Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984

118 General interpretation. U.K.

(1) In this Act—

• F1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• [F2 [F3 “British Transport Police Force” means the constables appointed under section 53 of the British Transport Commission Act 1949 (c. xxix);]

• “designated police station” has the meaning assigned to it by section 35 above;

• “document” [F4 means anything in which information of any description is recorded.];

• F5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• “item subject to legal privilege” has the meaning assigned to it by section 10 above;

• “parent or guardian” means—

  (a)

  in the case of a child or young person in the care of a local authority, that authority; F6 . . .

  (b)

  F6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• “premises” has the meaning assigned to it by section 23 above;

• “recordable offence” means any offence to which regulations under section 27 above apply;

• “vessel” includes any ship, boat, raft or other apparatus constructed or adapted for floating on water.

(2) [F7 Subject to subsection (2A)] a person is in police detention for the purposes of this Act if—

[F8 (a) he has been taken to a police station after being arrested for an offence or after being arrested under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000, or]

(b) he is arrested at a police station after attending voluntarily at the station or accompanying a constable to it,

and is detained there or is detained elsewhere in the charge of a constable, except that a person who is at a court after being charged is not in police detention for those purposes.

[F9 (2A) Where a person is in another’s lawful custody by virtue of paragraph F10 ... 34(1) or 35(3) of Schedule 4 to the Police Reform Act 2002, he shall be treated as in police detention.]]

Extent Information

E1 For the extent of this Act see s. 120(11)

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 118(1): definition of "arrestable offence" repealed (1.1.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), ss. 111, 174(2), 178, Sch. 7 Pt. 1 para. 24(2), Sch. 17 Pt. 2; S.I. 2005/3495, art. 2(1)(m)(t)(u)(xxiv)

F2 S. 118(1): definition of "British Transport Police Force" ceased to have effect (1.7.2004) by virtue of Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 (c. 20), ss. 73, 120, Sch. 5 para. 4(1)(b)(2) (with s. 72); S.I. 2004/1572, art. 3(ddd)(jjj)

F3 Words in s. 118(1) inserted (14.12.2001) by 2001 c 24, s. 101, Sch. 7 para. 14

F4 Words in definition of "document" in s. 118(1) substituted (31.1.1997) by 1995 c. 38, s. 15(1), Sch. 1 para. 9(3) (with ss. 1(3), 6(4)(5), 14); S.I. 1996/3217, art. 2

F5 Definition of "intimate search" in s. 118(1) repealed (10.4.1995) by 1994 c. 33, s. 168(3), Sch. 11; S.I. 1995/721, art. 2, Sch. Appendix B

F6 In s. 118, paragraph (b) of definition and the word immediately preceding it repealed (E.W.)(14.10.1991) by Children Act 1989 (c. 41, SIF 20), s. 108(7), Sch. 15 (with Sch. 14 paras. 1(1), 27(4)); S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2)

F7 Words in s. 118(2) inserted (2.12.2002) by Police Reform Act 2002 (c. 30), s. 107, Sch. 7 para. 9(9); S.I. 2002/2750, art. 2(b)(ii)

F8 S. 118(2)(a) substituted (19.2.2001) by 2000 c. 11, s. 125(1), Sch. 15 para. 5(12); S.I. 2001/421, art. 2

F9 S. 118(2A) inserted (2.12.2002) by Police Reform Act 2002 (c. 30), s. 107, Sch. 7 para. 9(9); S.I. 2002/2750, art. 2(b)(ii)

F10 Word in s. 118(2A) omitted (22.2.2018) by virtue of The Policing and Crime Act 2017 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/226), regs. 1, 5(2)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 118 applied with modifications by S.I. 1985/1882, arts. 3, 10

C2 S. 118 amended (1.7.2004) by Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 (c. 20), ss. 73, 120, Sch. 5 para. 4(1)(a)(2) (with s. 72); S.I. 2004/1572, art. 3(ddd)(jjj)

C3 S. 118 applied (with modifications) (30.4.2017) by The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (Application to Labour Abuse Prevention Officers) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/520), regs. 1, 2, 3(w), Sch.