Violent Offences

Violent Offences Criminal Lawyer Langley & Surrey

Assault

Assault is defined as the intentional application of force to another person – whether directly or indirectly without that person’s consent. Assault cases are not straightforward; the accused person’s intentions and state of mind at the time of the incident must be taken into consideration.

It is important to retain the services of a skilled defence lawyer to make sure that your side of the story is heard.

Domestic Violence

What starts as an argument between family members can lead to time spent in jail. There is no specific section in the Criminal Code for domestic violence, but this charge is treated differently than other assault charges.

When the police respond to a domestic assault call, they will most likely arrest on the spot. It is common for an accused to be released on bail conditions, but this is only the beginning of a world of problems for you and your family, as you will be prohibited from returning home and having contact with them.

Domestic assault charges are taken very seriously by the Crown, and, therefore, a special approach is required by the defence. There are different outcomes for this type of charge and some do not result in a criminal record. You need the expertise of an experienced domestic assault lawyer to make sure you do not have significant problems down the road involving you and your family.

As a former Crown prosecutor, Michael Bloom was a member of the domestic violence trial team, and he know everything there is to know about these kinds of cases. He will fight relentlessly to defend you, with the ultimate goal of avoiding a criminal record.

Uttering Threats

Uttering threats is defined as: "anyone who, in any manner, knowingly utters, conveys or causes any person to receive a threat to cause death or bodily harm; to burn, destroy or damage real or personal property; or to kill, poison, or injure an animal or bird that is the property of any person.”

For the charge of uttering threats, the Crown need only prove that the accused intended to instill fear in the recipient.

Criminal Harassment (Stalking)

Criminal harassment is defined as someone who repeatedly contacts or follows someone else, and causes that person to fear for their safety. Other acts under this charge are watching where a person resides, works, or happens to be; engaging in threatening or harassing behaviour, including harassing members of the other person’s family.

Criminal harassment is a technical charge that requires the skilled eye of an experienced defence lawyer. The prosecution must prove that the person feared for their life, or the life of their family, and that this fear was reasonable.

Kidnapping & Unlawful Confinement

In the eyes of the law, taking a person against his or her will, and holding them hostage can be considered kidnapping or unlawful confinement. Kidnapping has an element of moving the victim from place to place.

These charges are taken extremely seriously by the prosecution, who fight hard to have an accused incarcerated for a significant period of time. The prosecution examines these cases in extreme detail, and it is important that you retain the services of a competent and experienced defence lawyer to defend your case with the same vigour.

Robbery

A theft charge escalates in the eyes of the law when the unlawful taking of property, or an attempt to steal, is combined with violence or the threat of violence.

The Crown takes these charges extremely seriously and they will advocate for a significant jail sentence, the maximum sentence being life imprisonment.

Home Invasion

Home invasion is a breaking and entering charge that involves entering an occupied dwelling residence. There is no specific section in the Criminal Code for home invasion, but this charge is treated differently than other breaking and entering offences. The fact that the event occurred in an occupied residence is an aggravating feature and will be prosecuted accordingly.

The maximum penalty of home invasion is life imprisonment, and the prosecutor will ask for a significant jail sentence if you are found guilty of this charge. It is imperative that you retain a strong defence lawyer to defend you against this charge and its consequences.

Murder

Murder is the most serious criminal offense in the Criminal Code. The taking, or accidental taking (manslaughter) of another person’s life is prosecuted to the fullest extent. The Crown will assign the best prosecutors to these types of cases.

If you are accused of homicide, your freedom is at significant risk. The penalty is life imprisonment, and the notoriety of being a “murderer” is equally as severe. Only the most capable criminal defence lawyer can obtain a favourable result against these hard-fought cases.

Michael Bloom is an experienced Vancouver-area criminal defence lawyer who will defend you just as mercilessly as the prosecution will fight against you. He will thoroughly examine your case and all of the evidence that the Crown has against you, some of which may not have even been provided to you.

His experience working as a Crown prosecutor taught him how to identify weaknesses in the Crown’s case. With this knowledge, he will develop a defence strategy and trial plan that will provide you with the strongest possible defence.