Released Under Investigation ' But What Next?

• Published date: 10 June 2021
• Subject Matter: Litigation, Mediation & Arbitration, Trials & Appeals & Compensation
• Law Firm: RFB Legal
• Author: Mr Piers Desser

The police used to refer to it as "assisting us with our inquiries" but it has long been the case that being under investigation followed a formal process. Executing an arrest based on suspicion of an offence being committed was followed first by an interview under caution and then with a period on police bail.

This may have involved conditions but would inevitably leave the suspect with a firm date to return to the police station to find out the result of the investigation.

A recent change in the law has altered this dramatically. In order to reduce the amount of time suspects spend on bail, police were granted the legal provisions to "Release Under Investigation"(RUI). This means that the yoke of bail is not in operation, which can be positive.

However, the problem with this change has been that rather than bail a suspect with conditions a huge proportion of suspects are being RUI. Cases of all types can leave an innocent person in limbo for months with no result and no contact from the police to explain why there is...