Criminal Justice Act 2003

[F1 24A Arrest for failure to comply E+W

(1) If a constable has reasonable grounds for believing that the offender has failed, without reasonable excuse, to comply with any of the conditions attached to the conditional caution, he may arrest him without warrant.

(2) A person arrested under this section must be—

(a) charged with the offence in question,

[F2 (b) released without charge and on bail if—

(i) the release is to enable a decision to be made as to whether the person should be charged with the offence, and

(ii) the pre-conditions for bail are satisfied, or

(c) released without charge and without bail (with or without any variation in the conditions attached to the caution) if paragraph (b) does not apply.]

(3) Subsection (2) also applies in the case of—

(a) a person who, having been released on bail under [F3 subsection (2)(b)], returns to a police station to answer bail or is otherwise in police detention at a police station;

(b) a person who, having been released on bail under section 30A of the 1984 Act (bail elsewhere than at police station) as applied by section 24B below, attends at a police station to answer bail or is otherwise in police detention at a police station;

(c) a person who is arrested under section 30D or 46A of the 1984 Act (power of arrest for failure to answer to police bail) as applied by section 24B below.

(4) Where a person is released under [F4 subsection (2)(b)], the custody officer must inform him that he is being released to enable a decision to be made as to whether he should be charged with the offence in question.

(5) A person arrested under this section, or any other person in whose case subsection (2) applies, may be kept in police detention—

(a) to enable him to be dealt with in accordance with that subsection, or

(b) where applicable, to enable the power under [F5 section 47(4A)] of the 1984 Act (power of custody officer to appoint a different or additional time for answering to police bail), as applied by section 24B below, to be exercised.

If the person is not in a fit state to enable him to be so dealt with, or to enable that power to be exercised, he may be kept in police detention until he is.

(6) The power under subsection (5)(a) includes power to keep the person in police detention if it is necessary to do so for the purpose of investigating whether he has failed, without reasonable excuse, to comply with any of the conditions attached to the conditional caution.

(7) Subsection (2) must be complied with as soon as practicable after the person arrested arrives at the police station or, in the case of a person arrested at the police station, as soon as practicable after the arrest.

(8) Subsection (2) does not require a person who—

(a) falls within subsection (3)(a) or (b), and

(b) is in police detention in relation to a matter other than the conditional caution,

to be released if he is liable to be kept in detention in relation to that other matter.

[F6 (8A) In subsection (2) the reference to the pre-conditions for bail is to be read in accordance with section 50A of the 1984 Act.]

(9) In this Part—

• “the 1984 Act” means the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984;

• “police detention” has the same meaning as in the 1984 Act (see section 118(2) of that Act).]

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 24A, 24B 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)

F2 S. 24A(2)(b)(c) substituted (28.10.2022) by Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), s. 208(1), Sch. 4 para. 15(2) (with s. 45(3)); S.I. 2022/1075, reg. 4(b)

F3 Words in s. 24A(3)(a) substituted (28.10.2022) by Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), s. 208(1), Sch. 4 para. 15(3) (with s. 45(3)); S.I. 2022/1075, reg. 4(b)

F4 Words in s. 24A(4) substituted (28.10.2022) by Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), s. 208(1), Sch. 4 para. 15(4) (with s. 45(3)); S.I. 2022/1075, reg. 4(b)

F5 Words in s. 24A(5)(b) substituted (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. 64(8)(a), 183(1)(5)(e); S.I. 2017/399, reg. 2, Sch. para. 16 (with reg. 5)

F6 S. 24A(8A) 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. 60(4), 183(1)(5)(e); S.I. 2017/399, reg. 2, Sch. para. 12 (with reg. 5)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 24A(1) applied by 1998 c. 37, s. 66E(4) (as inserted (16.11.2009 for specified purposes, 8.4.2013 in so far as not already in force) by Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 (c. 4), s. 153(7), Sch. 9 para. 3 (with Sch. 27 para. 18); S.I. 2009/2780, art. 2(1)(c)(2); S.I. 2013/616, art. 2(b))

C2 Ss. 24A(2)-(9) applied by 1998 c. 37, s. 66E(5) (as inserted (16.11.2009 for specified purposes, 8.4.2013 in so far as not already in force) by Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 (c. 4), s. 153(7), Sch. 9 para. 3 (with Sch. 27 para. 18); S.I. 2009/2780, art. 2(1)(c)(2); S.I. 2013/616, art. 2(b))