Following on from a consultation run by the College of Policing in the Summer of 2014, the Home office has recently published a paper seeking views on limiting pre-charge bail to 28 days, setting a framework for extending bail in extenuating circumstances, allowing some suspects to be released without bail pending further investigation, introducing court reviews of bail extensions and allowing the bailed person to challenge such decisions. The LCCSA has been arguing for some time that reform of pre-charge bail is long overdue as there has been no time pressure on the police to investigate efficiently nor for the CPS to reach a prompt charging decision.
 
Defence practitioners are well placed to respond to this consultation and you can either do so directly by following this link https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/pre-charge-bail-consultation-on-statutory-time-limits-and-related-changes
or by providing input into the LCCSA response by contacting me tmeisels@lewisnedas.co.uk. Please note the consultation closes at 11.45 on 8^th February 2015.