Port of Tilbury-Police Constable

[Fedster + 1,307]

Suspects not required to return to a police station means forces have to use postal charge requisition.

Date - 5th May 2020
By - Gary Mason

An increase in the use of released under investigation (RUI) arrangements has led to a rise in the number of serious cases in which people are being charged by post using postal charge requisition (PCR).

According to a Freedom of Information request the Metropolitan Police sent two suspects letters informing them of their trials for murder in 2017, which rose to seven suspects the following year and increased again to 12 in 2019.

The figures obtained by the Times newspaper also show that the number of people charged by post with rape doubled from 43 in 2018 to 91 in 2019.

The data showed that postal charges increased from some 600 in 2016 to approximately 6,000 two years later.

The Met said that the rise in postal charge requisition (PCR) is "largely attributable" to an increase in cases where people were released under investigation without conditions, rather than bail.

"Suspects released under investigation are not obligated to return to a police station, and PCRs are therefore the only way police can notify suspects of charging decisions and when they are due to appear at court," it said.

The postal charge requisition figures follow the release of Home Office figures last month which showed the proportion of crimes resulting in a charge or summons has halved in four years declining from just over 15% in March 2015 to 7% in the 12 months to December.

In more than 2.1 million cases (about 42%), the investigation was completed but no suspect was identified. This fell to its lowest level, having steadily dropped from 48.9% in March 2015.

But in nearly a quarter of cases (22.9% or 1,216,004), the victim did not support further action. This is the highest level on record, compared with 8.7% in March 2015.

The lowest charging rate was for rape, with just 1.5% of 55,259 offences recorded by police leading to prosecution. In these cases, 40.6% of victims did not support action.

The number of cautions dropped from 4.6% to 1.3% between 2014/15 and 2019.

Yvette Cooper, chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Committee, said it was "extremely concerning" that the number of crimes resulting in a charge had fallen again, adding: "Public confidence in the criminal justice system can't be sustained if fewer crimes are dealt with each year.

"It is particularly worrying that the charging rate for rape is so low.

"Victims of rape must be supported in coming forward and need to have the confidence that perpetrators will be prosecuted and convicted."

View On Police Oracle

[Radman + 2,163]

In the BTP world we generally have always  issued summonses to people via post far more than we did charge, even before the advent of 'RUI' it was just the done thing. For more serious offences I have been asked to hand deliver the summons and submit a statement to say its been handed to the suspect or immediate family member which is always fun... It's like those US process servers that they use for civil trials, "You've just been served." 😂😂

Issuing a summons for murder though, that's a new one... 

[Zulu 22 + 4,574]

Charging by summons for murder is certainly a new one on me as well. As for making a statement regarding the service of a summons by hand it is more than sufficient to endorse the rear of the copy summons certificate of service.

[Radman + 2,163]

2 hours ago, Zulu 22 said:

Charging by summons for murder is certainly a new one on me as well. As for making a statement regarding the service of a summons by hand it is more than sufficient to endorse the rear of the copy summons certificate of service.

Last time I did it I was told to sign both the summons cert and submit a statement on the file. 

But this is BTP which insists on 'charge' statements something which no one else seems to do... Where by alongside the MG4 we have to put a statement in on the case file to say that at whatever date and time the defendant was charged to court for the XYZ offence it may be. 

[skydiver + 1,099]

And in other news the Pope is Catholic and bears defecate in woods.  

 

Who would have thought that releasing someone RUI would lead to an increase in postal charging  🤦‍♂️