Woolfe & Co Solicitors provide language support and qualified interpreters for clients who do not speak English as a first language. Every charge, every question and every legal right is explained to you in the language you understand best, at the police station, in the Magistrates' Court and at the Crown Court, across England and Wales.
Language support in a criminal case means making sure you can fully understand and take part in your case in a language you speak, even if your English is limited. In England and Wales it includes a free, independent interpreter at the police station and at every court hearing, translation or explanation of key legal documents, and access to a solicitors' firm that arranges multilingual communication for you. It is free and it is your right, whether or not you are represented by a solicitor.
Facing a criminal investigation or charge is stressful in any language. When English is not your first language, that stress is multiplied, because the law uses technical terms, strict time limits and formal procedures that are easy to misunderstand. A single misunderstood question in a police interview can shape the entire direction of a case.
At Woolfe & Co Solicitors, language is not treated as an afterthought. We arrange appropriate interpreting and language support so you always know what you are being asked, what you are being accused of, what your options are and what will happen next.
Our support covers the whole of the criminal process, from a police station interview through to a Crown Court trial, and it is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
At the police station and at court, provided at no cost to you.
Not family members. Independent professionals for fairness and accuracy.
Charge sheets, statements and court orders translated or explained.
We coordinate interpreting so you never have to arrange it alone.
Already know which language you need? Visit our Bangla and Sylheti speaking criminal defence solicitors page, our Albanian speaking criminal defence solicitors page or our Pahari, Potwari and Kashmiri speaking criminal defence solicitors page for dedicated help in your language.
We help clients from many communities across England and Wales. Our team speaks some languages directly, and for others we instruct qualified, independent interpreters so your case is always handled in the language you understand best. Our specialist Bangla and Sylheti speaking criminal defence solicitors represent Bengali and Sylheti speakers directly, our Albanian speaking criminal defence solicitors support Albanian, Kosovan and Macedonian Albanian clients, and our Pahari, Potwari and Kashmiri speaking Criminal Defence Solicitors help Mirpuri and Kashmiri communities, and our Urdu speaking criminal defence solicitors support Urdu, Mirpuri, Pothwari and Punjabi speaking clients, and our Hindi speaking criminal defence solicitors help Hindi speaking clients across England and Wales, and our Spanish speaking criminal defence solicitors advise Spanish speaking clients throughout the UK, and our Italian speaking criminal defence solicitors support Italian speaking clients across England and Wales. The full list of languages we speak and support is being added here shortly. In the meantime, simply call us and tell us the language you need.
Bengali (Bangla)
Spoken in house
View pageSylheti
Spoken in house
View pagePahari, Potwari, Kashmiri
Spoken and interpreters arranged
View pageAlbanian
Spoken and interpreters arranged
View pageKosovan and Macedonian Albanian
Spoken and interpreters arranged
View pageUrdu
Spoken and interpreters arranged
View pageMirpuri and Punjabi
Spoken and interpreters arranged
View pageHindi
Spoken and interpreters arranged
View pageSpanish
Spoken and interpreters arranged
View pageItalian
Spoken and interpreters arranged
View pageMore languages
Full list coming soon
Tell us the language you speak and we will arrange the right support for you, whether that is a multilingual solicitor or a qualified interpreter. There is no charge for asking.
Ask About Your LanguageCriminal law relies on precise words. "Admit", "deny", "intent" and "possession" have exact legal meanings that can differ from everyday speech. Without proper language support, small misunderstandings can have serious consequences.
Everything you say in an interview under caution is recorded and can be used as evidence. If you do not fully understand a question, an answer that sounds like an admission may be recorded even if you meant something entirely different. A qualified interpreter ensures the question you are asked is the question you answer, and that your words are recorded accurately. Read more about free legal aid police station representation.
Bail conditions, court dates and appeal deadlines all follow fixed rules. If instructions are misunderstood, a missed date or a breached condition can lead to further charges. Language support removes that risk and keeps you clear on what you must do and by when.
A defence is only as strong as the instructions behind it. Your solicitor needs to understand your account of events in full, including the detail and nuance that only come through in your own language. Language support lets you explain what actually happened, not a simplified version of it.
A defendant must be able to follow and take part in their own trial. Interpretation is a safeguard of a fair hearing, and courts take it seriously. We make sure interpreting is in place for Magistrates' Court and Crown Court hearings from the very first appearance.
Arranging language support is simple, free and done at the very start of your case. Here is the process, step by step.
Call us and tell us the language you speak most comfortably. You do not need to prepare anything in English first, and there is no charge for the call.
We arrange an appropriately qualified interpreter, by telephone or in person, for police station interviews, appointments and court hearings.
The charges, the evidence, your options and the possible outcomes are explained in your own language so nothing is lost in translation.
Interpretation is arranged for first appearances, bail applications, trials and sentencing. It is free for anyone who needs it.
Charge sheets, witness statements and court orders can be explained or translated so you understand every stage of your case.
Every client understood, in every language
Where we can, we help in your language directly. Where we cannot, we work with qualified independent interpreters, so you are never left to manage the legal system in a language you do not fully understand.
Members of our team speak languages including Bengali (Bangla) and Sylheti, allowing direct communication in many cases. Read our dedicated Bangla and Sylheti speaking criminal defence solicitors page.
Available at short notice, day or night, for urgent police station matters and short hearings.
Arranged for trials and longer hearings, where in person interpretation improves communication.
Key documents explained or translated so nothing is missed.
Straight answers to the questions we are asked most often about interpreters and language support in criminal cases in England and Wales.
We are a specialist criminal defence firm based in Luton, Bedfordshire, serving clients from many communities across England and Wales. Clear communication is central to how we work.
Police station matters do not wait for office hours. Neither do we. Call us at any time and we will arrange interpreting where it is needed.
We only do criminal defence. That focus means we know exactly when interpreting is required and how to make sure it is in place.
We explain the law in plain terms, through an interpreter where needed, so you can make informed decisions about your case.
Police station representation is free, and legal aid may be available for court cases. Interpreters are free in criminal proceedings.
"Being understood should never depend on the language you speak or where you were born. We make sure every client knows exactly what is happening in their case, in their own words."
Mr Gias Uddin
Director and Solicitor, Woolfe & Co Solicitors
More about our teamExplore the services and guides that clients most often need alongside language support.
Dedicated criminal defence in Bengali and Sylheti, from a specialist team.
Free 24/7 representation with interpreters arranged at the police station.
Serious cases and trials, with interpretation for every hearing.
First hearings, bail and sentencing, explained in your language.
Check your eligibility for free criminal defence representation.
A complete guide to how a criminal case is defended in the UK.
Tell us the language you speak and we will arrange the right support for your case. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across England and Wales. Free police station representation and free interpreters in criminal proceedings.
Your enquiry is confidential. We never share your details without your permission.