6. Personal Belongings

You are likely to have had possessions taken from you at the custody desk. In some cases, these are kept for evidence.

Your belongings will have been put in clear plastic bags in front of you at the custody desk and you should have been asked to sign a list of their contents. The bag was then sealed.

Signing is optional, but means nothing else could be added!

If the bag was opened while you were in custody, this will have been logged on your custody record.

You can obtain the custody record up to 12 months following arrest – it may be useful if you want to make a claim or complaint.

Your solicitor will automatically obtain it if you are charged.

You may have been given your belongings back on release, or they may have been kept for evidence.

Belongings kept for evidence will be returned at the end of the legal process (i.e. when your case is dropped or the court case is over).