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I’ve been charged. What happens now? Task

If you have been charged this means that you have been officially accused of a crime. You will be given a ‘charge sheet’. The charge sheet will tell you about the crime you have been accused of. 

The next step is decided by the police. When you are charged with a crime the possible next steps in England and Wales include: 

  • You can go home, and your case could be decided without going to court. This is called a single justice procedure and can be used for minor offences. If you get a single justice procedure notice, you must respond within 21 days. If you don’t respond, a decision will be made without your input on the case 

OR 

  • You can go home and will be given a date to go to court. This is known as ‘bail’. If you are allowed to go home ‘on bail’ there may be rules you have to follow. If you break the rules, you could be arrested and kept in police custody until your court date. It is important to arrive at court on time. If you are late or fail to attend court, the police could be instructed to arrest you 

OR 

  • You will stay in police custody and will be taken to court by the police