ABV Solicitors When you are arrested by the police, you will likely be a little bit concerned, especially if you have been arrested on charges related to serious criminal activity, such as burglary, assault or manslaughter. While the police are legally obligated to advise you about your situation and how long you will be held, you may need a bit of a more thorough guide, such as one that a criminal solicitor can offer you. Remember, the following guide will differ slightly depending on what you are arrested for and, of course, is only applicable to police stations within the United Kingdom. When you are arrested for a criminal act, the first thing that you need to do is contact a criminal solicitor to come to the station and advise you. The police can legally hold you for up to 24 hours before they are required to charge you with a criminal act or release you. If you are being held or arrested due to more serious actions, such as terrorism, you can be held without a charge for up to 14 days at the police station's discretion. Similarly, a police station can hold you for up to 36 or 96 hours if you have been arrested and are suspected of committing a serious crime such as murder. Initial detainment at the police station You may have heard of the phrase “released on bail”, and this is, in essence, when the police release you because they do not have enough evidence to charge you at that time. Unlike in the movies, you don't have to pay to be released on bail, but you will have to return to the station for questioning and interviews when you are asked. Conditional bail usually applies if the police charge you and have concerns that you may intimidate any witnesses, fail to attend court, commit another criminal act or obstruct their investigations. So, in this instance, your freedom will be restricted, and you may have a curfew imposed on you via a tag on your ankle. Any criminal solicitor will state that you need to comply with the conditions of conditional bail if you do not want to be arrested. Released on bail Irrespective of what you have been accused of and arrested for, you are legally entitled to legal representation. This is why a criminal solicitor will be worth their weight in gold, as they can advise you on the severity of the crimes of which you are accused and the likelihood of you needing to attend court or being held in a custodial sentence. Legal representation Interviews In a word, yes. But this does not mean that you are off the hook so to speak. Depending on your case and the details, being acquitted of murder rarely means you will simply walk free. Your criminal offence solicitor may have been able to defend your case so that you are charged with a lesser offence, such as manslaughter. This is complex; therefore, you must have a knowledgeable and experienced criminal offence solicitor to represent you. Your criminal solicitor will also inform you of your legal rights. As mentioned earlier, you will have to comply with the police station, but if you feel you are unhappy about how the police have treated you, you will need to contact the police and complain. You are legally entitled to food, water and medical care whilst held in police custody. If these were denied to you, you need to tell the criminal solicitor representing you, as this is negligence on behalf of the police. Legal rights ht tps: / /www.abvsol ic i tors .co .uk /serv ices /cr imina l - so l ic i tor / h t tps: / /www.gov.uk /government /publ ica t ions /po l ice - powers-and-procedures- in -england-and-wales-201112- user -gu ide /user -gu ide- to -po l ice -powers-and-procedures ht tps: / /www.gov.uk /ar rested-your - r ights Sources :