Violent Disorder

An allegation of Violent Disorder is one of the most serious public order offences a person can face. This charge is not about individual actions but alleges that you were part of a group involved in a significant and frightening disturbance. It is often brought following large-scale incidents like protests, riots, or football-related violence. A conviction can lead to a long prison sentence and a permanent criminal record, destroying your reputation and future prospects. If you have been arrested or are under investigation for violent disorder, securing immediate, specialist legal representation is absolutely critical.

At Central Chambers Law, our senior legal consultants are experts in defending individuals against the most serious and complex criminal allegations, including violent disorder. We understand the unique challenges of defending group-action cases and the forensic detail required to separate an individual's actions from the chaos of a wider incident. Our function is to provide authoritative, strategic representation to protect your liberty and fight the prosecution's case from every possible angle.

What is Violent Disorder? The Legal Definition

The offence is created by Section 2 of the Public Order Act 1986. It is designed to deal with serious, large-scale group violence that causes significant public alarm.

The law states that where three or more persons who are present together use or threaten unlawful violence and the conduct of them (taken together) is such as would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at the scene to fear for their personal safety, each of the persons using or threatening unlawful violence is guilty of violent disorder.

For the prosecution to secure a conviction, they must prove several key elements:

• Three or more people were present together.
• They used or threatened unlawful violence.
• Their collective behaviour would cause a bystander of reasonable firmness to fear for their own safety.
• The accused person personally used or threatened unlawful violence.

Breaking Down the Offence

Understanding the specific components of the charge is essential, as this is where a defence strategy is formed.

"Three or More Persons"

This is the core of the offence. The prosecution must prove the existence of a group of at least three people acting together in the use or threat of violence.

"Use or Threaten Unlawful Violence"

The violence can be directed at people or property. A threat of violence can be made through words or actions. It is not necessary for someone to actually be injured.

The "Person of Reasonable Firmness" Test

This is a crucial objective test. The prosecution does not need to produce an actual witness who was terrified. They only need to prove that the group's collective conduct would have caused a hypothetical person of reasonable courage and composure to fear for their safety. This person cannot be someone involved in the disorder.

Individual Culpability

It is not enough for the prosecution to prove you were merely present at the scene. They must prove beyond reasonable doubt that you, personally, used or threatened unlawful violence as part of the group's actions.

The Grave Penalties for Violent Disorder

Violent Disorder is an indictable-only offence, meaning it must be tried in the Crown Court before a judge and jury. The penalties are severe and reflect the seriousness of large-scale public disturbances.

• Prison Sentence: The maximum sentence is five years' imprisonment. Custodial sentences are common upon conviction.
• Permanent Criminal Record: A conviction for such a serious offence will have a profound and lasting impact on your life, creating significant barriers to employment, professional registrations, and international travel.
• Ancillary Orders: The court can also impose other orders, such as Football Banning Orders, if the offence was related to a match.

Building a Defence to Violent Disorder

These are complex cases, often relying on extensive CCTV, police body-worn video, and witness evidence. An expert solicitor can meticulously analyse this material to build a powerful defence.

Potential defences include:

• Mistaken Identity: Arguing that you have been wrongly identified from poor-quality footage or confusing witness accounts. This is a common defence in large, chaotic crowd situations.
• No Personal Involvement: Proving that while you may have been present at the scene, you did not personally use or threaten any violence. This is often described as "mere presence."
• Self-Defence: Demonstrating that any force you used was a necessary and proportionate response to a genuine threat of violence against you or another person.
• The "Person of Reasonable Firmness" Test Not Met: Arguing that the collective conduct of the group, while perhaps unruly, did not reach the high threshold required to make a person of reasonable firmness fear for their safety.

Why Central Chambers Law Provides the Definitive Defence

Defending a violent disorder case requires a legal team with the experience to manage vast amounts of evidence and the skill to isolate an individual's case from the wider allegations.

Clients trust Central Chambers Law because we provide a formidable, non-judgmental, and forensically detailed defence in the face of these high-stakes charges. Our reputation is built on our meticulous preparation and our ability to deconstruct a complex prosecution case piece by piece. Our approach involves:

• Immediate Expert Intervention: We provide urgent, confidential advice from the moment of arrest, protecting your rights during police interviews where you will be questioned about your role in a large and chaotic incident.
• Forensic Evidence Analysis: We are experts at analysing hours of video footage and thousands of pages of witness evidence to identify the weaknesses in the prosecution's case against you specifically.
• Proactive Defence Investigation: We don't just react to the prosecution's evidence. We actively build your case, tracing defence witnesses and identifying evidence that undermines the police narrative and supports your defence of mere presence or mistaken identity.
• Masterful Crown Court Advocacy: Our senior advocates have extensive experience in jury trials. They possess the skill to masterfully cross-examine police witnesses and present your case with the clarity and force needed to secure an acquittal.

Our focused expertise means we are perfectly equipped to provide the intelligent and robust representation needed to defend your liberty against one of the most serious public order charges.

Protect Your Future with Immediate Specialist Advice

If you have been arrested or are under investigation for violent disorder, you are in a perilous legal situation where a lengthy prison sentence is a very real possibility. You must not face this complex process alone.

Contact our expert criminal defence solicitors immediately for an urgent and confidential consultation. Your future is on the line, and securing the right advice at the earliest opportunity is critical.

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