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26
Jun

How to find the right lawyer for assault charges
MartinDomm
Blog

Assault cases are often centred around highly emotional situations where tempers flared and things got out of control. Many of those who find themselves facing assault charges have never been in trouble with the law before in their lives and would never have considered that they could get themselves into such a complicated situation.

Mistakes happen, and if you are facing assault or battery charges for the very first time, you need legal guidance and advice as soon as possible. The choices you make at this stage could have far-reaching consequences for the rest of your life and the sooner you understand this, the better placed you are to make sensible and well informed decisions.

Lawyers for assault charges in your area can easily be found through a quick Google search, but it is important to know how to find a great lawyer, not simply just one that is willing to accept your case.

In this guide we will walk you through the ways to do just that giving you all the tips and trick that you need to find the perfect criminal defence lawyer.

What to do when facing assault charges

Don’t panic

The worst thing that you can do if you are faced with assault charges is to make rash decisions. We get it. You are worried and even a bit scared about the situation you find yourself in. Innocent or not, this is a normal reaction to facing criminal charges, especially for the first time.

The truth is, however, that acting rashly now could make things a whole lot worse.

Understand your charges

The first thing you need to understand is what type of assault charges you are facing. This will determine the severity of the potential sentences that a guilty verdict could bring and will inform your lawyers actions.

Low-level assault, that is to say assault where there was no injury to the victim, or very little injury, is classed as common assault, which carries a maximum sentence of 6 months imprisonment. Most common assault cases are settled without imprisonment being required, with a fine or community service. It is important to know that you don’t need to physically touch someone to be accused or convicted of common assault. If someone feels genuinely threatened by your actions or feels they have suffered psychological damage as a result of them, there is potential for you to be charged with common assault.

From here, assault charges gradually grow more serious rising to Actual Bodily Harm (ABH) where significant, if non-permanent, injuries were sustained and then to Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) which includes extremely violent assaults using weapons that do permanent harm to the victim and could leave them disabled for life. GBH holds a maximum conviction of life imprisonment and is the most serious charge that can be levelled against someone for a physical attack short of murder or manslaughter.

Get a Lawyer

No matter how serious you think the assault charges against you may be, getting legal representation is essential. There are a range of different defences that can be presented in assault cases, from self-defence to mistaken identity but selecting the one that is most relevant to your case and presenting it in the most compelling manner will rely on the experience and skilled of a fully trained criminal lawyer.

When you meet with your lawyer, be completely honest with them when they ask you questions and provide any evidence that you think might be relevant to the case. Consider any witnesses that you think may have been present when the events in question took place and put them in touch with your lawyer to give them the best possible chance of building a compelling case.

What to do immediately after being accused of a crime

lawyer scotland

The most important thing to do after being accused of a crime is not to act rashly, this is only going to harm your case in the future and could reinforce a perception of you as aggressive and prone to impulsive behaviour.

Instead get in touch with a lawyer and refuse to talk with the police until you have legal representation by your side. It is their job to guide you through the entire legal process and they will explain each and every aspect to you in a clear and concise way, from the nature of the charges, to the possible sentences you could receive and how they intent to go about building your defence.

If required they can also represent you in court and will handle the appeal process on your behalf if you are found guilty and wish to appeal the sentence given.

6
Jun

How AI is revolutionising CCTV Surveillance
MartinDomm
Blog
AI is the talk of the town across the world at this current time, the latest in a long strong of technological advancements that have revolutionised the security industry beyond recognition.

The potential effects of AI in all walks of life are extraordinary and quite frankly a bit unnerving but one area in which machine learning has already made a huge difference for good is in the CCTV camera market.

CCTV itself is not that new these days and police and security guards have been using camera technology to assist in the identification, interception, and conviction of criminals for several decades.

However, as AI improves, so too does the effectiveness of these systems. In the past, whilst CCTV had been hugely beneficial in dealing with criminal activity after it had occurred, revealing the exact details of an event that occurred and allowing the perpetrators to be tracked down and brought to justice, any real time action relied upon someone monitoring the live CCTV feeds at the time.

Many businesses simply can’t afford to have a security expert monitoring their CCTV feeds at every hour of the night and day and were therefore more susceptible to vandalism and theft.

With AI CCTV this has all changed. Nowadays, many routine activities that previously required manpower, such as alerting security to intruders, counting the number of people entering a site, or issuing an audio warning to any unauthorised individuals can all be carried out by the camera itself as long as they are fitted with the appropriate AI features.

AI CCTV features

AI CCTV

Modern CCTV systems fitted with a layer of AI technology can add a huge amount to your security system. AI can be applied at pretty much any point of the CCTV monitoring process from camera to cloud.

Some of the smartest AI features that are often equipped on modern CCTV cameras and mobile CCTV towers include:

Virtual tripwires

CCTV cameras fitted with virtual tripwire technology allow you to add an extra level of security to key and vulnerable areas of your site that are most at risk. Choose exactly where you want these tripwires to be placed, and any breach will be met with a loud audio and visual warning.

Anyone crossing your tripwires into a high-risk area will be made very aware that they are being observed and that security is on the way. This usually leads to them beating a swift retreat.

Virtual tripwires can be set, altered, and redeployed without even having to attend the site in-person, remotely via mobile app. This allows you to alter your CCTV system to meet the changing needs of your property, particularly useful on construction sites where the nature of a project can change at a rapid rate.

Auto Tracking

One of the most helpful features of modern CCTV is auto tracking. Previously site security had been compromised by blind spots, just out of the range of static CCTV cameras and a large quantity of cameras would be needed to sufficiently protect a large area.

AI CCTV cameras will automatically detect the movement of an intruder and track it using PTZ (pan, Tilt, Zoom) technology. This ensures that anyone on your site without permission is observed at all times until they leave or are detained, reducing the risk of a lack of evidence allowing them to escape undetected.

Motion Detection

CCTV tower

AI CCTV cameras not only automatically detect the movement of intruders, and issue warnings to them, and alert security, they also use their in-built AI coding to optimise their motion detection services over time.

One of the problems with early stage motion detection CCTV and alarms was that every tiny movement, such as a leaf, cat, or fox moving in the area would trigger a full-scale security response, resulting in a huge number of false alarms and causing a significant amount of unnecessary cost.

The intelligent analytics of modern AI CCTV, on the other hand, will be able to decipher between movement that is not a threat and movement that is, reducing the risk of false alarms. These cameras not only come programmed to ignore certain everyday movement, but over time will learn the regular movements of the site, continually optimising their systems and becoming more and more effective over the years.

Audio warnings

Nowadays, you can not only programme your CCTV tower or cameras to issue an audio warning to an intruder, but can actually speak directly to them in real time via a speaker attached to the system. When motion is detected you, or your security, will receive an alert via mobile app.

You can then log in and observe a 5G transmitted live stream, allowing you to assess the situation from afar. Depending on the situation you observe, you can then issue your own warning, or inform the intruder that security will be with them shortly.

14
Jan

Saving money through solar power
MartinDomm
Blog
Solar Panel Installer

The rise in energy bills over the last 12 months has led to many people asking how they can both save money and also make greener energy choices when it comes to gas and electricity at home. One popular option is by installing solar panels.

Equipping your roof with solar panels will not only reduce energy bills but it’ll cut down on your reliance on burning fossil fuels. You’ll be generating your own, renewable electricity – which reduces the amount you’ll need to pay your energy company, and furthermore you’ll receive a small payment for the energy you don’t use – because this is feedback into the local network.

This has made solar panels an incredibly popular option. In this article we’ll examine the benefits provided by investing in solar panels.

How do solar panels work?

Solar PV cells are nestled between semi-conducting material (this is usually silicon). When light shines on them, electrons are loosened, creating an electrical flow. Solar cells combined form panels, with multiple panels forming an array. They are placed on south-facing roofs to expose them to as much as light as possible.

The Benefits of Solar Panels

Savings

One of the primary reasons to get solar panels is that they can provide significant energy savings. You can really cut down on your electricity costs. If your array is large enough, you’ll potentially be able to produce enough electricity for your whole home.

What kind of savings can I expect?

As a result of the money spent on installing solar panels you can save as much as £300 per year, while a home using electric heating may save up to £900. Ultimately savings are dependent on several factors – including where you live and how much energy you use.

Due to the money, you’ve saved on paying energy bills, the average household can break even within 11 to 15 years through solar panels.

Solar panels installed properly by an approved fitter will switch seamlessly between using the electricity provided by the panels and the energy provided by the grid. You’ll not notice any kind of difference between the electricity supplies.

Earning money

It is possible to earn money through solar panels and the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) scheme. This scheme allows you to be paid for any excess renewable energy you export back to the National Grid.

Licensed energy suppliers with 150,000 customers or more must provide at least one Smart Export Guarantee tariff. Smaller suppliers can voluntarily offer a tariff.

By signing up to a SEG tariff you will be paid for excess electricity you generate that is fed back into the grid.

Renewable

It’s vital to remember that solar panels generate renewable energy. The power they provide is from the sun, and an endless resource which you can draw upon without producing a carbon footprint. If you want to ensure that your carbon footprint is reduced, then solar panels are a sure-fire way to do so.

What to consider before installing Solar Panels

Is my roof suitable for solar panels?

You’ll need to ensure you’ve got enough space and that you roof is in good condition before installing solar panels. The average solar system uses 15 panels which require around 25m2. Solar panels work best when they’re installed on an unshaded roof which is south facing – though east and west facing roofs will also work (though they won’t generate as much electricity).

Solar storage systems and solar batteries

If you are planning to install solar panels you may want to consider installing either a solar battery or energy storage system. This will allow you to store the electricity which the panels generate a night, helping you to become further self-sufficient.

Does it matter where I live?

Solar power isn’t concerned with temperature but daylight hours.

Those based in London and the Southeast of England will get the most sunlight, whereas people based in Scotland get the least.

How to get solar panels installed

You need to find a reliable and trusted Solar Panel Installer Scotland. Make sure that they are registered with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). 

How to get the most out of solar panels

Keep the panels clean

Regularly clean the solar panels to ensure they work effectively. There are solar panel cleaning kits available

Focus Electricity use during the day

Solar panels are most effective during daylight hours. This means it’s best to use electricity during the day as it will reduce reliance on the grid.

Reduce energy wastage

Turning off lights when they’re not in use, taking shorter showers, and also doing things such as draught proofing your home can really help your overall energy efficiency.

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