Get legal protection from these 5 criminal defense firms in Newcastle
Growing up, we always thought legal trouble happened only in movies. But living in a real community teaches you that life isn’t always predictable. Sometimes people need guidance and someone who understands the law better than anyone else.
While learning about criminal defense in Newcastle, we realised how essential it is to have experts who care about fairness. The legal system can be intimidating, especially if you’re facing something unexpected, and having the right advocate changes everything.
That’s why we put together a selection of professionals known for their dedication and credibility who offer support to individuals during some of the toughest moments of their lives.
How much does criminal defence representation cost in Newcastle?
Criminal defence representation in Newcastle typically costs between £120 and £250 per hour. However, the total amount depends on the solicitor’s experience, the complexity of the case, and whether urgent representation is required.
1. David Gray Solicitors LLP
Address: Old County Court, 56 Westgate Rd, Upon Tyne NE1 5XU
Contact Details: +441912329547
Business Hours:
- Monday to Friday: 9 AM – 5 PM
David Gray Solicitors LLP delivers one of the most established criminal defence services in Newcastle, backed by over 45 years of continuous operation and a team of more than 90 staff across their offices.
The criminal defence department provides full coverage, handling matters from police station representation to Magistrates’ and Crown Court work.
Their 24/7 emergency crime line is also a practical feature. It allows clients to reach a solicitor in urgent or out-of-hours situations.
Another notable advantage is the presence of in-house Crown Court advocates, which reduces the need to outsource barristers and streamlines case preparation.
The department’s Band 1 rankings in both Chambers UK and The Legal 500 also further highlight the calibre of the team’s work on serious and complex cases.
The team covers a broad range of offences. This includes fraud, youth matters, and confiscation proceedings, creating continuity for individuals with multi-layered cases.
One drawback is that they’re a full-service firm. Criminal defence isn’t their only focus, and this can occasionally affect how quickly internal resources move during peak times.
Handled everything with incredible professionalism
“I can’t recommend David Gray Solicitors enough, and I want to give special thanks to Hannah Mostoufi. Hannah handled everything with incredible professionalism, patience, and genuine care. She listened to all my concerns, explained everything clearly, and guided me through each step with attention to detail. Her support and dedication made a stressful process feel manageable and gave me real peace of mind. Hannah and the team are truly outstanding — excellent service from start to finish!”
- Jose Cabaluna, Google Review
Calm, efficient, and reassuring
“We contacted David Gray following a recommendation from a family friend who is a retired immigration solicitor. After a conversation with the receptionist who suggested we speak to Mehdi Hassan, we arranged a consultation and began the process. Mehdi has been brilliant! Calm, direct, honest, efficient and reassuring! He has been more than reasonable when it came to fees. He’s listed what we need to do. He’s checked everything with us and has been very accurate throughout! He’s been very patient with us when my husband and I needed to call him separately to check details. He’s been fantastic and we will be going back to Mehdi to ask for support in the future steps we need to take!! Thank you Mehdi!”
- Janine Docherty, Google Review
2. Beecham Peacock Solicitors
Address: 2nd Floor, South, New England House, 10 Ridley Pl, upon Tyne NE1 8JW
Contact Details: +441912323048
Business Hours:
- Monday to Friday: 9 AM – 5 PM
Beecham Peacock Solicitors operates from New England House, Ridley Place, and is regulated under SRA Regulation No. 630382. This alone firmly establishes its compliance with professional standards.
The firm’s team collectively carries over 180 years of legal experience, giving their practice a long historical footprint in the North East.
But first note that their criminal defence services concentrate heavily on motoring-related matters. These include speeding, drink-driving, drug-driving, and dangerous driving cases.
Since they explicitly represent professional drivers, including taxi and lorry drivers, their motoring work is especially relevant for clients whose income depends on driving.
Another notable strength they have is their ability to guide clients through fixed penalty notices and situations where those penalties escalate to Magistrates’ Court proceedings.
And the fact that their city-centre office sits within a short walk of Haymarket and Monument Metro stations makes arranging urgent in-person meetings straightforward.
Handled the case with professionalism and promptness
“I had the pleasure of working with Charlotte Talbot at Beecham Peacock Solicitors for a complex child arrangement case. From start to finish, Charlotte handled my case with the utmost professionalism, promptness, and clarity. Charlotte’s experience and expertise provided clear guidance at every stage, ensured that all actions were taken safely and thoughtfully to prioritise my childrens safety. Her guidance cut through the noise and ensured the best outcome with professionalism and care. I felt supported and confident throughout the process, and I couldn’t recommend her highly enough to anyone seeking expert legal assistance in family matters.”
- Tasnim Anjum, Google Review
Competent, knowledgeable, and accessible
“I worked with Lauren from Beecham peacock for over 1 year in very complex family court proceedings. Lauren was extremely competent , knowledgeable and accessible. I was able to contact her easily for advice when needed and found her to be supportive and professional. Thanks again for everything Lauren , and the Beecham peacock team. I couldn’t have got there without you.”
- Tiegan Scott, Google Review
3. Pearson Caulfield Solicitors
Address: Newgate Shopping Centre, Newgate Street, 1 Newgate St, Upon Tyne NE1 5RE
Contact Details: +441912618878
Business Hours:
- Monday to Friday: 9 AM – 5 PM
Pearson Caulfield’s 40-year presence in Newcastle stood out the moment we walked into their Newgate Street office, mainly because it feels like a firm that has grown with the city.
Their criminal department is one of the longest-running in the region. We appreciate how cases are handled only by solicitors with at least two decades of experience.
Having Lewis Pearson as a Higher Court Advocate also made a difference since he handled both the strategy and the Crown Court work directly.
Their full-journey support covered everything from police interview preparation to discussions about what might happen in a potential trial. At no stage was this responsibility handed over to junior staff, which helped keep the advice consistent throughout.
Additionally, their clear fixed-fee examples for motoring offences—such as £300 + VAT for a guilty plea and £600–£1,200 + VAT for a contested case—made budgeting straightforward. Pairing this transparency with their legal aid guidance gave the whole process a more structured feel.
Their focus on face-to-face solicitor advice means every meeting has substantial direction. On the flipside, all of this operates from a single Newcastle office, which limits physical access if you’re based outside the city.
Thorough and always on hand to answer any questions
“We were very impressed by Pearson Caulfield who handled the sale and purchase our of property. Suzanna was very thorough and always on hand to answer any questions we had – we wouldn’t hesitate to use her again.”
- Alex West, Google Review
Fast, friendly, and reliable service
“Pearson caulfield are a brilliant soliciters fast friendly reliable service was looked after start to finish of our house sale would definiately reccomend to others fantastic firm would use these guys again and highly reccomend to others.”
- Chantel Postello, Google Review
4. Slater and Gordon Lawyers
Address: City Quadrant, 11 Waterloo St, Upon Tyne NE1 4DP
Contact Details: +443330095439
Business Hours:
- Monday to Friday: 8 AM – 6 PM
Slater and Gordon’s Newcastle office has a 90-year heritage carried over from the Russell Jones & Walker acquisition. Walking into the Waterloo Square site, the setup already shows how integrated they are within their wider nationwide network.
Their team structure is much broader than that of typical Newcastle firms. This is particularly because they draw on specialists across Manchester, London, and Birmingham, depending on the case.
The depth of their abuse-related and criminal injury compensation work was extensive. The way they combined civil and criminal claims into a single, coordinated structure made the process feel streamlined.
We also had the chance to speak with their criminal and road traffic lead, Paul Reddy, whose experience ranges from police station representation to Crown Court defence.
However, there’s no dedicated 24/7 criminal support line, so urgent matters can’t be escalated immediately.
Still, their “No Win No Fee” model for compensation cases added a layer of predictability. The 4.3 TrustScore for the Newcastle branch reflected the communication quality everyone personally experienced.
Made the process straightforward and painless
“Slater & Gordon made the process of taking action for my VW claim relatively straightforward and painless. Apart from a few teething problems with the portal, the whole process has been smooth and (importantly to me) hasn’t had a negative time impact. The frequency and depth of updates was about right and I always felt that despite some legal procedures taking a long time the overall claim was always moving forwards After an initial scepticism, I was delighted to have Slater & Gordon in my corner on a no win no fee basis and felt the commission deducted was fair. Thanks”
- Graham Stonadge, Google Review
Thoroughly recommend their service
“I would probably accepted that VW had got away with ‘stitching up’ the UK buyers of their vehicles with false test figures and not being able to pursue them myself would have done nothing. However Slater and Gordon contacted me and I was very happy to allow them to take on VW on my behalf. Plenty of updates and many years of trying and result — I have received some compensation. I would thoroughly recommend Slater and Gordons and their service.”
- Graham Stoner, Google Review
5. Sintons
Address: Barrack Rd, Upon Tyne NE4 6DB
Contact Details: +441912267878
Business Hours:
- Monday to Friday: 8 AM – 6 PM
Stepping into Sintons’ head office at The Cube on Barrack Road gives an immediate sense of how deep their Newcastle roots run, especially with a history stretching back to 1896.
With over 120 years behind them and more than 100 lawyers and 37 partners on the roster, the scale of the firm becomes obvious very quickly.
Their reach across Newcastle, York, Leeds, and London enables cases to pull expertise from multiple locations.
The Legal 500 recognition under Crime, Fraud & Licensing also came up, which helped clarify the areas where they genuinely operate within criminal-linked work.
Their road traffic and licensing team handles motoring offences and alcohol-licensing disputes, making them helpful for cases tied to regulatory or professional exposure.
Their broader reputation showed in their Times Best Law Firms listing and in the strong local review score, which hovered around 4.7 and matched the communication quality they actually provide.
One thing to consider here, though, is that there is no visible emergency or police station representation service. That gap can affect anyone needing immediate support after an arrest.
Professional, kind, and fully committed
“I want to sincerely thank Adam Burton, Lucas Wojcik and Sintons for their amazing support during my case. After my accident and thumb amputation, Adam was there every step of the way — professional, kind, and fully committed. Thanks to his hard work and clear advice, we won the case and achieved a fantastic outcome. I always felt supported and confident with him handling everything. I highly recommend Adam Burton and Sintons to anyone needing expert legal help. Thank you for everything!”
- Adrian, Google Review
With professionalism and excellent communication
“I would like to praise Sintons and especially Mr. David Knipe who handled my case and the team who supported him for their professionalism and excellent communication via email and video calls. Although I knew from the beginning that the whole process would take time, I understand that it was necessary to ensure nothing was missed and to maximise rehabilitation to give me the best possible outcome following my serious injuries. Rehabilitation and support such as free gym access very close to home was very helpful.”
- Kumaros, Google Review