Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984

27 Fingerprinting of certain offenders. E+W

(1) If a person—

(a) has been convicted of a recordable offence;

(b) has not at any time been in police detention for the offence; and

(c) has not had his fingerprints taken—

(i) in the course of the investigation of the offence by the police; or

(ii) since the conviction,

any constable may at any time not later than one month after the date of the conviction require him to attend a police station in order that his fingerprints may be taken.

[F1 (1A) Where a person convicted of a recordable offence has already had his fingerprints taken as mentioned in paragraph (c) of subsection (1) above, that fact (together with any time when he has been in police detention for the offence) shall be disregarded for the purposes of that subsection if—

(a) the fingerprints taken on the previous occasion do not constitute a complete set of his fingerprints; or

(b) some or all of the fingerprints taken on the previous occasion are not of sufficient quality to allow satisfactory analysis, comparison or matching.

(1B) Subsections (1) and (1A) above apply—

(a) where a person has been given a caution in respect of a recordable offence which, at the time of the caution, he has admitted, or

(b) where a person has been warned or reprimanded under section 65 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (c. 37) for a recordable offence,

as they apply where a person has been convicted of an offence, and references in this section to a conviction shall be construed accordingly.]

(2) A requirement under subsection (1) above—

(a) shall give the person a period of at least 7 days within which he must so attend; and

(b) may direct him to so attend at a specified time of day or between specified times of day.

(3) Any constable may arrest without warrant a person who has failed to comply with a requirement under subsection (1) above.

(4) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision for recording in national police records convictions for such offences as are specified in the regulations.

(4A) F2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(5) Regulations under this section shall be made by statutory instrument and shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 27(1A)(1B) inserted (1.1.2003) by 2001 c. 16, s. 78(1); S.I. 2002/3032, art. 2(a)

F2 S. 27(4A) repealed (1.4.2003) by 2001 c. 16, ss. 137, 138(2), Sch. 7 Pt. 2(1); S.I. 2003/708, art. 2(i)(m)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 27(1) extended (2.12.2002) by Police Reform Act 2002 (c. 30), s. 38, Sch. 4 Pt. 3 para. 25; S.I. 2002/2750, art. 2(a)(ii)(d)