Penicuik sits at the foot of the Pentlands, far enough from Edinburgh to feel like a country town and close enough that its criminal business is heard in the city. A charge arising here will call at Chambers Street, which for most people means an unfamiliar building, a crowded roll and very little time. The way to counter that is to have the case looked at properly before the diet rather than in the ten minutes beforehand. Charles Ferguson Solicitors act for clients across Midlothian from our Glasgow office at 20-23 Woodside Place, G3 7QL. Call 0141 345 5735 at any hour of the day or night.
Edinburgh Sheriff Court
Criminal cases arising in Penicuik are prosecuted at Edinburgh Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court, Sheriff Court House, 27 Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1LB, in the Sheriffdom of Lothian and Borders. There is no sheriff court anywhere in Midlothian, so every case from Penicuik, Roslin, Auchendinny and the surrounding villages is heard in the city. The court takes summary business and solemn cases prosecuted on indictment before a jury, with the Justice of the Peace Court in the same building dealing with lower-tariff summary complaints. The most serious charges are prosecuted in the High Court of Justiciary, which has its permanent seat in Edinburgh.
Criminal Offences We Defend in Penicuik
Assault — common assault through to assault to severe injury, including incidents on the High Street and in licensed premises. Drug Offences — possession, supply and being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs. Theft and Dishonesty — housebreaking, shoplifting, reset and fraud, including theft of plant, tools and machinery from the farms and smallholdings on the Pentlands fringe. Wildlife and Poaching Offences — charges arising on the Pentland Hills and the surrounding estates and farmland, where hare coursing and unlawful taking of game are recurring complaints. Domestic Abuse — charges under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018, with bail conditions and non-harassment orders. Public Order — threatening or abusive behaviour under section 38 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010. Weapons Offences — knives and offensive weapons, and firearms and shotgun certificate matters arising in a rural district. Sexual Offences — charges under the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009. Road Traffic Offences — drink driving, dangerous driving and speeding on the A701 and A702.
Why Choose Charles Ferguson Solicitors in Penicuik?
Rural charges from the Pentlands fringe frequently rest on thinner evidence than they first appear to. There are few cameras, witnesses are often distant, and identification, timing and the alleged movement of property across open country all bear proper examination. Firearms and shotgun certificate matters carry a separate consequence in a district where a certificate may be tied to someone's work, and that needs to be addressed alongside the criminal case rather than after it. We prepare Midlothian cases in advance and give you an honest assessment. 24/7 Availability — call 0141 345 5735 at any hour. Legal Aid Specialists — we accept Legal Aid work and will check your eligibility at once. Police Station Attendance. Free Initial Consultation.
What to Do If You Are Charged in Penicuik
If Police Scotland detain you anywhere in Midlothian, you have the right to consult a solicitor in private before any interview begins. Exercise it, and answer no questions until you have taken advice. If you have been released on an undertaking, or a citation has arrived from the Procurator Fiscal requiring you to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, contact us as soon as it arrives — allow for the journey into the city, because there is no local court to attend. Instructing early lets us recover disclosure, trace and speak to witnesses while recollections are fresh, and advise you properly on plea before your first calling.
Areas Served Across Midlothian and the Pentlands
We represent clients throughout Penicuik and the surrounding district, including Auchendinny, Roslin, Bilston, Loanhead, Howgate, Carlops, Silverburn, Rosewell, Bonnyrigg, Lasswade, Eskbank, Dalkeith and Gorebridge. Cases regularly arise on the A701, the A702 over the Pentlands, the A703, the A6094 and the A720 city bypass. Call 0141 345 5735 at any hour.