Why Tamping the Evidence is a Bad Idea When You're Charged for a Criminal Offence

What do you do when you're charged with a criminal offence? When you get hit with legal charges, how you handle the evidence can make all the difference in your case's outcome. If you tamper with the evidence, your story about what happened will become much more difficult to believe. Lawyers from criminal law firms Sydney explains why tampering with evidence when you're charged with a criminal offence is dangerous.

The Penalties Will Be More Severe Than Your Original Charge

If you tamper with evidence as part of your trial, you can be charged with obstruction of justice. If convicted, it’s possible to receive a much more severe sentence than if convicted of your original charge. In some cases, tampering with evidence can be charged as an indictable offence, meaning you may face prison time. Even in cases where tampering isn’t considered serious enough to warrant prison time, you’ll likely spend more time behind bars than if convicted on your original charge.

There Are Consequences If Somebody Else Tampers With Your Evidence

If you tamper with your own evidence, for example, if you destroy something or otherwise hide it from law enforcement, you could face more serious criminal charges. If you are found guilty of tampering with evidence, whether it was your own or somebody else’s, you can receive up to five years in prison and fines of up to $250,000. In many cases where defendants have tampered with evidence during their trial, prosecutors have charged them as part of an effort to make an example out of them.

Tampering Can Implicate Other People

The reason you want to be careful tampering with evidence when you’re charged with a criminal offence is that your act may implicate other people as well. As part of your due diligence in determining how to handle the charges against you, it’s important to know what might happen if you tamper with evidence. In some cases, police could investigate other individuals who were involved in criminal activity. If they find anything suspicious during their investigation, those individuals will likely face additional charges and penalties.

Tampering Can Help Create Reasonable Doubt in Jurors' Minds

In criminal cases, tampering with evidence can raise reasonable doubt in jurors' minds about your guilt and cast suspicion on someone else. Unfortunately, however, it can also create distrust of you and make jurors wonder what you were trying to hide. But by hiring an experienced criminal defence lawyer near me as soon as possible after your arrest, you'll be able to explore all of your options when it comes to fighting your charges.

Tampering Can Be Viewed As Collusion or Conspiracy between Suspects

Most of us will assume that if you’re being charged with an offence, you must have done something wrong. As such, many people might assume you’re innocent until proven guilty. But what about those who are charged with criminal offences and then tamper with evidence? This isn’t going to look good in court. In fact, it could lead to further charges such as tampering with evidence or even collusion or conspiracy.

Tampering May Be Viewed As Consciousness of Guilt

If you tamper with evidence or destroy evidence, it could be perceived as an attempt to hide something from law enforcement. This is especially true if you’re charged with a serious crime, such as homicide or sexual assault.

Are you charged with a criminal offence but innocent? Please speak to a reputed criminal barrister Sydney. A criminal lawyer will defend you and make sure your rights are protected.