havebt mentioned to anybody who knows about this issue that I joined this site. Argot123 is a user name I have used for years because it contains my initials & means slang in French. 123 is because most sites dont accept Argot1 as not enough characters

[New Judge]

Very spookey, then.

[Peter Pedant]

call the X files about the spooky bit

4000 characters is a bit long for a bear of my brain power

what is the question ?

I mean you are in the middle of a case and you should allow things to take their course. Should you sack your solicitor ? No not on the facts so far as you represent them

[Argot123]

At new judge and Peter pendant. I just read the question you refer to. The matters are clearly completely different, Mine is an ex with a clearly evidenced vendetta and long history of harassment
Its just the police in my area are not very good at dealing with domestic violence. Since this all happened I have had meetings with my local borough commander and the assistant chief constable even got involved at one point. I am a public servant and have been so for many years, I have been made out to be some awful person.

My questions are:

Do you think all the history is relevant at this stage or is it mitigation?

What should I expect from my legal team?
So far they have done very little apart from request the evidence that I have already provided.
Is that normal practice?

Given that this in crown court surely there should be more preparation? I don't even know what witnesses are being called. Or am I being a control freak & should just go with it, however, I don't think the solicitor fully understands whats at stake for me

Does the prosecution have to submit evidence or can evidence be submitted by the defence?

I have only been in court as a witness and you get a very watered down version and I was protected. I was never even questioned by the defence council. All I see is these dramas on TV and I think jesus am I going to be ableto cope with being ripped to pieces.