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Police bail time limit for suspects considered Police bail time limit for suspects considered
(about 1 hour later)
Limits could be put on the length of time a suspect is allowed to be held on bail in England and Wales, the home secretary has indicated. Limits could be put on the time people can be on police bail in England and Wales, the home secretary has said.
Theresa May has said the Home Office will consider implementing a time limit. Theresa May said the Home Office would hold a consultation on bringing in a limit, while the College of Policing will review the use of police bail.
This follows the cases of Paul Gambaccini, Jim Davidson and Freddie Starr - all were on bail for months before learning they faced no action. It comes after the cases of Freddie Starr, Jim Davidson and Paul Gambaccini - all were on bail for months before learning they faced no action.
Bail should not exceed 28 days, unless exceptional circumstances apply. Mr Gambaccini welcomed the time limit plans "with enthusiasm".
Some journalists accused of phone hacking have been left on police bail for more than two years.
Mrs May wants to prevent people having to wait months or years before learning they will not be prosecuted, the BBC's home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said.Mrs May wants to prevent people having to wait months or years before learning they will not be prosecuted, the BBC's home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said.
'Transparency and rigour' 'Future injustices'
In the case of Freddie Starr, the comedian was on bail for 18 months before being told he would face no further action over allegations of sexual offences. BBC broadcaster Mr Gambaccini was on bail for a year before the Crown Prosecution Service concluded he would not face action over alleged historical sex offences.
BBC broadcaster Paul Gambaccini was on bail for a year before the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) concluded that he would not face action over alleged historical sex offences. Mr Gambaccini said he had suffered "12 months of trauma".
Mr Gambaccini said he had suffered "12 months of trauma", and his lawyer said she was "deeply concerned at the length of time it took to resolve this investigation". Reacting to Mrs May's plans, he said: "If my ordeal can help prevent other persons from suffering a similar fate, it will have been worthwhile.
Comedian Jim Davidson was on bail for eight months before being told he would not face charges over alleged sex offences in the UK. "This is why I respond to Theresa May's initiative with enthusiasm. I hope it leads to change that will prevent future injustices."
Speaking at the College of Policing annual conference earlier, Mrs May said: "I am pleased that the college is developing evidence-based guidance to bring consistency, transparency and rigour to the way in which pre-charge bail is used in criminal investigations. In the case of Mr Starr, the comedian was on bail for 18 months before being told he would face no further action over allegations of sexual offences.
"We must also look at statutory time limits on the use of pre-charge bail to prevent people spending months or even years on bail only for no charges to be brought." Comedian Mr Davidson was on bail for eight months before being told he would not face charges over alleged sex offences in the UK.
Life 'on hold'
Patrick Foster, a former Times journalist, spent two years on bail over allegations he hacked into the email of an anonymous police blogger.
He said he finally accepted a caution to end the disruption it was causing him and his family.
"You are unemployable, you can't work to earn money, but at the same time you have to meet substantial legal costs," Mr Foster said.
"The people that you love, who have to end up supporting you financially, you put them under a huge amount of stress.
"And when you've already spent two years in a position where your life is completely on hold, you can make no plans whatsoever, the attraction of everything going away with one click of the fingers is too big to ignore."
Speaking at the College of Policing annual conference earlier, Mrs May said she was "pleased" the college was developing "evidence-based guidance to bring consistency" in the way bail is used.
"We must also look at statutory time limits on the use of pre-charge bail to prevent people spending months or even years on bail only for no charges to be brought," she said.
In 2013 BBC research found that 3,000 people had been on bail for more than six months.In 2013 BBC research found that 3,000 people had been on bail for more than six months.
'Sensitive professions''Sensitive professions'
Human rights group Liberty has called for a six-month statutory limit on pre-charge bail, describing it as the only effective way of ensuring "justice for victims and suspects".Human rights group Liberty has called for a six-month statutory limit on pre-charge bail, describing it as the only effective way of ensuring "justice for victims and suspects".
Vera Baird, Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria and former Solicitor General for England and Wales, said a six-month time limit was "fairly reasonable".Vera Baird, Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria and former Solicitor General for England and Wales, said a six-month time limit was "fairly reasonable".
She said there was currently a "massive variation" between police forces in how long people were kept on bail, and bail conditions such as curfews and who suspects can associate with can "go on endlessly".
She cited the example of journalists kept on bail for more than two years after being arrested on suspicion of phone hacking.
"There is nothing though to stop the police from releasing people without bail, just to come back in due course, or indeed to delay arresting in some cases," she said."There is nothing though to stop the police from releasing people without bail, just to come back in due course, or indeed to delay arresting in some cases," she said.
Also at the conference Mrs May spoke about the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa) which has been used by police to access journalists' phone records without a judge's approval.Also at the conference Mrs May spoke about the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa) which has been used by police to access journalists' phone records without a judge's approval.
"I am already aware that there have been concerns over the use of Ripa to access journalists' phone records and that is why we are revising the relevant code of practice to make clear that specific consideration must be given to communications data requests involving those in sensitive professions, such as journalists," she said."I am already aware that there have been concerns over the use of Ripa to access journalists' phone records and that is why we are revising the relevant code of practice to make clear that specific consideration must be given to communications data requests involving those in sensitive professions, such as journalists," she said.
Mrs May said she had asked the College of Policing to look at how forces could go "further and faster" with direct entry, which allows people to join the police at higher ranks rather than beginning as a constable. She also said she had asked the college to look at how forces could go "further and faster" with direct entry, which allows people to join the police at higher ranks rather than beginning as a constable.