Lawyers in Frankston
The Frankston area has seen a rise in some crimes over the last year. If you live in or around Frankston and have either been charged with a crime in the area or are required to appear at the Frankston Magistrates’ Court, you should look for a lawyer in Frankston immediately.
Dribbin and Brown Criminal Lawyers have offices in the Frankston, Dandenong, Ringwood, and Moorabbin areas, as well as the Melbourne CBD. If you have been charged within the Frankston area, or are due to appear in court there, consider obtaining legal advice from our lawyers in Frankston.
Not only will our expert criminal lawyers’ knowledge of the area assist you, but also our office is conveniently located near the Frankston Magistrates’ Court, saving you time and undue stress throughout your criminal matter.
Partner Mike Brown is a Criminal Law Specialist in Victoria. He and the rest of the Dribbin and Brown team have years of experience in criminal law. Our Frankston lawyers can help you with any criminal law matter you might have. If you have been charged with a criminal offence, contact one of our expert criminal lawyers in Frankston immediately.
The Crime Statistics Agency reported that there were 14,277 criminal offences in the Frankston area last year. That is one of the highest figures in Victoria. If you have been charged with an offence in the Frankston area, you should contact a Frankston criminal lawyer as soon as possible.
Theft, burglary and robbery
Reports show that there were 864 criminal offences committed in one street in Frankston over the last year alone. That’s more than two crimes per day. Residents reported stolen tables and chairs, garden equipment, liquor, pharmaceuticals, and appliances.
All three of these offences – theft, burglary and robbery – carry serious penalties upon conviction. Penalties vary depending on the seriousness of the crime (such as whether weapons are used), the number of times a person has been charged with a similar offence, and the vulnerability of the victim.
If you are charged with any of these offences, even if it is a first offence, you may still face imprisonment if convicted. The maximum penalty for theft or burglary is 10 years imprisonment, and the maximum penalty for robbery is 15 years imprisonment. However, for aggravated armed robbery (where weapons of any kind are used), the maximum penalty is 25 years imprisonment.
In addition to (or in some cases instead of) prison time, you may also face large fines, a community corrections order, and a criminal conviction. This would make it very difficult to find employment in the future.
There are defences to these charges. A prosecutor must demonstrate the accused person intended to steal, and did in fact steal items or attempted to steal items from another person.
If you have been charged with a theft, burglary or robbery offence, you should seek help from a lawyer in Frankston immediately, no matter whether this is your first, or a subsequent offence. The penalties for these crimes are very serious, and you will need legal help from a Frankston lawyer immediately.
Theft of motor vehicles, and theft from motor vehicles
Theft from motor vehicles and theft of motor vehicles carry similar penalties to the theft, burglary and robbery offences mentioned above. The latest Crimes Statistics Agency report indicates there were nearly 4000 thefts and over 800 burglaries in the Frankston area over the last year. A large portion of this figure is comprised of thefts of motor vehicles and thefts from motor vehicles.
As indicated above, theft carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. However, thefts of motor vehicles are also often coupled with other charges such as property damage and driving offences. These charges can add up, and you may be facing even heavier penalties than those imposed on theft alone.
If you have been charged with theft of or from a motor vehicle, or any other vehicle related charge, you should contact a Frankston lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your options. A good criminal lawyer in Frankston may be able to have certain charges withdrawn, or help you avoid large fines and corrections orders.
Property damage
Property damage accounted for nearly 15% of all crimes in Frankston last year. These crimes are often minor, such as vandalism to street fences and laneways. However any kind of property damage, whether to public or private property, is a criminal offence. Vandalism, graffiti, breaking and entering, and wilful damage of personal property are all punishable by law.
Damaging property, even if you own part of that property, can carry a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. If you damage property and there is a chance that you may have injured someone in the process, the maximum prison sentence is 15 years. Arson is also a stand-alone offence under section 197(7) of the Crimes Act, and the maximum prison sentence is 15 years.
If you have been charged with damaging property, contact one of our professional criminal lawyers in Frankston today.
Assault charges
Crimes against the person include assaults, sexual offences, stalking and harassment. The courts take these charges very seriously. If you intentionally or recklessly cause harm to another person, threaten to harm them, or harass and stalk them, you could be facing very severe penalties.
Assaults carry a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison. Sexual offences carry even greater penalties, ranging from 10 years for indecent assault, to 25 years for rape. Sexual offences against children are often treated even more seriously due to the vulnerable nature of the victims.
There were over 1500 incidents of crimes against the person in Frankston last year. If you have been charged with assault, a sexual offence, harassment or stalking, you should contact a criminal lawyer in Frankston immediately. The punishment for crimes against the person is very serious, and can have life altering impacts, especially in sexual offence cases.
Drug offences
There were nearly 1000 drug-related offences in Frankston last year. These ranged from personal use offences, to drug dealing and trafficking offences. The penalties for these offences vary depending on the amount of the drug in question, the nature of the drug, and the number of offences previously committed.
Generally, small personal use offences carry fines and community corrections orders. However, multiple offences can lead to imprisonment. Trafficking and cultivation charges attract serious prison time. For commercial quantities, where you are carrying enough illegal drugs to be deemed to have possession with intent to sell, you could be facing up to 25 years imprisonment.
If you have been charged with a drug offence in Frankston, live in Frankston, or are going to the Frankston Magistrates’ Court on drug charges, you should contact one of our expert drug offence lawyers in Frankston urgently.
Family violence offences
Family violence comprises of multiple criminal charges including, but not limited to assault, harassment, stalking and property damage. Family violence matters are dealt with under the criminal law. You may have had someone take out a family violence intervention order (FVIO) against you. If this has happened to you, you should seek legal representation from a Frankston lawyer immediately. You may need to appear in court to dispute the order, or dispute some of the provisions in the order. An FVIO can drastically limit your ability to interact with family members, and may limit areas where you are allowed to visit.
In 2014-15, there were over 2300 breaches of court orders in the Frankston area. Many of these were breached FVIOs, while some were breaches of community corrections orders.
If you have breached an FVIO, you could be facing criminal prosecution. The penalties vary depending on the nature of the breach, however the courts do take them seriously. If you have breached your order, you should seek advice from a criminal lawyer in Frankston straight away.
Call Dribbin and Brown Criminal Defence Lawyers
If you live in Frankston and have been charged with a criminal offence in Frankston, or are due to appear in the Frankston Magistrates’ Court, contact one of our specialist criminal lawyers immediately. With our office close to the Frankston Magistrates’ Court, you will have the convenience of access to your criminal lawyer and the courts.
Call to arrange a consultation with one of our expert Frankston lawyers today.
