Serious Crime Act 2015

Return and retention of warrant

11 (1) A search and seizure warrant must be returned to the appropriate person (see sub-paragraph (2))—

(a) when the warrant has been executed, or

(b) on or before the expiry of the period of 3 months from the date of its issue, if the warrant is—

(i) a specific-premises warrant that has not been executed,

(ii) an all-premises warrant, or

(iii) a warrant authorising multiple entries.

(2) The appropriate person is—

(a) in the case of a warrant issued in England and Wales, the designated officer for the local justice area in which the justice of the peace was acting when issuing the warrant;

(b) in the case of a warrant issued in Scotland, the sheriff clerk for the sheriff court in which the sheriff was sitting when the sheriff issued the warrant;

(c) in the case of a warrant issued in Northern Ireland, the clerk of petty sessions for the petty sessions district in which the lay magistrate was acting when he or she issued the warrant.

(3) The appropriate person must retain a search and seizure warrant returned under sub-paragraph (1) for 12 months from the date of its return.

(4) If during that period the occupier of premises to which the search and seizure warrant relates asks to inspect it, he or she must be allowed to do so.