England & Wales

What would YOU do in the following circumstances - step by step please? You are on foot patrol and you smell that distinctive pungent cannabis smell. You can see two youths in the distance at the far end of a school playing field, right next to a big tree, far from the school. You approach the youths. As you approach them you spot one of them throws a joint on the floor. You stop check them and they are all 13 years old. They are polite and compliant and none of them are known to the police on PNC, or have any previous convictions whatsoever. One lad owns up and says the joint is his. He has nothing further on him other than some king sized rizzla and a pack of cigaret…

Hi, I'm writing a novel aimed a young adults. It opens with a 17 year old lad being arrested on suspicion of a gang related murder. Although I have some experience of procedures (I've worked with young offenders in an educational setting and acted as an appropriate adult a couple of times) there's still loads I don't know. My opening question is, if the murder took place in one city and the arrest in a different one, which force would make the arrest and where would the kid be taken initially? I'd be extremely grateful for any advice, as obviously I need the book to be as authentic as possible. Also, and I'm really not sure if this would be possible, do you think th…

I have been thinking about this scenario, and cannot think of any appropriate action/legislation. What would you do if you stopped a vehicle which had been imported, and was displaying non-alphanumeric plates? For the purpose of the debate, the vehicle is - *From a non EC country, *Has been in the UK under 6 months on a temporary basis, *The registered keeper is not a resident in the UK, *All appropriate tax's have been paid in home country, *Fully insured I know that the normal procedure is for the vehicle to be given a temporary registration if the registration plate is non-alphanumeric......but what legislation would be suitable if the temporary registration pl…

could someone out there help. i need to find out what i would have to do if someone made a significant statement to me. what would be the procedure if someone made a statement about someone or something

Hi there I heard that apparently there is some online facility for MSC to help with the latest law issues and it`s official website - don`t remember where it is provided - on met website (public domain) or on Aware system Anyone has come across with it? Thanks alpha_zulu

Just one more question and then I'll leave you all alone for today, promise! I've just been reading up on s.39 Criminal Justice Act, which defines assault as "any act which intentionally or recklessly causes another person to apprehend immediate and unlawful personal violence". Seems fair enough to me - except that a few days ago I was reading about s.4 Public Order Act, which makes it an offence to "use towards another person threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour [...] with intent to cause that person to believe that immediate unlawful violence will be used [...]". Comparing the two bits of legislation (the text of which I've chopped here for brevity) s…

What is the power to search cars in relation to how road worthy they are? For example, opening the boot to access the spare wheel, or popping the bonnet to check the battery tray and other engine parts. Are police routinely allowed to do this? Say for arguments sake, nothing gives you suspicion to do a drugs search on the car but you can open to boot to check the spare under the RTA or something? Also, whats the script when doing a drugs search on a car. I did one the other week on my own, and to cover my behind, i got the driver out of my car and let him watch me. This left me exposed in terms of safety i suppose, but didnt want him sat in my car so he could then say i…

Hi all, i'm just querying on behalf of a friend. Tell me to BOGOF or quote the disclaimer if you can't help :lol:, but she's really upset by whats happened and it needs sorting out. She has been paid by her work, but the money has gone into the wrong account, a MOP has got the money. As far as i know, the bank have put it into the wrong account, ie given her the wrong details, her work HO are refusing to sort it out fully as they state they've paid the money, and theres nothing they can do, and the bank keeps throwing it back and forwards with their branch and HO, and she doesn't know what to do. So querying, could she get the police involved? Or how are banks regula…

Hi all, Can I have a little bit of clarification over the sentencing around the SOA 2003 please? Sections 9-29 (and a few others) state that: '9 Sexual activity with a child (1) A person aged 18 or over (A) commits an offence if— (a) he intentionally touches another person (B), (b) the touching is sexual, and © either— (i) B is under 16 and A does not reasonably believe that B is 16 or over, or (ii) B is under 13.' SOA 2003 The emboldened bit is what i'm looking at. I assume there are different sentences for each of these possibilites, if so what are they? max/min. Thanks, Shikari

I fully appreciate that this isn't for legal advice - and I won't even be pursuing anything so I don't need to be told about the forums disclaimer as I'm well aware. I work for a computer company. We sell mostly to local businesses and MOP's. Last week I got a phone call from a chap in London saying he had seen a laptop he was interested in on our website - went through the spec on the phone with him and he decided he would like to order. I took his address, informed him we could only deliver to the cards registered address, took his home phone number, mobile number, email address, credit card number, card type, expiry date, last 3 digits on the back. Sent him an email a…

Hello, I have been trying to find out some information as regards to cctv footage being destroyed etc. Most of the information I have read says cctv footage which is not being used as evidence for a crime will be destroyed after a month or so, if this is the case how come cctv footage is used on programs on tv on Channels like Bravo etc. Could some please tell me how these programs are allowed to use the footage and is it only footage that has been used in a court of law. Surely it is against someones human rights if they appear on these shows without consent Thanks

Based on a discussion I had last night: As you all know, S163 gives a constable in uniform the power to stop cars. However, what happens if you are patrolling in plain clothes and in an unmarked car? Does it mean that you are a) not allowed to stop cars by using blues and need to call up a marked unit, or b) you can request them to stop by using blues, but if they don't there is no offence? Bearing in mind that the motorists won't see the constable in uniform/plain clothes until they have reacted to the blue lights & stopped...

1. Road is a large cul de sac with houses and a block of flats at the end. At the front of the cul de sac is a sign saying "Private Road - Residents Only". There are no barriers. 2. Road is about 20 metres long, at the front of the road is a sign saying "Private Road - No Parking" At the end of the road are large electric gates which leads to a private development of flats. Would it be lawful to FPN a driver for an offence in either of these two roads. Or is it up to the driver to defend himself in court and prove it is not a road. As I remember from hendon, whenever there is doubt it would be a matter for the judge to decide. (Incidentally yesterday I stopped a drive…