Contempt of Court Act 1981

4The initial steps of criminal proceedings are :—

(a)arrest without warrant;

(b)the issue, or in Scotland the grant, of a warrant for arrest;

(c)the issue of a summons to appear, or in Scotland the grant of a warrant to cite ;

(d)the service of an indictment or other document specifying the charge;

(e)except in Scotland, oral charge.