28-day pre-charge bail limit comes into force
APCC Chair Dame Vera Baird QC said:
“Whilst we welcome these changes, which seek to strike more of a balance between the rights of accused and the needs of the victims, Police and Crime Commissioners will want to monitor the resource implications of these changes on police forces around the country. We are keen to ensure that police time is not wasted making applications to court to extend bail if it is known from the outset that, for instance, obtaining a forensics report may take months.
“In addition, we would not want this new system to encourage the police to give undue preference to cases with bailed defendants over those who are not on bail, unless there is another reason to do so.
“Many people under investigation by the police are understandably anxious and keen to have their position confirmed one way or another and it would be unfair if people in this state of mind were delayed in getting an outcome by preference being given arbitrarily to people on bail.”