⚖️ Beta — general information about criminal matters in England & Wales. Not legal advice.
England & Wales

What might happen with your criminal matter?

Tell us what's happened in your own words — we'll explain the likely offence, court route, possible outcomes and sentence risk. Free, anonymous, not legal advice.

🤝This is private and anonymous. Crime Checker isn't the police or a court, and nothing you write here can be used against you — it just helps you understand what you might be facing.
Not sure how to start? Tap one and finish it in your own words:
Theft / shopliftingAssault / a fightDrink drivingSpeedingDrug possessionI'm not sure what I'm facing
More common situations ▾
Drug drivingCriminal damageFraud / a scamHarassment / stalkingPolice interview

Free · about 30 seconds · no name needed

🔒Anonymous · no name or IP stored · never shared with a solicitor unless you ask.
How is my information used? (including AI) →

Your answers are anonymous — we don't ask for your name and we do not record your IP address. To understand your description we send it to a trusted AI service (Anthropic) to classify it; we don't store it, it's never used to train AI, and it's never shared with a solicitor unless you ask. We keep only anonymous, aggregate statistics (such as how many people checked a type of matter in an area).

⚠︎ General legal information only — not legal advice. It can't tell you whether to plead guilty or not guilty and doesn't guarantee any outcome. Your details are only shared with a solicitor if you choose.

💡 Why is this free?

Solicitors pay to advertise to people checking their situation — that's how we keep the checker free for you. We're upfront about it: the firms you see are clearly marked "Sponsored", we don't rank them by who pays most, and we never share your details with any of them unless you choose to.

What Crime Checker does

Crime Checker is a free tool for England & Wales that helps you understand a criminal matter in plain English. Describe what's happened and it explains the likely offence, whether it's dealt with in the Magistrates' or Crown Court, the possible outcomes, the sentencing range and what to do next. It is general information only — not legal advice, and not a substitute for speaking to a solicitor.

How it works

  1. Describe it in your own words. No name or personal details needed.
  2. We match it to the offence and apply published sentencing guidelines and ranges.
  3. You get a clear read-out — likely outcome, sentence risk, court route and next steps — with the official sources we used.

What you'll find out

  • The most likely offence based on what you describe
  • Whether it's a Magistrates' Court or Crown Court matter
  • Possible outcomes and the sentencing range
  • Your risk of a custodial sentence or driving ban, where relevant
  • Practical next steps, including whether to get a solicitor

Common situations we cover

Shoplifting and theft, common assault, drink driving and motoring offences, drug possession, fraud, and being asked to attend a police interview (including voluntary interviews and postal requisitions). If there isn't enough detail to be confident, Crime Checker says so rather than guessing.

Frequently asked questions

Is Crime Checker legal advice?

No. It gives general information only, built from official published sources. It cannot tell you how to plead and does not guarantee any outcome. For advice on your specific situation, speak to a solicitor.

Is it free and anonymous?

Yes. It is free and you do not need to give your name. Your details are not shared with anyone unless you choose to contact a solicitor.

Does it cover the whole UK?

It covers England & Wales only. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate legal systems with different offences and sentencing.

Will a solicitor check my result?

No. Results are generated automatically from official sources and are not reviewed by a solicitor. You can choose to have a local solicitor review your situation.

Where our information comes from

Crime Checker is built only from official published sources for England & Wales: Sentencing Council guidelines, legislation.gov.uk, and Ministry of Justice statistics. It is not checked by a solicitor.