[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"stats-overview":3,"kb-article-when-you-can-be-released-on-bail":10},{"officers":4,"forces":5,"courts":6,"prisons":7,"hearings":8,"legals":9},769,50,224,120,41,11437,{"id":11,"slug":12,"name":13,"content":14,"category_id":11,"source":15,"source_url":15,"source_ref":15,"licence":15,"sort_order":16,"published":17,"created_at":18,"updated_at":19,"category":20,"category_icon":21,"category_slug":22,"excerpt":23,"word_count":24,"reading_time":25,"is_official":26,"related":27,"previous":50,"next":51},"3","when-you-can-be-released-on-bail","Police bail and 'released under investigation' explained","When the police have finished with you for the time being but have not decided what to do, you will be released in one of three ways. None of them costs you anything: there is no financial bail in England and Wales.\n\n1. Released under investigation (RUI)\nYou are released with no conditions and no date to return. The investigation continues and you may be asked back for interview or told the outcome by letter, sometimes months later. You should be given written notice that you are under investigation. If you have been RUI'd for a long time with no update, your solicitor can press the force for a decision.\n\n2. Pre-charge bail\nYou are released with a duty to return to the police station on a set date, and possibly with conditions, for example not to contact a named person or go to a particular address. Since the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 the police are expected to use bail with conditions rather than RUI where that is needed to protect victims or witnesses.\n\nThe time limits on pre-charge bail are:\n\n- Up to 3 months, authorised by an inspector.\n- Extendable to 6 months by a superintendent.\n- Extendable to 9 months by a superintendent in designated complex cases (12 months in some serious fraud and similar cases).\n- Beyond that only a magistrates' court can extend it.\n\nBreaching a pre-charge bail condition is not itself a criminal offence, but you can be arrested for it and your conditions can be tightened. Breaching certain conditions, such as contacting a protected person, may also be a separate offence. You can ask the police to vary conditions, and apply to a magistrates' court if they refuse.\n\n3. Charged and bailed to court\nIf you are charged you will usually be released on bail to attend court on a set date. The custody officer can attach conditions under the Bail Act 1976 if they think you might otherwise:\n\n- Fail to turn up at court.\n- Commit another offence.\n- Interfere with witnesses or obstruct the course of justice.\n- Be at risk yourself, or (if under 18) need protection.\n\nTypical conditions include a curfew, living at a specified address, not contacting named people, not going to a specified area, or reporting to a police station. Failing to attend court on bail is a criminal offence in its own right, and breaching conditions can lead to arrest and to being kept in custody until your hearing.\n\nBeing kept in custody after charge\n\nThe police can refuse bail after charge if, for example, they do not know your name or address, they believe you will not attend court or will commit offences, or they need to protect someone. You must then be brought before a magistrates' court at the next sitting, where you can apply for bail with legal representation. For most offences there is a presumption in favour of bail.\n\nWhat to do\n\nGet the bail notice or RUI notice in writing and keep it. Make a note of your return date. If a condition is unworkable (it stops you working or seeing your children), ask your solicitor about applying to vary it straight away rather than breaching it.\n\nThis is general information for England and Wales, not legal advice. If you have been arrested or charged, speak to a solicitor: advice at the police station is free for everyone.",null,0,true,"2022-04-13T19:53:59.000Z","2026-10-06T09:14:18.000Z","Custody","mdi:handcuffs","custody","When the police have finished with you for the time being but have not decided what to do, you will be released in one of three ways. None of them costs you…",571,3,false,[28,34,40],{"id":29,"slug":30,"name":31,"source":15,"source_url":15,"sort_order":16,"category":20,"category_icon":21,"category_slug":22,"excerpt":32,"word_count":33,"reading_time":25,"is_official":26},"6","how-long-you-can-be-held-in-custody","How long you can be held in custody","Police detention without charge is time-limited by the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE), and must be reviewed regularly by an officer not…",401,{"id":35,"slug":36,"name":37,"source":15,"source_url":15,"sort_order":16,"category":20,"category_icon":21,"category_slug":22,"excerpt":38,"word_count":39,"reading_time":25,"is_official":26},"5","what-is-the-cell-like-at-the-custody-suite","What a police custody cell is like","Being locked in a police cell is unpleasant and, for most people, frightening. Knowing what to expect takes some of the fear out of it. The cell A custody…",538,{"id":41,"slug":42,"name":43,"source":15,"source_url":15,"sort_order":16,"category":44,"category_icon":45,"category_slug":46,"excerpt":47,"word_count":48,"reading_time":49,"is_official":26},"2","young-people-under-18-and-vulnerable-adults","Under 18 or vulnerable: the appropriate adult and your extra protections","General","mdi:information-outline","general","If you are under 18, or an adult who is vulnerable because of a mental health condition, learning disability, autism or similar, the law gives you extra…",760,4,{"slug":30,"name":31},{"slug":36,"name":37}]