Pury Erskine Ltd

As matters stand, when Service personnel instruct me in Service Police interviews in any place in the world other than England and Wales, the service is paid for by the Armed Forces Criminal Legal Aid Athority (excellent people, I should say). The argument goes that there is no need to fund me in England and Wales due to the free duty solicitor scheme. That scheme is primarily in place for civilian cases. It might involve a solicitor or police station representative who has no experience of Service life or Service law being sent to the Service Police station. Given I have over two decades of experience of military law, clients are increasingly deciding to pay privately for me. This week, I have attended interviews in Telford, Bulford and Portsmouth. I go anywhere in the world my Service client needs me, without exception. I think it is time that was funded for them to include when that happens to be in England and Wales.

Over the past 48 hours, I have attended Service Police interviews in Yorkshire and Wiltshire. Neither case was referred to the prosecutor. That is because, to their great credit, the Service Police listen when I engage with them. My role is to avoid trials, for if there is no trial, there can be no conviction. The new Defence Serious Crime Unit holds itself out as Global, Professional and Independent. To date, I think they are achieving that. I will match them and add ‘Relentless’ in the pursuit of justice.

It is always a pleasure to meet my namesake, Colonel Bobby Steele DL, President of SSAFA the Armed Forces charity in Dunbartonshire. I was representing the Glasgow and Renfrewshire branch of the charity in my capacity as Vice Chair at Glasgow’s Veterans Victory in Europe commemorations. In Glasgow we remember the dead and, in SSAFA, we never forget the living.

I had a very pleasant conversation with a legal aid duty solicitor this week. During it though I recognised that we might have different approaches. I explained that I only undertake military law work, which includes advice and representation at Service Police stations. The solicitor told me that he did too, but he rarely got anything out of it, so had to question whether it was worth doing. He was referring to follow on court work. My position is different: I go to Service Police stations with a view to ensuring that trials don’t happen. This week I was at RAF Brize Norton and ‘the home of the British Army’, Aldershot. It has been time well spent.

We are committed to helping our Cadets enter the legal profession.

We are committed to serving.

I was delighted to represent two British Service personnel in Cyprus. Importantly, it was done while building relations with the Service Police. No one needs to fall out. British Service people deserve fearless, independent legal advice and representation wherever they serve in the world. That is what I deliver. Now on to Germany.

This is why we have an Armed Forces Champion.

If you serve in the Armed Forces and have been affected by any issue raised in this article (to include as a suspect), it may now be time to speak with our head of military law, Allan Steele WS. https://lnkd.in/eBN-yni7

If you are a member of the Armed Forces and you face disciplinary or administrative trouble, please do not hesitate to make an appointment with our Armed Forces Champion, Allan Steele WS. Allan is a retired RAF wing commander legal officer with over two decades of experience of military law. He will be happy to speak with you in confidence.