Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980

125 Warrants. E+W

(1) A warrant of arrest issued by a justice of the peace shall remain in force until it is executed or withdrawn .

(2) A warrant of arrest, warrant of commitment, [F1 warrant of detention,] warrant of distress or search warrant issued by a justice of the peace may be executed anywhere in England and Wales by any person to whom it is directed or by any constable acting within his police area.

• F2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• This subsection does not apply to a warrant of commitment or a warrant of distress issued under Part VI of the M1 General Rate Act 1967.

(3) A warrant to [F3 which this subsection applies]may be executed by a constable notwithstanding that it is not in his possession at the time; but the warrant shall, on the demand of the person arrested, be shown to him as soon as practicable.

[F4 (4) The warrants to which subsection (3) above applies are—

(a) a warrant to arrest a person in connection with an offence;

(b) without prejudice to paragraph (a) above, a warrant under section 186(3) of the Army Act M2 1955, section 186(3) of the Air Force Act M3 1955, section 105(3) of the Naval Discipline Act M4 1957 or [F5 Schedule 2 to the Reserve Forces Act 1996] (desertion etc.);

(c) a warrant under—

(i) section 102 or 104 of the General Rate Act M5 1967 (insufficiency of distress);

(ii) [F6 section 47(8) of the3 Family Law Act 1996] (protection of parties to marriage and children of family); [F7 and]

(iii) section 55, 76, 93 [F8 , 97 or 97A above; and].]

[F9 (iv) paragraph 4 of Schedule 3 to the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.][F10 and

(v) paragraph 3(2) of Schedule 1 to [F11 the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000] (offender referred to court by youth offender panel).]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 125(2) inserted (8.1.2001) by 1999 c. 22, s. 95(1) (with s. 107, Sch. 14 para. 7(2)); S.I. 2000/3280, art. 2(b) (with transitional provisions in art. 3)

F2 S. 125(2): the second paragraph (which was inserted by Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c. 33), ss. 65(1), 123(6), Sch. 8 para. 16) repealed (8.1.2001) by 1999 c. 22, s. 108(1), Sch. 15 Pt. V(8) (with s. 107, Sch. 14 paras. 7(2), 36(9)); S.I. 2000/3280, art.2(c)(i)

F3 Words substituted by Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (c. 60, SIF 95), s. 33(a)

F4 S. 125(4) added by Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (c. 60, SIF 95), s. 33(b)

F5 Words in s. 125(4)(b) substituted (1.4.1997) by 1996 c. 14, s. 131(1), Sch. 10 para. 18 (with s. 72(5)); S.I. 1997/305, art. 2(1)

F6 Words in s. 125(4)(c)(ii) substituted (1.10.1997) by S.I. 1997/1898, art. 3

F7 Word “and” at the end of s. 125(4)(c)(ii) repealed (4.1.1999 for the purpose of sending any person for trial under s. 51 of the repealing Act from any area specified in S.I. 1998/2327, Sch. 2 and otherwiseprosp.) by 1998 c. 37, ss. 119, 120(2), Sch. 8 para. 44(a), Sch. 10; S.I. 1998/2327, art. 4(2)(c)(d)

F8 Words in s. 125(4)(c)(iii) substituted (4.1.1999 for the purpose of sending any person for trial under s. 51 of the substituting Act from any area specified in S.I. 1998/2327, Sch. 2 and otherwiseprosp.) by 1998 c. 37, ss. 119, 121(2), Sch. 8 para. 44(b); S.I. 1998/2327, art. 4(2)(c)

F9 S. 125(4)(c)(iv) inserted (4.1.1999 for the purpose of sending any person for trial under s. 51 of the inserting Act from any area specified in S.I. 1998/2327, Sch. 2 and otherwiseprosp.) by 1998 c. 37, ss. 119, 120(2), Sch. 8 para. 44(c); S.I. 1998/2327, art. 4(2)(c)

F10 S. 125(4)(c)(v) and the preceding “and” inserted (26.6.2000) by 1999 c. 23, ss. 67, Sch. 4 para. 8 (with Sch. 7 paras. 3(3), 5(2)); S.I. 2000/1587, art. 2(b) (which insertion falls by reason (19.2.2001) by 1999 c. 22, ss. 106, 108(1), Sch. 15 Pt. V(8) (with s. 107, Sch. 14 paras. 7(2), 36(9)))

F11 Words in s. 125(4)(c)(v) substituted (25.8.2000) by 2000 c. 6, ss. 165, 168(1), Sch. 9 para. 73

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 125(3) applied by S.I. 1989/1058, reg. 17(6); and (1.4.1992) by S.I. 1992/613, reg. 48(6)

Marginal Citations

M1 1967 c. 9.

M2 1955 c. 18(7:1).

M3 1955 c. 19 (7:1).

M4 1957 c. 53 (7:1).

M5 1967 c. 9 (103:1).