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Mumof3girls

Member since
November 2021

201 posts

Posted Fri November 4, 2022 12:51pmReport post

Today I spoke to the solicitor and it seems we're not entitled to legal aide. So not only have we suffered this for a year we are now going to work up a massive debt because of my husband's stupidity. I'm furious, I'm tearful and on all honesty I'm ready to give up. He basically told me the worse outcome and now I'm petrified of what my life will become. Any positive outcomes out there? I need to hear them. Im scared we will be restricted at every thing and won't be able to live a normal life anymore. No conversations, no searching for them. 7 cat a, 42 cat b and 23 cat. All downloaded without him knowing. When they was found by him all was deleted straight away.

BaffledB

Member since
July 2021

876 posts

Posted Fri November 4, 2022 1:35pmReport post

Hey,

I'm sorry you're feeling stressed. Is your partner going to be pleading guilty or not guilty? My partner has pleaded not guilty (trial next month) and wasn't elligble for legal aid but all that's happened is a debt collector sent a bill for £6k MONTHS ago and nothing has been heard since. If you're found not guilty then you don't have to pay it and obviously that's what we're hoping for so we've just left it for now. If pleading guilty will this impact his job? Xx

Mumof3girls

Member since
November 2021

201 posts

Posted Fri November 4, 2022 1:46pmReport post

The solicitor hasn't said what would be best for him yet. It's hard as he feels guilty as he knew they went on his phone as deleted them as soon as he found them yet not guilty as they went on without him knowing. It's very hard to prove that they went on without him knowing though so we have no idea what would be best. Magistrates is on the 17/11.
if he is found guilty and gets a criminal record yes he would lose his job as they have a 0 criminal record policy. He's already lost 1 job because of this, we lost our house and now May lose another job.

Jayjay

Member since
December 2021

695 posts

Posted Sun November 6, 2022 10:32amReport post

Hi Mum,

my partner was told he wasn't entitled to legal aid either but knew losing his job was imminent.
They asked for a set cost to represent at court, he lost his job a week before, we spoke to unlock, the solicitor and he quickly had to sign on UC (something neither of us had ever done before) and they rushed it through so he did not have to contribute anything. They do take partners wage in to consideration but as SS involved we weren't allowed to live in same house anyway.
if I hadn't pushed him to question it then he would have just paid it. Ask questions, say you can't afford it, contact unlock and see what they can do for you.
x

Mumof3girls

Member since
November 2021

201 posts

Posted Mon November 7, 2022 9:15amReport post

I don't work so we rely just on his wage with 3 children and I do receive tax credits but that's not a huge amount. Luckily mother in law has stepped in to foot the bill but if it goes to crown court it's going to be a very expensive debt for us to have to pay off when were hardly comfortable financially at the minute as it is.

GZ

Member since
December 2021

164 posts

Posted Mon November 7, 2022 9:56amReport post

We didn't get legal aid for magistrates so had to pay fees, it was a set cost by the solicitors. About £400.

but if it goes to crown you can apply for legal aid again, the threshold for crown court is different. We have two wages, a mortgage, a baby-we got legal aid for crown court.
we paid income contribution and then got 2/3 of it back after.

Mumof3girls

Member since
November 2021

201 posts

Posted Wed November 9, 2022 10:55pmReport post

Thanks GZ,

Our solictor has said £400 + vat + his out of pocket expenses as the magistrates is 60 miles from us which is odd as there are some closer ones yet I'm seeing it as a chance local media won't get hold of any info. He did say if it went to crown we'd get some legal aid. Luckily mother in law has stepped in and paid for him to give him a fighting chance rather than an on duty solicitor who won't know anything until the day. We've been through hell so really hoping for a positive outcome