What Surrey Residents Should Do Immediately After Being Accused of Assault

As we have touched on in previous blog articles, there is a relatively high crime rate in Surrey compared to the rest of Canada, although, in fairness, Surrey’s crime rate has dropped considerably, and there are now several cities with a worse crime rate, such as Red Deer (Alberta) and Saskatoon (Saskatchewan). That means that assault cases are not uncommon in Surrey. So, what should you do if you are accused of assault and/or arrested?

The first, second, third, and last rule to remember is to be quiet and ask for a lawyer. Either hire your own lawyer or a lawyer will be assigned to you if you cannot afford you. Once you have a lawyer, follow his or her instructions. That means you do not discuss your case with anyone until or unless your lawyer tells you that it is okay to do so.

Everything else is more a matter of what not to do rather what you should do. There is a long list of what you should not do:

1. Do not give any statements or answer any police questions other than giving them your name and identifying information like address or phone number.
2. Do not discuss your case or charges with anyone.
3. Do not try to do any investigative work on your case, yourself.
4. Do not talk to or try to talk to any possible witnesses.
5. Do not ever lie to your lawyer.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees you the right to remain silent in Section 7 and Section 11. If you tell the police that you do not want to talk to them or answer any questions, they are not allowed to continue trying to elicit information. If you are accused of a crime in Surrey or anywhere else in Canada, it is vital that you exercise this right.

If you have been charged with assault, please contact Gagan Nahal for a free consultation in Vancouver at (604) 527-4769 as soon as possible. Mr. Nahal’s law practice focuses on criminal defence law, and he has extensive experience in this area of the law. 

Gagan Nahal is a criminal defence lawyer based in Surrey, British Columbia, although he has represented clients across Canada. He works vigorously and tirelessly defending his clients. 

If you have any questions about this article or you would like to talk to Mr. Nahal, please call him directly at (604) 527-4769.