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© College of Policing Limited (2017) 1

Amendment of NPPF Step 2 Rules & Syllabus Document

Clarification

July 2017

This clarification on the NPPF Step 2 Rules & Syllabus is designed to guide candidates on the material which will be examinable in the 2017 Inspectors’ NPPF Step 2 Legal Examination. Candidates will be examined on the law and procedure as it appears in the 2017 edition of the Blackstone’s Police Manuals, and as indicated in the Rules & Syllabus which can be located on the College of Policing website. NPPF Step 2 Legal Exam | College of Policing Please note:

Policing and Crime Act 2017 There have been a number of changes to the law and the PACE Codes of Practice since the

2017 Blackstone's Manuals were produced. Collectively, these changes have an impact on

the following Manuals:

Crime - Chapter 1.6 (Misuse of Drugs), Chapter 1.7 (Firearms and Gun Crime)

Evidence and Procedure - Chapter 2.3 (Bail), Chapter 2.8 (Detention and Treatment of

Persons by Police Officers: PACE Code C) and Chapter 2.9 (Identification: PACE Code

D)

General Police Duties - Chapter 4.6 (Stop and Search), Chapter 4.7 (Entry, Search

and Seizure), Chapter 4.8 (Hatred and Harassment Offences) and Chapter 4.18

(Licensing and Offences Relating to Alcohol)

Candidates sitting the 2017 Inspectors’ NPPF Step 2 examination will be examined on the revised legislation and NOT as it appears in the 2017 Blackstone’s Police Manuals. Any questions asked around this legislation in the 2017 Inspectors’ exam will be accurate as of April 2017. Candidates sitting the 2017 Inspectors’ NPPF Step Two Legal Examination should familiarise themselves in relation to these revisions. The below further information will assist candidates to deal with these changes in preparation for the 2017 NPPF Step 2 Inspectors' examination.

http://www.college.police.uk/What-we-do/Development/Promotion/Pages/OSPRE1.aspx


Crime Manual: Chapter 1.6 (Misuse of Drugs)

The Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 repealed the Intoxicating Substances (Supply) Act 1985 meaning that the offence under s. 1 (Supply an Intoxicating Substance dealt with at paragraph 1.6.18) no longer exists. You should replace the offence of Supply an Intoxicating Substance with the below material:

Supplying or Offering to Supply a Psychoactive Substance (s. 5 of the Psychoactive

Substances Act 2016).

Triable summarily – Twelve months imprisonment or fine

On indictment – Seven years imprisonment and/or fine

(1) A person commits an offence if -

(a) the person intentionally supplies a substance to another person,

(b) the substance is a psychoactive substance,

(c) the person knows or suspects, or ought to know or suspect, that the substance is a

psychoactive substance, and

(d) the person knows, or is reckless as to whether, the psychoactive substance is likely

to be consumed by the person to whom it is supplied, or by some other person, for its

psychoactive effects.

(2) A person ("P") commits an offence if -

(a) P offers to supply a psychoactive substance to another person ("R"), and

(b) P knows or is reckless as to whether R, or some other person, would, if P supplied a

substance to R in accordance with the offer, be likely to consume the substance for its

psychoactive effects.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2)(b), the reference to a substances psychoactive effects

includes a reference to the psychoactive effects which the substance would have if it

were the substance which P had offered to R.

(4) Exclusions (not tested in the syllabus).

The new Act does not target sales to people under the age of 18 in the way the Intoxicating

Substances (Supply) Act 1985 did, but it broaden the offence to anyone regardless of

age, therefore the Keynote on page 60 will not apply.


Crime Manual: Chapter 1.7 (Firearms and Gun Crime)

The definition of a 'firearm' (under s. 57 of the Firearms Act 1968 was changed by s.

125 of the Policing and Crime Act 2017.

You should replace the text in paragraph 1.7.2.1 with the below:

1.7.2.1 Firearms

The Firearms Act 1968, s. 57 states:

(1) In this Act, the expression ‘firearm’ means—

(a) a lethal barrelled weapon (see subsection (1B));

(b) a prohibited weapon;

(c) a relevant component part in relation to a lethal barrelled weapon or a prohibited weapon (see subsection (1D));

(d) an accessory to a lethal barrelled weapon or a prohibited weapon where the accessory is designed or adapted to diminish the noise or flash caused by firing the weapon.

KEYNOTE

Lethal Barrelled Weapon

A ‘lethal barrelled weapon’ means a barrelled weapon of any description from which a shot, bullet or other missile, with kinetic energy of more than one joule at the muzzle of the weapon, can be discharged (s. 57(1B)).

An item which could only discharge a missile in combination with other tools extraneous to it would not be a lethal barrelled weapon. Section 57(1) refers to the capacity of an item and not to its capacity in combination with other equipment. Thus, an old and damaged starting pistol with a partially drilled barrel could not be regarded as a ‘prohibited weapon’ and thus a firearm within s. 57, merely because it could be made to discharge a pellet with the aid of a vice-clamp, a mallet and a metal punch (R v Bewley [2012] EWCA Crim 1457).

Air pistols (R v Thorpe [1987] 1 WLR 383) and imitation revolvers (Cafferata v Wilson [1936] 3 All ER 149) have been held to be lethal barrelled weapons. A signalling pistol which fired explosive magnesium and phosphorous flares capable of killing at short range has been held to be lethal (Read v Donovan [1947] KB 326). That is not to say, however, that they will always be so; each case must be determined in the light of the evidence available.

Prohibited Weapon

The effect of s. 57(1) (b) is to make a prohibited weapon a firearm whether it is lethal barrelled or not. It follows that all prohibited weapons are firearms although not all firearms will be prohibited weapons (prohibited weapons are discussed at para 1.7.4).

Relevant Component Part

For the purpose of s. 57(1)(c), each of the following items is a relevant component part in relation to a lethal barrelled weapon or a prohibited weapon -

a barrel, chamber or cylinder

a frame, body or receiver


a breech block, bolt or other mechanism for containing the pressure of discharge at the rear of the chamber, but only where the item is capable of being used as a part of a lethal barrelled weapon or a prohibited weapon (s. 57(1D)).

Magazines, sights and furniture are not considered ‘component parts’.

Accessory

While silencers and flash eliminators are accessories, a silencer or a flash eliminator on its own is not a firearm. However, if a defendant is found in possession of a silencer or flash eliminator which has been manufactured for a weapon that is also in the defendant’s possession, that will be enough to bring the silencer or flash eliminator under s. 57(1). If the silencer is made for a different weapon, it may still come under the s. 57 definition but the prosecution will have to show it could be used with the defendant’s weapon and that he/she had it for that purpose (R v Buckfield [1998] Crim LR 673). Section 57(1) does not include telescopic sights or magazines.

Exception for Airsoft Guns

Airsoft is a skirmishing game in which players shoot small spherical plastic missiles at opponents from imitation firearms using compressed air.

An 'airsoft gun' is not to be regarded as a firearm for the purposes of this Act (s. 57A).

Section 57A(2) states that an 'airsoft gun' is a barrelled weapon of any description which -

is designed to discharge only a small plastic missile (whether or not it is also capable of discharging any other kind of missile) and,

is not capable of discharging a missile (of any kind) with kinetic energy at the muzzle of the weapon that exceeds the permitted level.

The 'small plastic missile' is a missile made wholly or partly from plastics, is spherical and does not exceed 8 millimetres in diameter (s. 57A(3)).

The exemption is not absolute - if the kinetic energy at the muzzle exceeds the permitted level then it will be a firearm. The 'permitted kinetic energy level is:

in the case of a weapon which is capable of discharging two or more missiles successively without repeated pressure on the trigger (an automatic weapon), 1.3 joules;

in any other case (a single shot variant), 2.5 joules.

Evidence and Procedure Manual: Chapter 2.3 (Bail)

Although the Policing and Crime Act 2017 made significant changes to certain aspects of the 'Bail' chapter, the majority of it is unaffected.

From paragraph 2.3.4 onwards, the law is correct.

To deal with the changes simply read the attached 'Bail Supplement' found in Appendix A (page 9 onwards) of this document instead of the content of the Evidence and Procedure Manual between paragraphs 2.3.1 up to and including paragraph 2.3.3.


Evidence and Procedure Manual: Chapter 2.8 (Detention & Treatment of Persons: PACE Code C) and Evidence and Procedure: Chapter 2.9 (Identification: Code D)

Candidates sitting the 2017 Inspectors’ NPPF Step 2 examination will be examined on the revised Codes of Practice (Code C and Code D) and NOT those Codes or related keynotes that appear in the 2017 Evidence and Procedure Manual.

Revised copies of PACE Codes C and D (2017 versions) can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/police-and-criminal-evidence-act-1984-pace-codes-of-practice

General Police Duties- Chapter 4.6 (Stop and Search)

A change to authorisations given in relation to s. 60AA of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1996 (powers to require the removal of items disguise identity) can be dealt with by inserting the below at the end of the Keynote in paragraph 4.6.4.10:

An authorisation (whether to grant the use of the power or to extend it) shall be in writing unless it is not practicable to do so. An oral authorisation will state the matters which would otherwise have been specified in a written authorisation (grounds for the search. locality and time period) and be recorded in writing as soon as it is practicable to do so.

General Police Duties- Chapter 4.7 (Entry, Search and Seizure)

The law under s. 17 of PACE has been slightly altered to incorporate elements of the Bail Act 1976 and the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.

The Keynote in paragraph 4.7.5.1 dealing with 'Power of Entry - s. 17 PACE' should read as below

(changes to the law highlighted):

Power of Entry—s.17 PACE

The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, s. 17 states:

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, and without prejudice to any other enactment, a constable may enter and search any premises for the purpose—

(a) of executing—

(i) a warrant of arrest issued in connection with or arising out of criminal proceedings; or

(ii) a warrant of commitment issued under section 76 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980;

(b) of arresting a person for an indictable offence;

(c) of arresting a person for an offence under—

(i) section 1 (prohibition of uniforms in connection with political objectives) of the Public Order Act 1936;

(ii) any enactment contained in sections 6 to 8 or 10 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 (offences relating to entering and remaining on property);

(iii) section 4 of the Public Order Act 1986 (fear or provocation of violence);

(iiia) section 4 (driving etc when under influence of drink or drugs) or 163 (failure to stop when required to do so by constable in uniform) of the Road Traffic Act 1988;




(iiib) section 27 of the Transport and Works Act 1992 (which relates to offences involving drink or drugs);

(iv) section 76 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (failure to comply with interim possession order);

(v) any of sections 4, 5, 6(1) and (2), 7 and 8(1) and (2) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (offences relating to the prevention of harm to animals);

(vi) section 144 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (squatting in a residential building);

(ca) of arresting, in pursuance of section 32(1A) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969, any child or young person who has been remanded or committed to local authority accommodation or youth detention accommodation under section 91 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012;

(caa) of arresting a person for an offence to which section 61 of the Animal Health Act 1981 applies;

(cab) of arresting a person under any of the following provisions -

(i) section 30D(1) or (2A);

(ii) section 46A(1) or (1A);

(iii) section 5B(7) of the Bail Act 1976 (arrest where a person fails to surrender to custody in accordance with a court order);

(iv) section 7(3) of the Bail Act 1976 (arrest where a person is not likely to surrender to custody etc);

(v) section 97(1) of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (arrest where a child is suspected of breaking conditions of remand);

(cb) of recapturing any person who is, or is deemed for any purpose to be, unlawfully at large while liable to be detained—

(i) in a prison, remand centre, young offender institution or secure training centre, or

(ii) in pursuance of section 92 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 (dealing with children and young persons guilty of grave crimes), in any other place;

(d) of recapturing any person whatever who is unlawfully at large and whom he is pursuing; or

(e) of saving life or limb or preventing serious damage to property.

(2) Except for the purpose specified in paragraph (e) of subsection (1) above, the powers of entry and search conferred by this section—

(a) are only exercisable if the constable has reasonable grounds for believing that the person whom he is seeking is on the premises; and

(b) are limited, in relation to premises consisting of two or more separate dwellings, to powers to enter and search—

(i) any parts of the premises which the occupiers of any dwelling comprised in the premises use in common with the occupiers of any other such dwelling; and

(ii) any such dwelling in which the constable has reasonable grounds for believing that the person whom he is seeking may be.

(3) The powers of entry and search conferred by this section are only exercisable for the purposes specified in subsection (1)(c)(ii) or (iv) above by a constable in uniform.


(4) The power of search conferred by this section is only a power to search to the extent that is reasonably required for the purpose for which the power of entry is exercised.

(5) Subject to subsection (6) below, all the rules of common law under which a constable has power to enter premises without a warrant are hereby abolished.

(6) Nothing in subsection (5) above affects any power of entry to deal with or prevent a breach of the peace.

General Police Duties- Chapter 4.8 (Hatred and Harassment Offences)

This is simple change of sentence for offences under ss. 4 and 4A of the Protection From Harassment Act 1997 (and the racially/religiously aggravated versions of those offences).

The beginning of paragraph 4.8.5 (Putting People in Fear of Violence) should read as below (changes in law highlighted in yellow):

OFFENCE: Putting People in Fear of Violence—Protection from Harassment Act 1997, s. 4

• Triable either way

• Ten years’ imprisonment and/or a fine on indictment

• Six months’ imprisonment and/or a fine summarily

OFFENCE: Racially or Religiously Aggravated—Crime and Disorder Act 1998, s. 32(1)(b)


• Fourteen years’ imprisonment and/or a fine on indictment


The beginning of paragraph 4.8.6.2 (Stalking Involving Fear or Violence or Serious Alarm or Distress) should read as below (changes in law highlighted in yellow):

OFFENCE: Stalking Involving Fear of Violence or Serious Alarm or Distress—Protection from Harassment Act 1997, s. 4A

• Triable either way • Ten years’ imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine on indictment • Six months’ imprisonment and/or a fine summarily

OFFENCE: Racially or Religiously Aggravated Stalking Involving Fear of Violence or Serious Alarm or Distress—Crime and Disorder Act 1998, s. 32(1)(b)


• Fourteen years’ imprisonment and/or a fine on indictment


General Police Duties- Chapter 4.18 (Licensing and Offences Relating to

Alcohol)

A simple addition to para 4.18.6 (Regulated Entertainment) will deal with this - at the end of

this section insert:

The Policing and Crime Act 2017, s. 134 creates an offence of possessing pyrotechnic

articles at a musical event that is authorised by a premises licence issued under the

Licensing Act 2003 to provide regulated entertainment in the form of a performance of live

music (Policing and Crime Act 2017 (Possession of Pyrotechnic Articles at Musical Events)


Regulations 2017 (SI 2017/306)). A ‘pyrotechnic article’ means an article that contains

explosive substances, or an explosive mixture of substances, designed to produce heat,

light, sound, gas or smoke, or a combination of such effect, through self-sustained

exothermic chemical reactions. It does not include a match or an article specified in

associated regulations. A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary

conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 51 weeks and/or a fine.

Further information in regards to the revisions to pre-charge police bail and other provisions in the Policing and Crime Act 2017 can be found here:

http://www.college.police.uk/News/College-news/Pages/Changes_to_police_bail.aspx

The Policing and Crime Act 2017 Commencement Regulations:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2017/399/contents/made

Policing and Crime Act 2017:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2017/3/contents/enacted

Candidates will be notified if any further updates to the Policing and Crime Act 2017 are identified and how these affect the contents of the Blackstone’s manuals. For further guidance candidates should regularly check the College of Policing Website NPPF Step 2 Legal Exam | College of Policing or consult their Force Examination Officer, during their preparation period. Candidates should not contact the College of Policing directly with enquiries.

http://www.college.police.uk/News/College-news/Pages/Changes_to_police_bail.aspx

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2017/399/contents/made

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2017/3/contents/enacted



Oxford University Press

This extract is reproduced with the kind permission of Glenn Hutton, author of Blackstone’s Police

Manual: Evidence and Procedure, and Oxford University Press. © Glenn Hutton, 2017 9

Appendix A: Bail Supplement.

Release of Person Arrested

The release of persons arrested are regulated by the Bail Act 1976, the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.

Significant changes to the existing legislation have been made by the Policing and Crime Act 2017 providing for a presumption in favour of releasing a suspect without bail, with bail only being imposed when it is both necessary and proportionate. It also sets out a clear expectation that pre-charge bail should not last longer than 28 days and should only be extendable in complex cases or exceptional circumstances.

Person Arrested Elsewhere than at a Police Station

Where a person is arrested at any place other than a police station, or taken into custody by a constable following an arrest made by a civilian, the constable is normally obliged to take that person to a designated police station (Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, s. 30(1), (1A), (1B) and (2)), or in certain circumstances to a non-designated police station ((s. 30(3) to (6)).

An arrested person may, instead of being taken to a police station, be released with bail (known as ‘street bail’) or without bail to attend at a police station at a later date. The provisions of the 1984 Act in relation to this are detailed below.

Release of Arrested Person and Street Bail

The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, s. 30A provides for persons arrested elsewhere than at a police station to be released with or without bail without being required to attend a police station.

Section 30A(1) A constable may release a person who is arrested or taken into custody in the circumstances mentioned in s. 30(1)—

(a) without bail unless subs. (1A) applies, or

(b) on bail if subs. (1A) applies.

Section 30(1A) This subsection applies if—

(a) the constable is satisfied that releasing the person on bail is necessary and proportionate in all the circumstances (having regard, in particular, to any conditions of bail which would be imposed), and

(b) a police officer of the rank of inspector or above authorises the release on bail having considered any representations made by the person.

Section 30A(2) A person may be released under subs. (1) at any time before he arrives at a police station.

Section 30A(3) A person released on bail under subs. (1) must be required to attend a police station.

Section 30A(3A) Where a constable releases a person on bail under subs. (1)—

(a) no recognizance for the person’s surrender to custody shall be taken from the person,

(b) no security for the person’s surrender to custody shall be taken from the person or from anyone else on the person’s behalf,




(c) the person shall not be required to provide a surety or sureties for his surrender to custody, and

(d) no requirement to reside in a bail hostel may be imposed as a condition of bail.

Section 30A(3B) Subject to subs. (3A), where a constable releases a person on bail under subs. (1) the constable may impose, as conditions of the bail, such requirements as appear to the constable to be necessary—

(a) to secure that the person surrenders to custody,

(b) to secure that the person does not commit an offence while on bail,

(c) to secure that the person does not interfere with witnesses or otherwise obstruct the course of justice, whether in relation to him or any other person, or

(d) for the person’s own protection or, if the person is under the age of 18, for the person’s own welfare or in the person’s own interests.

Section 30A(4) Where a person is released on bail under subs. (1), a requirement may be imposed on the person as a condition of bail only under the preceding provisions of this section.

Section 30A(5) The police station which the person is required to attend may be any police station.

Keynote

Section 30A(3B) enables the officer granting bail to consider attaching conditions relevant and proportionate to the suspect and the offence. The conditions that may be considered are the same as those available to a custody officer as contained in s. 3A(5) of the 1976 Act, except for those specified in s. 30A(3A).

A constable who is satisfied that there are no grounds for keeping the arrested person under arrest or releasing him or her on bail under s. 30A must release that person (s. 30(7) and (7A)).

Notice in Writing

Section 30B(1) Where a constable releases a person under s. 30A, he must give that person a notice in writing before he is released.

Section 30B(2) The notice must state—

(a) the offence for which he was arrested,

(b) the grounds on which he was arrested, and

(c) whether the person is being released without bail or on bail.

Section 30B(3) A notice given to a person released on bail must inform him that he is required to attend a police station.

Section 30B(4) The notice must also specify—

(a) the police station which the person is required to attend, and




(b) the time on the bail end date when the person is required to attend the police station.

Section 30B(4A) If the person is granted bail subject to conditions under s. 30A(3B), the notice also—

(a) must specify the requirements imposed by those conditions,

(b) must explain the opportunities under ss. 30CA(1) and 30CB(1) for variation of those conditions.

Section 30B(6) The person may be required to attend a different police station from that specified in the notice under subs. (1) or to attend at a different time or an additional time.

Section 30B(6A) A person may not be required under subsection (6) to attend at a police station at a time which is after the bail end date in relation to the person.

Section 30B(7) He must be given notice in writing of any such change as is mentioned in subs. (6) but more than one such notice may be given to him.

Section 30B(8) In this section ‘bail end date’, in relation to a person, means the last day of the period of 28 days beginning with the day after the day on which the person was arrested for the offence in relation to which bail is granted under section 30A.

Keynote

The section requires that the bail notice must, in addition to the existing requirements, set out the date, time and place at which bail must be answered. The date is required to be 28 days from the day after arrest. There is no provision to extend bail granted under s. 30A, nor can the bail return date be altered where its use extends street bail beyond the 28-day limit.

The only exception for bail to be extended beyond 28 days is if, at any time on the day on which the applicable bail period in relation to a person would end, the person is in hospital as an in-patient. The running of the applicable bail period in relation to the person is to be treated as having been suspended for any day on which the patient was in hospital as an in-patient (s. 47ZM).

Release, Attendance and Re-arrest

Section 30C(1) A person who has been required to attend a police station is not required to do so if he is given notice in writing that his attendance is no longer required.

Section 30C(2) If a person is required to attend a police station which is not a designated police station he must be—

(a) released, or

(b) taken to a designated police station, not more than six hours after his arrival.

Section 30C(3) Nothing in the Bail Act 1976 applies in relation to bail under s. 30A.




Section 30C(4) Nothing in s. 30A or 30B or in this section prevents the re-arrest without warrant of a person released under s. 30A if since the person’s release, new evidence has come to light or an examination or analysis of existing evidence has been made which could not reasonably have been made before the person’s release.

Variation of Bail Conditions: Police

Section 30CA(1) Where a person released on bail under s. 30A(1) is on bail subject to conditions—

(a) a relevant officer at the police station at which the person is required to attend,

may, at the request of the person but subject to subs. (2), vary the conditions.

Section 30CA(2) On any subsequent request made in respect of the same grant of bail, subs. (1) confers power to vary the conditions of the bail only if the request is based on information that, in the case of the previous request or each previous request, was not available to the relevant officer considering that previous request when he/she was considering it.

Section 30CA(3) Where conditions of bail granted to a person under s. 30A(1) are varied under subs. (1)—

(a) paragraphs (a) to (d) of s. 30A(3A) apply,

(b) requirements imposed by the conditions as so varied must be requirements that appear to the relevant officer varying the conditions to be necessary for any of the purposes mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (d) of s. 30A(3B), and

(c) the relevant officer who varies the conditions must give the person notice in writing of the variation.

Section 30CA(4) Power under subs. (1) to vary conditions is, subject to subs. (3)(a) and (b), power—

(a) to vary or rescind any of the conditions, and

(b) to impose further conditions.

Keynote

The ‘relevant officer’ (s. 30CA(3)(c)) means a custody officer in relation to a designated police station. In relation to any other police station the ‘relevant officer’ means a constable who is not involved in the investigation of the offence for which the person making the request under subsection (1) was under arrest when granted bail under section 30A(1), if such a constable is readily available. If no such constable is readily available, the ‘relevant officer’ means a constable other than the one who granted bail to the person, if such a constable is readily available, and if no such constable is readily available, it means the constable who granted bail (s. 30CA(5)).

Variation of Bail Conditions: Court




Section 30CB(1) Where a person released on bail under s. 30A(1) is on bail subject to conditions, a magistrates’ court may, on an application by or on behalf of the person, vary the conditions if—

(a) the conditions have been varied under s. 30CA(1) since being imposed under s. 30A(3B),

(b) a request for variation under s. 30CA(1) of the conditions has been made and refused, or

(c) a request for variation under s. 30CA(1) of the conditions has been made and the period of 48 hours beginning with the day when the request was made has expired without the request having been withdrawn or the conditions having been varied in response to the request.

Keynote

Where the court varies the conditions they must be seen as necessary for any of the purposes mentioned in s. 30A(3B)(a)–(d), and bail continues subject to the varied conditions (s. 30CB(3)(b) and (c)). It was held in R (On the Application of Ajaib) v Birmingham Magistrates’ Court [2009] EWHC 2127 (Admin) that in deciding to vary bail conditions, the court was entitled to rely on a police officer’s evidence whilst allowing him to withhold specific information. In this case the police asserted that they held material disclosure of which would prejudice their inquiries, suggesting that the suspect was liquidating his assets to travel abroad.

Power of Arrest for Non-attendance and Breach of Bail Conditions

Section 30D(1) A constable may arrest without warrant a person who—

(a) has been released on bail under s. 30A subject to a requirement to attend a specified police station, but

(b) fails to attend the police station at the specified time.

Section 30D(2) A person arrested under subs. (1) must be taken to a police station (which may be the specified police station or any other police station) as soon as practicable after the arrest.

Section 30D(2A) A person who has been released on bail under s. 30A may be arrested without a warrant by a constable if the constable has reasonable grounds for suspecting that the person has broken any of the conditions of bail.

Section 30D(2B) A person arrested under subs. (2A) must be taken to a police station (which may be the specified police station mentioned in subs. (1) or any other police station) as soon as practicable after the arrest.

Section 30D(3) In subs. (1), ‘specified’ means specified in a notice under subs. (1) of s. 30B or, if notice of change has been given under subs. (7) of that section, in that notice.

Keynote

Section 30D(1) and (2) relate to a person’s failure to answer his/her bail at the specified time and place. Section 30D(2A) and (2B) provide a power of arrest where a constable has reasonable grounds to suspect that a person has broken any of the conditions of bail.




Pre-charge Release of Person Arrested and Bail

The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 provides for the following pre-charge scenarios:

the custody officer determines that there is sufficient evidence to charge that person with the offence for which he or she was arrested and may detain him or her at the police station for such period as is necessary to enable him or her to do so (s. 37(1));

the custody officer determines that there is insufficient evidence to charge that person with the offence for which he or she has been arrested, the person shall be released without bail unless the pre-conditions for bail are satisfied, or on bail if the pre-conditions are satisfied (s. 37(2));

the custody officer has reasonable grounds for believing that the person’s detention without being charged is necessary to secure or preserve evidence, then the person may be kept in police detention (s. 37(3));

subject to s. 41(7) (below), if there is sufficient evidence to charge the person the custody officer shall release the person without charge and on bail or keep the person in police detention, for the purpose of enabling the DPP to make a decision under s. 37B (s. 37(7)(a));

there is sufficient evidence to charge and the custody officer releases the person without charge and without bail unless the pre-conditions for bail are satisfied (s. 37(7)(b));

there is sufficient evidence to charge and the custody officer releases the person without charge and on bail if those pre-conditions are satisfied but not for the purpose under s. 37B (s. 37(7)(c);

there is sufficient evidence and the person is charged (s. 37(7)(d);

a review officer concludes that the detention of a person without charge can no longer be justified and the custody officer releases the person without bail unless the preconditions for bail are satisfied (s. 40(8));

a person, who at the expiry of 24 hours after the relevant time is in police detention and has not been charged, shall be released at that time without bail unless the pre-conditions for bail are satisfied, or on bail if those preconditions are satisfied (s. 41(7)). This subsection does not apply to a person whose detention for more than 24 hours has been authorised or otherwise permitted (s. 41(8)).

KEYNOTE

The decision as to how a person is to be dealt with under subs. (7) above shall be that of the custody officer (s. 37(7A)).

In relation to s. 37(7)(a) and (c) above, s. 37B provides for occasions where it is considered necessary to refer the case to the DPP for a decision as to whether there is sufficient evidence to charge the person.

The release on bail of a person under this part of the Act shall be a release on bail granted in accordance with ss. 3, 3A, 5 and 5A of the Bail Act 1976 as they apply to bail granted by a constable (s. 47(1)).

Where a person has been granted bail to attend at a police station (s. 47(3)(b)), a custody officer may subsequently appoint a different time, or an additional time for attendance to answer bail and must give the person notice in writing of any changes (s. 47(4A) and (4B)).




A custody officer may not appoint a time for a person’s attendance under subs. (4A) which is after the end of the applicable bail period in relation to the person (s. 47(4E)).

If bail conditions have been imposed by the custody officer these may be varied by a magistrates’ court on the application of the suspect (s. 47(1)(E)). The magistrates may confirm or remove the existing conditions or impose other conditions (Criminal Procedure Rules 2015, r. 14.6). Irrespective of the outcome it continues to be police bail.

A person released on bail under ss. 37(7)(1) and 37(7)(c) who breaches that bail and is arrested under s. 46A (see para. 2.3.3.3) shall be charged or released without bail unless the pre-conditions for bail are satisfied, or on bail if those pre-conditions are satisfied (ss. 37C and 37CA).

Nothing prevents the re-arrest without warrant of a person released on bail subject to a duty to attend at a police station if new evidence justifying a further arrest has come to light since his/her release (s. 47(2)).

Where a person is released under s. 41(7) (expiry of 24 hours’ detention), s. 42(10) (expiry of authority of continued detention) or s. 43(18) (expiry of warrant of further detention), he or she shall not be re-arrested without a warrant for the offence for which he or she was previously arrested unless, since the person’s release, new evidence has come to light or an examination or analysis of existing evidence has been made which could not reasonably have been made before their release.

Pre-conditions for Bail

The meaning of ‘pre-conditions for bail’ (introduced by the Policing and Crime Act 2017) is contained in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, s. 50A which states:

Interpretation of references to pre-conditions for bail

For the purposes of this Part the following are the pre-conditions for bail in relation to the release of a person by a custody officer—

(a) that the custody officer is satisfied that releasing the person on bail is necessary and proportionate in all the circumstances (having regard, in particular, to any conditions of bail which would be imposed), and

(b) that an officer of the rank of inspector or above authorises the release on bail (having considered any representations made by the person or the person’s legal representative).

Limits on Period of Bail Without Charge

The Policing and Crime Act 2017 has amended the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 to include a regime of time limits and extensions introduced in respect of pre-charge bail. The following is an overview of these changes.

Applicable Bail Period: Initial Limit

When the custody officer is releasing a person on bail to attend at a police station under s. 47(3)(c), he or she must appoint a time on the day on which the ‘applicable bail period’ in relation to the person ends (s. 47ZA(1) and (2)).

The ‘applicable bail period’, in relation to a person, means in a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) case, the period of three months beginning with the person’s bail start date, or in a Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) case or any other case, the period of 28 days beginning with the




person’s bail start date. A person’s bail start date is the day after the day on which the person was arrested for the relevant offence (s. 47ZB).

The applicable bail period may be changed by the custody officer where the person is on bail in relation to one or more offences other than the relevant offence and it is appropriate to align the person’s attendance in relation to the relevant offence with the person’s attendance in relation to the one or more other offences (s. 47ZA(3)). This subsection applies where the custody officer believes that a decision as to whether to charge the person with the relevant offence would be made before the end of the applicable bail period in relation to the person (s. 47ZA(4)). Where subs. (3) or (4) applies, the power may be exercised so as to appoint a time on a day falling before the end of the applicable bail period in relation to the person (s. 47ZA(5)).

Applicable Bail Period: Extension of Initial Limit in Standard Cases

Section 47ZD allows a senior police officer (an officer of superintendent rank or above (s. 47ZB(4)(d)) to extend bail from 28 days to three months where the conditions A to D set out in s. 47ZC are met. The senior officer must arrange for the suspect or their legal representative to be invited to make representations, and must consider any that are made before making a decision. The suspect (or their representative) must be informed of the outcome. The four conditions outlined in s. 47ZC are:

Condition A—the officer has reasonable grounds for suspecting the person in question to be guilty of the relevant offence.

Condition B—the officer has reasonable grounds for believing:

(a) in a case where the person in question is or is to be released on bail under s. 37(7)(c) or 37CA(2)(b), that further time is needed for making a decision as to whether to charge the person with the relevant offence, or

(b) otherwise, that further investigation is needed of any matter in connection with the relevant offence.

Condition C—the officer has reasonable grounds for believing:

(a) in a case where the person in question is or is to be released on bail under s. 37(7)(c) or 37CA(2)(b), that the decision as to whether to charge the person with the relevant offence is being made diligently and expeditiously, or

(b) otherwise, that the investigation is being conducted diligently and expeditiously.

Condition D—the decision-maker has reasonable grounds for believing that the release on bail of the person in question is necessary and proportionate in all the circumstances (having regard, in particular, to any conditions of bail which are, or are to be, imposed).

Applicable Bail Period: Extension of Initial Limit in Designated Cases

Pre-charge bail may be extended to a point six months after arrest if the conditions A to D of s. 47ZC are met where a case has been designated as ‘exceptionally complex’ by a senior prosecutor designated for the purpose by the Director of the SFO, the Chief Executive of the FCA or the DPP. Where so designated by the DPP, a police officer of at least the rank of assistant chief constable (Commander in the Metropolitan or City of London forces), may authorise the applicable bail period in relation to the person to be extended so that it ends at the end of the period of six months beginning with the person’s bail start date (s. 47ZE).

Applicable Bail Period: Extensions by Magistrates’ Court

Apart from the exception provided by s. 47ZE, pre-charge bail beyond the point three months after arrest must be authorised by a magistrates’ court. An application must be made before the previous bail period expires and the court may only authorise an extension of bail




where satisfied that conditions B to D as set out in s. 47ZC are met (s. 47ZF). The court may extend the bail period by three months, or where investigations to be made are likely to take more than three to conclude, extend the bail by a further six months. Further extensions of the bail period for periods of three months and six months may be authorised by the court (s. 47ZG).

Withholding Sensitive Information

Section 47ZH provides that the police or prosecutors may to apply to the court to withhold certain information relevant to the application to extend bail from the person on bail and their legal representatives. The court may only allow information to be withheld for the four grounds set out in subs. (4)—essentially: that there are reasonable grounds to believe that disclosing that information would lead to evidence being interfered with; a person coming to harm; another suspect escaping arrest for an indictable offence; the recovery of property obtained as a result of an indictable offence being hindered.

Applicable Bail Period: Cases Referred to the DPP

Bail time limits do not apply in cases where an individual is bailed under s. 37(7)(a) or 37C(2)(b) while waiting for a charging decision to be made by the DPP. However, where a charging decision has been requested from the DPP, but the DPP requests further information from the police before reaching that decision, bail time limits will re-apply during the period that the police are gathering that information and, accordingly, the police must set a new bail return date that is not after the end of the person’s applicable bail period. If, at the point that the DPP makes the request for further information, the person’s applicable bail period would end within seven days of the DPP’s request, the person’s applicable bail period is extended to seven days from that request in order to give the police time to gather the information, seek a bail extension or release the suspect from bail. Where the information requested by the DPP is provided, the bail time limit is again suspended (s. 47ZL).

Power of Arrest for Failure to Answer to Police Bail

The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, s. 46A states:

(1) A constable may arrest without a warrant any person who, having been released on bail under this Part of this Act subject to a duty to attend at a police station, fails to attend at that police station at the time appointed for him to do so.

(1ZA) The reference in subsection (1) to a person who fails to attend at a police station at the time appointed for him to do so includes a reference to a person who—

(a) attends at a police station to answer to bail granted subject to the duty mentioned in section 47(3)(b), but

(b) leaves the police station at any time before the beginning of proceedings in relation to a live link direction under section 57C of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 in relation to him.

(1ZB) The reference in subsection (1) to a person who fails to attend at a police station at the time appointed for the person to do so includes a reference to a person who—

(a) attends at a police station to answer to bail granted subject to the duty mentioned in section 47(3)(b), but

(b) refuses to be searched under section 54B.

(1A) A person who has been released on bail under this Part may be arrested without warrant by a constable if the constable has reasonable grounds for suspecting that the person has broken any of the conditions of bail.




(1) A person who is arrested under this section shall be taken to the police station appointed as the place at which he is to surrender to custody as soon as practicable after the arrest.

(2) For the purposes of—

(a) section 30 above (subject to the obligation in subsection (2) above), and

(b) section 31 above,

an arrest under this section shall be treated as an arrest for an offence.

KEYNOTE

In subs. (1ZB)(a) the reference to s. 47(3)(b) relates to ‘live link bail’.

The offence for which a person is arrested under subs. (1) is the offence for which he or she was granted bail (s. 34(7)).

Section 46A(1) provides a power of arrest only where a person fails to attend at that police station at the time appointed. This should be contrasted with s. 46A(1A) where a person released on bail under s. 37 may be arrested if there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the person has broken any of the conditions of bail.

Breach of Pre-charge Bail Conditions Relating to Travel

OFFENCE: Breach of Pre-charge Bail Conditions Relating to Travel—Policing and Crime Act 2017, s. 68

12 months’ imprisonment and/or a fine on indictment

6 months’ imprisonment and/or a fine summarily

The Policing and Crime Act 2017, s. 68 states:

(3) The person commits an offence if—

(a) the person’s release on bail is subject to the travel restriction condition mentioned in subsection (2)(a) and he or she fails to comply with the condition, or

(b) the person’s release on bail is subject to a travel restriction condition mentioned in subsection (2)(b) to (f) and he or she fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with the condition.

KEYNOTE

This offence relates to a person who breaches certain travel-related conditions of pre-charge bail for those arrested on suspicion of committing a terrorist offence.

Each of the following is a travel restriction condition contained in s. 68(2)(a):

(a) the person must not leave the United Kingdom,

(b) the person must not enter any port, or one or more particular ports, in the United Kingdom,

(c) the person must not go to a place in Northern Ireland that is within one mile of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland,




(d) the person must surrender all of his or her travel documents or all of his or her travel documents that are of a particular kind,

(e) the person must not have any travel documents, or travel documents of a particular kind, in his or her possession (whether the documents relate to that person or to another person),

(f) the person must not obtain, or seek to obtain, any travel documents (whether relating to that person or to another person) or travel documents of a particular kind (e.g. passports, travel tickets or other documents that would enable a person to leave the United Kingdom).

The offence would apply where a person has been arrested under s. 24 of PACE or art. 26 of the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 on suspicion of committing a terrorist offence, as listed in s. 41 of the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008, has been released on pre-charge bail subject to a travel restriction condition and subsequently breaches, without reasonable excuse, any of those conditions. The offences listed in s. 41 of the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 cover a range of offences including membership of a proscribed organisation, fundraising in support of terrorism, and encouraging terrorist acts.

This section provides another tool for the police to tackle terrorism by deterring those arrested on suspicion of a terrorist offence from breaching a travel restriction condition imposed under the terms of their pre-charge bail, and by adding to the range of offences which might be prosecuted in cases where such a person has returned to the United Kingdom.

A ‘travel document’ means anything that is or appears to be a passport, or a ticket or other document that permits a person to make a journey by any means from a place in the United Kingdom to a place outside the United Kingdom (s. 69(2)). ‘Passport’ means a UK passport, a passport issued by or on behalf of the authorities of a country or territory outside the United Kingdom (or by or on behalf of an international organisation) or a document that can be used (in some or all circumstances) instead of a passport (s. 69(3)).

The offence can be tried on indictment in the Crown Court, which means that the Criminal Attempts Act 1981 applies so as to make it an offence to attempt to breach a travel restriction condition.

Notification of Decision not to Prosecute

The custody officer is under a duty to notify a person released under s. 34, 37 or 37CA if a decision is made not to prosecute that person, either due to there being insufficient evidence, or where there is sufficient evidence but a decision is made that the person should not be charged or cautioned (s. 34(5B)). A notice in writing that the person is not to be prosecuted must be given to the person (s. 34(5C)). However, this does not prevent the prosecution of the person for an offence if new evidence comes to light after the notice was given (s. 34(5D)). These provisions also apply to a person released after the expiry of 24 hours’ detention under s. 41(7) (s. 41(10) to (12)).

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