Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984

24 Arrest without warrant for arrestable offences

(1) The powers of summary arrest conferred by the following subsections shall apply—

(a) to offences for which the sentence is fixed by law ;

(b) to offences for which a person of 21 years of age or over (not previously convicted) may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of five years (or might be so sentenced but for the restrictions imposed by section 33 of the [1980 c. 43.] Magistrates' Courts Act 1980); and

(c) to the offences to which subsection (2) below applies,

and in this Act " arrestable offence " means any such offence.

(2) The offences to which this subsection applies are—

(a) offences for which a person may be arrested under the customs and excise Acts, as defined in section 1(1) of the [1979 c. 2.] Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 ;

(b) offences under the Official Secrets Acts 1911 and 1920 that are not arrestable offences by virtue of the term of imprisonment for which a person may be sentenced in respect of them ;

(c) offences under section 14 (indecent assault on a woman), 22 (causing prostitution of women) or 23 (procuration of girl under 21) of the [1956 c. 69.] Sexual Offences Act 1956 ;

(d) offences under section 12(1)(taking motor vehicle or other conveyance without authority etc) or 25(1) (going equipped for stealing, etc.) of the [1968 c. 60.] Theft Act 1968 ; and

(e) offences under section 1 of the [1889 c. 69.] Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act 1889 (corruption in office) or section 1 of the [1906 c. 34.] Prevention of Corruption Act 1906 (corrupt transactions with agents).

(3) Without prejudice to section 2 of the [1981 c. 47.] Criminal Attempts Act 1981, the powers of summary arrest conferred by the following subsections shall also apply to the offences of—

(a) conspiring to commit any of the offences mentioned in subsection (2) above;

(b) attempting to commit any such offence ;

(c) inciting, aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the commission of any such offence ;

and such offences are also arrestable offences for the purposes of this Act.

(4) Any person may arrest without a warrant—

(a) anyone who is in the act of committing an arrestable offence;

(b) anyone whom he has reasonable grounds for suspecting to be committing such an offence.

(5) Where an arrestable offence has been committed, any person may arrest without a warrant—

(a) anyone who is guilty of the offence ;

(b) anyone whom he has reasonable grounds for suspecting to be guilty of it.

(6) Where a constable has reasonable grounds for suspecting that an arrestable offence has been committed, he may arrest without a warrant anyone whom he has reasonable grounds for suspecting to be guilty of the offence.

(7) A constable may arrest without a warrant—

(a) anyone who is about to commit an arrestable offence ;

(b) anyone whom he has reasonable grounds for suspecting to be about to commit an arrestable offence.