Motoring offence, summary only (i) and Special Reasons (ii)

Our Fees

Guilty Plea – Minimum Fixed Fee: £1,500 + vat

Special Reasons – Minimum Fixed Fee £2,500 + vat

What is included?

• Attendance and/or preparation;
• Considering evidence;
• Taking your instructions;
• Providing advice on likely sentence;
• Attendance and representation at a single hearing at the Magistrates Court.

What is not included?

• Instruction of any expert witnesses;
• Taking statements from any witnesses;
• Advice and assistance in relation to a Special Reasons (ii) hearing;
• Advice or assistance in relation to any appeal.

Key stages involved

The key stages of your matter are based on the presumption that you have entered a guilty plea and have a date for your hearing. They typically include:

• Meet with you to provide instructions on what happened;
• Consider initial disclosure, and any other evidence and provide advice;
• Arranging to take any witness statements, if necessary (this will have an additional cost of £400 per hour of work undertaken )
• Explain the court procedure to you so that you know what to expect on the day of your hearing, and the sentencing options available to the Court;
• Conduct any further preparatory work, obtain further instructions from you, if necessary, and answer any follow up queries you have;
• Attend court on the day, meet with you before going before the court. We anticipate being at court for up to several hours depending on how busy the court list might be.
• Discuss the outcome with you and advise you if necessary on your options for appeal against sentence or conviction. Please note we cannot provide a more exact timescale of when your hearing will take place, as this depends on the court listing for that day.

Our Motoring Offences Team 

Scott Ewing

Partner and Head of Motoring Offences Team

Scott Ewing has over 30 years’ experience of criminal defence and regulatory work. Having previously spent some 20 years as both a Partner and Department Head at one of the largest legal aid solicitors in England and Wales, Scott founded the firm in 2012 to focus on private criminal defence

Scott’s work covers the complete spectrum of criminal and regulatory allegations however he has a particular speciality in the area of serious and complex crime, such as murder, the importation and supply of drugs, allegations of organised crime and high value fraud investigations. The vast majority of Scott’s practice feature extensive volume of evidence and multi-defendant conspiracies. Scott also acts for both individual and corporate clients in health and safety, trading standards offences and environmental prosecutions. With a client base ranging from ultra high net worth individuals to international PLCs, and from public figures to royalty, he remains one of the country’s most well-known and reputable criminal practitioners.

Being able to draw on such wide experience, each client can be assured of the highest quality of service and astute strategic advice from the outset of their case.

In addition to the above, Scott is regularly instructed to deal with privately instructed work where clients are facing motoring offences which place their driving licence in jeopardy.

Dawn Burrows

Higher Court Advocate

Dawn Burrows achieved her higher rights of audience as a solicitor-advocate 20 years ago and since that time she has built a formidable reputation both in criminal litigation and in courtroom advocacy.

Dawn’ work ranges from private motoring offences to the most serious criminal allegations. She has successfully defended in cases of murder, robbery, rape, drugs importation, drugs supply, blackmail and complex seven figure frauds, to name but a few. She has also acted as leading counsel in respect of allegations of manslaughter.

Dawn is extremely experienced in private client motoring matters and can undertake any form of case as might arise under road traffic law.

Tony Wyatt

Associate Counsel

Tony Wyatt is independent counsel working from his own chambers and acts as Associate Counsel for Ewing Law.

For his first decade in criminal practice Tony was a member of 2 Bedford Row, long regarded as London’s leading criminal barristers chambers. Both during and since that time he has acted as both junior and leading counsel in some of the most high-profile and serious cases heard within the jurisdiction. Tony exclusively defends and he has done so across the full range of serious crime, from murder and manslaughter to drugs offences, from armed robbery to blackmail, and from complex white collar fraud to allegations of serious assault. He is also very experienced in all areas of contested regulatory law and the prosecutions that arise, including but not limited to trading standards, health and safety and even sports disciplinary tribunals. Tony’s client list – like Scott’s – includes public figures from politics, sport and entertainment, as well as members of royalty, ultra-high net worth individuals and those accused of involvement in organised crime.

Tony has over 20 years of experience representing private clients for offences arising under the various Road Traffic Acts and for other allegations related to activity on the roads and highways.

i) A summary only offence is an offence which can only be tried in the magistrates’ court. There are exceptions. Under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (CJA 1988) offences specified in the Act can be tried on indictment by a jury if they are linked to an offence triable only in the Crown Court. The principal summary only offences are: driving whilst disqualified; careless and inconsiderate driving; failing to give information as to the identity of the driver; failing to stop or report; and speeding.
ii) Special Reasons pertain exclusively to situations where the accused has been found or has pled guilty and now faces disqualification unless he/she can persuade the Court that the circumstances of the offence are such that it would be unjust to impose a ban.