Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984

[F1 45ZA Functions of extending detention: use of live links E+W

(1) The functions of a police officer under section 42(1) or (2) may be performed, in relation to an arrested person who is held at a police station, by an officer who is not present at the police station but has access to the use of a live link if—

(a) a custody officer considers that the use of the live link is appropriate,

(b) the arrested person has had advice from a solicitor on the use of the live link, and

(c) the appropriate consent to the use of the live link has been given.

(2) In subsection (1)(c), “the appropriate consent” means—

(a) in relation to a person who has attained the age of 18, the consent of that person;

(b) in relation to a person who has not attained that age but has attained the age of 14, the consent of that person and of his or her parent or guardian;

(c) in relation to a person who has not attained the age of 14, the consent of his or her parent or guardian.

(3) The consent of a person who has not attained the age of 18 (but has attained the age of 14), or who is a vulnerable adult, may only be given in the presence of an appropriate adult.

(4) Section 42 applies with the modifications set out in subsections (5) to (7) below in any case where the functions of a police officer under that section are, by virtue of subsection (1), performed by an officer who is not at the police station where the arrested person is held.

(5) Subsections (5)(b) and (9)(iii) and (iv) of that section are each to be read as if, instead of requiring the officer to make a record, they required the officer to cause another police officer to make a record.

(6) Subsection (6) of that section is to be read as if it required the officer to give the persons mentioned in that subsection an opportunity to make representations—

(a) if facilities exist for the immediate transmission of written representations to the officer, either in writing by means of those facilities or orally by means of the live link, or

(b) in any other case, orally by means of the live link.

(7) Subsection (9) of that section is to be read as if the reference in paragraph (b) to the right conferred by section 58 were omitted.

(8) In this section—

• “live link” means an arrangement by which an officer who is not present at the police station where an arrested person is held is able to see and hear, and to be seen and heard by, the arrested person and the arrested person’s solicitor (and for this purpose any impairment of eyesight or hearing is to be disregarded);

• “vulnerable adult” means a person aged 18 or over who may have difficulty understanding the purpose of an authorisation under section 42(1) or (2) or anything that occurs in connection with a decision whether to give such an authorisation (whether because of a mental disorder or for any other reason);

• “appropriate adult”, in relation to a person who has not attained the age of 18, means—

  (a)

  the persons’s parent or guardian or, if the person is in the care of a local authority or voluntary organisation, a person representing that authority or organisation,

  (b)

  a social worker of a local authority, or

  (c)

  if no person falling within paragraph (a) or (b) is available, any responsible person aged 18 or over who is not a police officer or a person employed for, or engaged on, police purposes;

• “appropriate adult”, in relation to a vulnerable adult, means—

  (a)

  a relative, guardian or other person responsible for the vulnerable adult’s care,

  (b)

  a person who is experienced in dealing with vulnerable adults but who is not a police officer or a person employed for, or engaged on, police purposes, or

  (c)

  if no person falling within paragraph (a) or (b) is available, any responsible person aged 18 or over who is not a police officer or a person employed for, or engaged on, police purposes.

(9) In subsection (8), in both definitions of “appropriate adult”, “police purposes” has the meaning given by section 101(2) of the Police Act 1996.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 45ZA, 45ZB and cross-heading inserted (31.1.2017 for specified purposes, 3.4.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3), ss. 74(2), 183(1)(5)(e); S.I. 2017/399, reg. 2, Sch. para. 23