End to suspects languishing on bail for months

POLICE will be barred from leaving suspects to languish on bail for months or even years, Theresa May pledged yesterday.

Detectives would face a 28-day time limit which could only be extended under strict rules in the Home secretary’s shake-up.

Her proposals would lead to the biggest reform to police bail in 30 years if the Conservatives win the upcoming general Election.

Mrs May’s promise comes amid mounting anger that forces are abusing their powers by keeping people in a lengthy legal limbo – only to decide eventually not to press charges in many cases.

There has been an outcry over a string of high-profile cases where celebrities and journalists have been left on bail for long periods, often with strict curbs.

Currently there are no restrictions on how long a person can be on police bail.

The Tories propose to introduce an initial limit of 28 days.

Any decision to re-bail for a total of up to three months would have to be approved by a police officer of superintendent rank or above. Any application to extend pre- charge bail beyond this would have to be approved by a magistrate, said Mrs May.

Last year, DJ Paul gambaccini, 65, told of his ‘12 months of horror and trauma’ at having his name dragged through the mud before being told he would not face historic sex assault charges.

Jim Davidson also lashed out at the system after being arrested under Operation Yewtree. The comedian, 61, was kept on bail for eight months before being told he would not face any charges.

Mrs May said it was wrong for a person to languish on bail without being charged.

‘i have been clear it is simply not acceptable for individuals to spend months, and in some cases years, on pre-charge bail with no system of review only for charges never to be brought,’ she added.

under her plan, there would be a presumption to release a person without bail.

Mrs May said: ‘These measures ensure that decisions to release suspects with pre- charge bail conditions are taken only where it is necessary or proportionate.’

But police and prosecutors have warned a limit could hamper complex cases, such as inquiries into fraud or historic sex abuse.

Each year, around 303,000 suspects are typically placed on police bail with about 19,600 on bail for more than six months.

Police can keep a suspect for 24 hours for questioning after arrest before seeking a further period of detention from a judge.

in practice, they often quiz a person then release them on bail to return for interview at a later date. Conditions can apply, such as curfews.

in the House of Commons, David Cameron has criticised long bail periods, saying: ‘Justice delayed is justice denied.’

He was responding to a question from Tory MP Michael Ellis who criticised the ‘witch hunt’ by the Crown Prosecution service which he said meant journalists from The sun had been ‘put through three years of hell’.

‘Simply not acceptable’