When you鈥檙e waiting for a court hearing or a trial, you might be given bail. This means you can be released from custody until the hearing or the trial. Bail from a police station You can be given bail at the police station after you鈥檝e been charged. This means you鈥檒l be released from custody until your first court hearing. If you鈥檙e given bail, you might have to agree to conditions like: living at a particular address not contacting certain people giving your passport to the police so you cannot leave the UK reporting to a police station at agreed times, for example once a week If you do not stick to these conditions you can be arrested again and be taken to prison to wait for your court hearing. Bail from a court When you鈥檝e been charged and you attend your hearing at a magistrates鈥� court , you might be given bail until your trial begins. You may not be given bail if: you鈥檝e been convicted of a crime in the past you鈥檝e been given bail in the past and not stuck to the terms the court thinks you might not turn up for your next hearing the court thinks you might commit a crime while you鈥檙e on bail If you鈥檙e given bail, you might have to agree to conditions like: living at a particular address not contacting certain people giving up your passport so you cannot leave the UK If you do not stick to these conditions, you can be arrested again. You鈥檒l stay in police custody until you鈥檙e given another court hearing. The court may put different conditions in place for your bail or keep you in prison until your trial starts.

If the court decides to put you on remand it means you鈥檒l go to prison until your trial begins. If you鈥檙e under 18 you鈥檒l be taken to a secure centre for young people , not an adult prison. You may be put on remand if: you鈥檝e been convicted of a crime in the past the court thinks you might not go to your court hearing the court thinks you might commit a crime while on bail you have been given bail before and not stuck to the terms

Being charged with a crime: Overview

Being charged with a crime

Overview

If you鈥檙e charged with a crime you鈥檒l be given a 鈥榗harge sheet鈥�. This sets out the details of the crime you鈥檙e being charged with.

The police will decide if you:

can be released from police custody until the court hearing - but you might have to follow certain rules, known as 鈥榖ail鈥�
are kept in police custody until you鈥檙e taken to court for your hearing

Your first court hearing after you鈥檙e charged with a crime will be at a magistrates鈥� court - even if your trial will be at a Crown Court later on.

If you鈥檙e charged with a minor offence your case could be decided without going to court (鈥榮ingle justice procedure鈥�). If you get a single justice procedure notice you must respond within 21 days.

There are different rules if you鈥檙e or .

Young people

If you鈥檙e under 18, your first hearing will usually be at a youth court.

If you鈥檙e under 17, the police must arrange for you to be held in local authority accommodation, if possible, before you go to court.

If you鈥檙e aged 12 to 16, the police can decide to keep you at the police station if they think it will protect the public.

View a printable version of the whole guide

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