Criminal Law Act 1967

An Act to amend the law of England and Wales by
abolishing the division of crimes into felonies and
misdemeanours and to amend and simplify the law
in respect of matters arising from or related to that
division or the abolition of it; to do away (within or
without England and Wales) with certain obsolete
crimes together with the torts of maintenance and
champerty; and for purposes connected therewith.
FELONY AND MISDEMEANOUR
1.-(1) All distinctions between felony and misdemeanour are Abolition of
distinction
hereby abolished.
between
(2) Subject to the provisions of this Act, on all matters on felony and
which a distinction has previously been made between felony d meanour
and misdemeanour, including mode of trial, the law and
practice in relation to all offences cognisable under the law of
England and Wales (including piracy) shall be the law and
practice applicable at the commencement of this Act in relation
to misdemeanour.
2.-(1) The powers of summary arrest conferred by the Arrest
following subsections shall apply to offences for which the without
warrant.
sentence is fixed by law or for which a person (not previously
convicted) may under or by virtue of any enactment be sentenced
to imprisonment for a term of five years, and to attempts to
commit any such offence ; and in this Act, including any amend-
ment made by this Act in any other enactment, "arrestable
offence " means any such offence or attempt.
(2) Any person may arrest without warrant anyone who is,
or whom he, with reasonable cause, suspects to be, in the act
of committing an arrestable offence.
(3) Where an arrestable offence has been committed, any
person may arrest without warrant anyone who is, or whom
he, with reasonable cause, suspects to be, guilty of the offence.
(4) Where a constable, with reasonable cause, suspects that
an arrestable offence has been committed, he may arrest with-
out warrant anyone whom he, with reasonable cause, suspects
to be guilty of the offence.
(5) A constable may arrest without warrant any person who
is, or whom he, with reasonable cause, suspects to be, about
to commit an arrestable offence.
(6) For the purpose of arresting a person under any power
conferred by this section a constable may enter (if need be,
by force) and search any place where that person is or where
the constable, with reasonable cause, suspects him to be.
(7) This section shall not affect the operation of any enact-
ment restricting the institution of proceedings for an offence, nor
prejudice any power of arrest conferred by law apart from this
section.
3.--M A person may use such force as is reasonable in the
Use of force
circumstances in the prevention of -crime, or in effecting or
in making
arrest, etc.
assisting in the lawful arrest of offenders or suspected offenders
or of persons unlawfully at large.
(2) Subsection (1) above shall replace the rules of the
common law on the question when force used for a purpose
mentioned in the subsection is justified by that purpose.
4.-(1) Where a person has committed an arrestable offence,
Penalties for
any other person who, knowing or believing him to be guilty
assisting
of the offence or of some other arrestable offence, does without
offenders.
lawful authority or reasonable excuse any act with intent to
impede his apprehension or prosecution shall be guilty of an
offence.
(2) If on the trial of an indictment for an arrestable offence
the jury are satisfied that the offence charged (or some other
offence of which the accused might on that charge be found
guilty) was committed, but find the accused not guilty of it,
they may find him guilty of any offence under subsection (1)
above of which they are satisfied that he is guilty in relation
to the offence charged (or that other offence).