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Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994

  • 1994
  • Primary

A wide-ranging Act that introduced adverse inference from silence, expanded police powers, created the section 60 suspicion-free stop and search power, and made a number of changes to the criminal justice system including provisions relating to bail and remand. It also criminalised the right to silence in the sense that adverse inferences may be drawn at trial from failure to mention facts during interview.

Last updated 24 September 2026