A Bill to prohibit the publication of certain information regarding persons who have been arrested until they have been charged with an offence; to set out the circumstances where such information can be published without committing an offence; and for connected purposes.
The Bill would prohibit the publication or broadcast of the name, address or image of a person arrested for an offence if such information would be likely to lead members of the public to identify him or her as the person suspected of committing that offence. These reporting restrictions would remain in force unless and until the arrested person was charged with the offence for which they had been arrested.The Bill also provides that, in certain circumstances, a Crown Court judge would be able to direct that the reporting restrictions should not apply, for example if publishing the identity of the suspect might lead to new complainants or witnesses coming forward.
House of Commons
2 May 2012
May contain errors — check source documents for definitive information.
The Anonymity (Arrested Persons) Bill would stop the publication or broadcast of an arrested person’s name, address or image if doing so would likely identify them as the suspect before they have been charged. It keeps these reporting restrictions in place until the person is charged, but allows a Crown Court judge to lift or override them in certain circumstances (for example, if publishing the identity could help bring forward new complainants or witnesses).
Currently at the second reading in the House of Commons; the bill originated in the Commons and had a first reading in 2010. There is no information here about progress beyond the second reading.
Generated 21 February 2026
30 Jun 2010
This Bill has been withdrawn and will not progress any further.
The Bill had its first reading on 30 June 2010 through the Presentation Bill Procedure.
If you require any further information about the Bill then please contact the sponsoring Member, Anna Soubry.
No recorded votes for this bill yet.
