Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984

47 Bail after arrest. E+W

(1) [F1 Subject to the following provisions of this section], a release on bail of a person under this Part of this Act shall be a release on bail granted in accordance with [F2 sections 3, 3A, 5 and 5A of the Bail Act 1976 as they apply to bail granted by a constable].

[F3 (1A) The normal powers to impose conditions of bail shall be available to him where a custody officer releases a person on bail under section [F4 [F5 37] above or section] 38(1) above (including that subsection as applied by section 40(10) above) but not in any other cases. In this subsection, “the normal powers to impose conditions of bail” has the meaning given in section 3(6) of the Bail Act 1976.]

[F6 (1B) No application may be made under section 5B of the Bail Act 1976 if a person is released on bail under [F7 37, 37C(2)(b) or 37CA(2)(b)] above.

(1C) Subsections (1D) to (1F) below apply where a person released on bail under section [F8 37, 37C(2)(b) or 37CA(2)(b)] above is on bail subject to conditions.

(1D) The person shall not be entitled to make an application under section 43B of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980.

(1E) A magistrates' court may, on an application by or on behalf of the person, vary the conditions of bail; and in this subsection “vary” has the same meaning as in the Bail Act 1976.

(1F) Where a magistrates' court varies the conditions of bail under subsection (1E) above, that bail shall not lapse but shall continue subject to the conditions as so varied.]

(2) Nothing in the Bail Act 1976 shall prevent the re-arrest without warrant of a person released on bail subject to a duty to attend at a police station if new evidence justifying a further arrest has come to light since his release.

(3) Subject to [F9 subsections (3A) and (4)] below, in this Part of this Act references to “bail” are references to bail subject to a duty—

[F10 (a) to appear before a magistrates' court at such time and such place as the custody officer may appoint;

(b) to attend at such police station as the custody officer may appoint at such time as he may appoint for the purposes of—

(i) proceedings in relation to a live link direction under section 57C of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (use of live link direction at preliminary hearings where accused is at police station); and

(ii) any preliminary hearing in relation to which such a direction is given; or

(c) to attend at such police station as the custody officer may appoint at such time as he may appoint for purposes other than those mentioned in paragraph (b).]

[F11 (3A) Where a custody officer grants bail to a person subject to a duty to appear before a magistrates’ court, he shall appoint for the appearance—

(a) a date which is not later than the first sitting of the court after the person is charged with the offence; or

(b) where he is informed by the [F12 designated officer for the relevant local justice] area that the appearance cannot be accommodated until a later date, that later date.]

(4) Where a custody officer has granted bail to a person subject to a duty to appear at a police station, the custody officer may give notice in writing to that person that his attendance at the police station is not required.

F13 (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(6) Where a person [F14 who has been granted bail [F15 under this Part] and either has attended at the police station in accordance with the grant of bail or has been arrested under section 46A above is detained at a police station], any time during which he was in police detention prior to being granted bail shall be included as part of any period which falls to be calculated under this Part of this Act [F16 and any time during which he was on bail shall not be so included].

(7) Where a person who was released on bail [F17 under this Part] subject to a duty to attend at a police station is re-arrested, the provisions of this Part of this Act shall apply to him as they apply to a person arrested for the first time [F18 ; but this subsection does not apply to a person who is arrested under section 46A above or has attended a police station in accordance with the grant of bail (and who accordingly is deemed by section 34(7) above to have been arrested for an offence) [F19 or to a person to whom section 46ZA(4) or (5) applies].]

(8) In the M1 Magistrates’ Court Act 1980—

(a) the following section shall be substituted for section 43—

“43 Bail on arrest

(1) Where a person has been granted bail under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 subject to a duty to appear before a magistrates’ court, the court before which he is to appear may appoint a later time as the time at which he is to appear and may enlarge the recognizances of any sureties for him at that time.

(2) The recognizance of any surety for any person granted bail subject to a duty to attend at a police station may be enforced as if it were conditioned for his appearance before a magistrates’ court for the petty sessions area in which the police station named in the recognizance is situated.”; and

(b) the following subsection shall be substituted for section 117(3)—

“(3) Where a warrant has been endorsed for bail under subsection (1) above—

(a) where the person arrested is to be released on bail on his entering into a recognizance without sureties, it shall not be necessary to take him to a police station, but if he is so taken, he shall be released from custody on his entering into the recognizance; and

(b) where he is to be released on his entering into a recognizance with sureties, he shall be taken to a police station on his arrest, and the custody officer there shall (subject to his approving any surety tendered in compliance with the endorsement) release him from custody as directed in the endorsement.”.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 47(1) substituted (29.1.2004) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), ss. 28, 336, Sch. 2 para. 6(2); S.I. 2004/81, art. 4(1)(2)(c)

F2 Words in s. 47(1) substituted (10.4.1995) by 1994 c. 33, s. 27(1)(a); S.I. 1995/721, art. 2, Sch.

F3 S. 47(1A) inserted (10.4.1995) by 1994 c. 33, s. 27(1)(b); S.I. 1995/721, art. 2, Sch.

F4 Words in s. 47(1A) inserted (29.1.2004) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), ss. 28, 336, Sch. 2 para. 6(3); S.I. 2004/81, art. 4(1)(2)(c)

F5 Words in s. 47(1A) substituted (1.4.2007) by Police and Justice Act 2006 (c. 48), ss. 10, 53, Sch. 6 para. 6; S.I. 2007/709, art. 3(i) (subject to arts. 6, 7)

F6 S. 47(1B)-(1F) inserted (29.1.2004) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), ss. 28, 336, Sch. 2 para. 6(4); S.I. 2004/81, art. 4(1)(2)(c)

F7 Words in s. 47(1B) substituted (1.4.2007) by Police and Justice Act 2006 (c. 48), ss. 10, 53, Sch. 6 para. 11; S.I. 2007/709, art. 3(i) (subject to arts. 6, 7)

F8 Words in s. 47(1C) substituted (1.4.2007) by Police and Justice Act 2006 (c. 48), ss. 10, 53, Sch. 6 para. 11; S.I. 2007/709, art. 3(i) (subject to arts. 6, 7)

F9 Words in s. 47(3) substituted (30.9.1998 for the purposes specified in S.I. 1998/2327, art. 3(2), Sch. 2 and otherwise 1.11.1999) by 1998 c. 37, s. 46(1); S.I. 1998/2327, art. 3(2), Sch. 2 and S.I. 1999/2976, art. 2

F10 S. 47(3)(a)-(c) substituted (1.4.2007 for certain purposes and 14.11.2008 for further certain purposes, otherwise prosp.) for s. 47(3)(a)(b) and following words by Police and Justice Act 2006 (c. 48), ss. 46(5)(a), 53; S.I. 2007/709, art. 3(n) (subject to arts. 6, 7); S.I. 2008/2785, art. 2

F11 S. 47(3A) inserted (30.9.1998 for the purposes specified in S.I. 1998/2327, art. 3(2), Sch. 2 and otherwise 1.11.1999) by 1998 c. 37, s. 46(2); S.I. 1998/2327, art. 3(2), Sch. 2; S.I. 1999/2976, art. 2.

F12 Words in s. 47(3A)(b) substituted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 109(1), 110, Sch. 8 para. 283; S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(y)

F13 S. 47(5) repealed (10.4.1995) by 1994 c. 33, ss. 29(4)(c)(5), 168(3), Sch. 11; S.I. 1995/721, art. 2, Sch. Appendix B

F14 Words in s. 47(6) substituted (10.4.1995) by 1994 c. 33, s. 29(4)(d)(5); S.I. 1995/721, art. 2, Sch.

F15 Words in s. 47(6) inserted (20.1.2004) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), ss. 12, 336, Sch. 1 Pt. 1 para. 10(a); S.I. 2004/81, art. 2(1)(2)(a)

F16 Words in s. 47(6) inserted (retrospectively) by Police (Detention and Bail) Act 2011 (c. 9), s. 1(1)(3)

F17 Words in s. 47(7) inserted (20.1.2004) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), ss. 12, 336, Sch. 1 Pt. 1 para. 10(b); S.I. 2004/81, art. 2(1)(2)(a)

F18 Words in s. 47(7) inserted (10.4.1995) by 1994 c. 33, s. 29(4)(e)(5); S.I. 1995/721, art. 2, Sch.

F19 Words in s. 47(7) inserted (1.4.2007 for certain purposes and 14.11.2008 for further certain purposes, otherwise prosp.) by Police and Justice Act 2006 (c. 48), ss. 46(5)(b), 53; S.I. 2007/709, art. 3(n) (subject to arts. 6, 7); S.I. 2008/2785, art. 2

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 47 applied (with modifications) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), s. 24B(5)(c) (as inserted (29.6.2007) by Police and Justice Act 2006 (c. 48), ss. 18(1), 53 (with s. 18(2)); S.I. 2007/1614, art. 2(e))

C2 S. 47(3) excluded (4.4.2005) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), ss. 88(1)(b), 336; S.I. 2005/950, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 para. 5 (subject to art. 2(2), Sch. 2) (as amended by S.I. 2005/2122, art. 2)

Marginal Citations

M1 1980 c. 43.