You do not have to say anything

Police caution UK

Every police interview in the UK starts with a police officer giving the person who is being interviewed a police caution, which is a special warning explaining their rights and the seriousness of the situation.

The police caution goes like this: “You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.”

What does police caution mean?

First of all, the police caution starts by saying “You do not have to say anything.” This means that the person being interviewed doesn’t have to answer any of the questions the police officers ask them. They have the right to remain silent.

Next, the caution says “But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court.” This basically means that if the person being interviewed doesn’t tell the police officers something that turns out to be important later on, it could make it harder for them to defend themselves in court.

For example, imagine that someone is being questioned about a fight they were involved in. If they don’t mention that the other person started the fight, and later on that information becomes really important, the fact that they didn’t mention it earlier could make it look like they’re lying or trying to hide something.

Finally, the police caution says “Anything you do say may be given in evidence.” This means that anything the person being interviewed says to the police officers could be used as evidence in court. So if they say something that makes them look guilty, it could be used against them later on.

Overall, police caution is a way for police officers to make sure that the person being interviewed understands their rights and the seriousness of the situation.