Criminal and road traffic law in the UK - support in Polish

If the police arrest you or ask you to attend an interview, you have basic rights that are worth knowing before the first question is asked:

1. Free legal advice. You are entitled to free advice from a duty solicitor, whatever your income. Ask for it before the interview starts.
2. An interpreter. If your English is not fluent, ask for a Polish interpreter. Do not agree to be interviewed "in English, as best you can".
3. The right to silence, with consequences. After the caution, a court may later take into account that you did not mention something you rely on in your defence. Decide whether to answer questions only after speaking to a lawyer.
4. Telling someone that you have been detained.
5. Time limits. In most cases the police can hold you for up to 24 hours without charge; longer periods are possible in serious cases.

Do not sign anything you do not understand, and do not discuss the case with witnesses or the complainant - contact with them can be a separate offence.

Possible outcomes include no further action, release under investigation or on bail with conditions, a caution (which requires an admission and goes on your record), or a charge. A charged case is passed to the Crown Prosecution Service and goes to court. Think carefully before accepting a caution: it can affect DBS checks and employment.

Most cases begin in the Magistrates' Court; more serious ones go to the Crown Court, where a judge sits with a jury. At the first hearing you enter a plea. An early guilty plea normally earns a reduction in sentence (up to one third at the earliest stage), but the decision should follow an assessment of the evidence, not time pressure. Courts provide an interpreter free of charge, and legal aid depends on the type of case and your means.

In England and Wales the drink-drive limit is 35 micrograms of alcohol in 100 ml of breath (80 mg per 100 ml of blood); Scotland has a lower limit. A conviction normally means a driving ban of at least 12 months, a fine and a criminal record. There are specified limits for many drugs, and a medical defence needs documents. Reaching 12 penalty points within three years usually leads to a ban.

Assault offences are graded by the harm caused: common assault, actual bodily harm (ABH) and grievous bodily harm (GBH). The higher the category, the heavier the sentence, and GBH is normally heard in the Crown Court. Self-defence, provocation, each person's role and CCTV footage are often decisive.

A conviction or caution can show up in DBS checks and block work with children or in care. For people relying on EU Settlement Scheme status, a serious conviction can also put residence status at risk. These points should be weighed before any plea or caution is accepted.