Criminal Justice Act 2003

9 Taking fingerprints without consent

(1) Section 61 of the 1984 Act (fingerprinting) is amended as follows.

(2) For subsections (3) and (4) (taking of fingerprints without appropriate consent) there is substituted—

“(3) The fingerprints of a person detained at a police station may be taken without the appropriate consent if—

(a) he is detained in consequence of his arrest for a recordable offence; and

(b) he has not had his fingerprints taken in the course of the investigation of the offence by the police.

(4) The fingerprints of a person detained at a police station may be taken without the appropriate consent if—

(a) he has been charged with a recordable offence or informed that he will be reported for such an offence; and

(b) he has not had his fingerprints taken in the course of the investigation of the offence by the police.”

(3) In subsection (3A) (disregard of incomplete or unsatisfactory fingerprints) for the words from the beginning to “subsection (3) above” there is substituted “Where a person mentioned in paragraph (a) of subsection (3) or (4) has already had his fingerprints taken in the course of the investigation of the offence by the police”.

(4) In subsection (5) (authorisation to be given or confirmed in writing) for “subsection (3)(a) or (4A)” there is substituted “subsection (4A)”.

(5) In subsection (7) (reasons for taking of fingerprints without consent) for “subsection (3) or (6)” there is substituted “subsection (3), (4) or (6)”.