A Postal Requisition is now the most popular way a person is charged and brought to court.
A postal requisition is effectively being charged with a criminal offence by post. The letter will also provide you with the date that you are required to attend court. This means that the police suspect you of being guilty of a criminal offence.
Previously the most common method for requiring a person to attend court at a specific date and time was by way of a court summons. This is no longer the trend. A postal requisition has now replaced the old court summons process.
Postal Requisitions are different to a court summons in that they no longer require information to be laid to the court to issue a summons. They replace the charging process and are common if you have been interviewed voluntarily or you have been released from bail and a decision is made to charge you with a criminal offence.
The implications of the Policing and Crime Act 2017 means that less suspects are placed on bail and therefore are charged by post rather than when they used to return on bail. This has caused a vast increase in postal requisitions.
There are strict criteria and timescales to be met before a postal requisition can be sent to a defendant.
What to do if you have received a postal requisition?
Do not simply wait for the hearing. It is essential for you to contact a solicitor.
WMB Law’s specialist Criminal Department can help you. We will offer you a free 30 minute consultation on the postal requisition procedure and in some cases secure legal aid for representation at court.