Report and Recommendations - Scottish Government

even witness statements require greater precision in form and execution thanbefore. In addition, there is likely to be a need to contact a solicitor, providehim/her with information and permit him/her a private consultation with thesuspect before an interview. Where there are a number of suspects in relationto a single crime, or a number of connected crimes, the need for more time islikely to increase. Furthermore, quite apart from the issues which might arisewith a particular suspect or crime, it is not to be assumed that the inquiry intohis/her case is the only one which the police, or the particular officer, has todeal with at the time. There may be other, some more pressing, operationaldemands.5.2.20 There is therefore little, if any, doubt that a six hour maximum is unrealistic inmany, albeit not most, cases. This is borne out by consideration of theinformation that has been provided by ACPOS 27 since the introduction of thenew arrangements under the 2010 Act. Since the extended detention periodswere introduced, ACPOS data discloses that the vast majority (83.5%) ofdetentions have continued to be concluded within that period, and the averagedetention period (3 hours 55 minutes) remains well within the six hour period.This still leaves a significant proportion of cases (15.7%) where the period ofdetention has exceeded the six hours, but has ended within twelve hours. Ifthis pattern persists, this would relate to more than 5,500 detentions every year.5.2.21 Less than half of one per cent of detentions has involved an extension beyondthe twelve hour initial maximum. In numeric terms, however, this is not to be27 ACPOS Solicitor Access Data Report, 23 June 2011109