Bill · started in the Commons
Anonymity (Arrested Persons) Bill
A Bill to prohibit the publication of certain information regarding persons who have been arrested until they have been charged with an offence; to set out the circumstances where such information can be published without committing an offence; and for connected purposes.
In progress
Current stage: 2nd reading (Commons)
The story so farThe Anonymity (Arrested Persons) Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 30 June 2010 by Anna Soubry (Conservative). It is now at second reading in the House of Commons. Second reading is the first debate on the overall principle of the bill; if the bill clears it, detailed committee scrutiny follows.
What the bill does
<p>The Bill would prohibit the publication or broadcast of the name, address or image of a person arrested for an offence if such information would be likely to lead members of the public to identify him or her as the person suspected of committing that offence. These reporting restrictions would remain in force unless and until the arrested person was charged with the offence for which they had been arrested.</p><p>The Bill also provides that, in certain circumstances, a Crown Court judge would be able to direct that the reporting restrictions should not apply, for example if publishing the identity of the suspect might lead to new complainants or witnesses coming forward.</p>
Progress through Parliament
- 1st reading Commons 30 Jun 2010
- 2nd reading Commons Current
Source: the official bill page. Last updated 2 May 2012.