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What the police will do
If the police think you have committed a drug offence, they use the
Case Disposal System to choose what to do with you. This gives them
four choices:
Each case is decided on its own merits. The following information is taken
from the police’s own guide on how to deal with drug offenders.
Proceed to prosecution
This means going to court. In young people’s crime, they try to avoid
this for your sake. However, if you have been caught supplying drugs
(selling or giving them) or trafficking (carrying large quantities for
yourself or for someone else), the police will come down much harder on
you. Under the terms of The Misuse of Drugs Act (1971), the punishments
for Class A drugs, like Heroin, Cocaine, Crack, LSD and Ecstasy are:
- Possession: from 6 months jail plus £5000 fine, up to 7 years
and unlimited fine.
- Supply/trafficking: from six months jail plus £5000 fine, up to
Life and unlimited fine.
The punishments for Class B drugs like Cannabis, Speed & other
amphetamines (unless injected) are:
- Possession: from 3 months plus £500 fine up to 5 years and
unlimited fine.
- Supply/trafficking: 6 months plus £5000 fine up to 14 years and
unlimited fine.
For Class C drugs, like mild sedatives, painkillers, and sleeping
pills, the penalties are:
- Possession: from 3 months plus £500 fine, up to 2 years plus
unlimited fine.
- Supply/trafficking: 3 months plus £5000 fine, up to 5 years plus
unlimited fine.
In other words, massive penalties. It just isn’t worth the risk.
Formal Caution
Formal Cautions are used to deal quickly and simply with less serious
offenders. It stops you going to court, but it means you won’t want to do
it again. It means you get a criminal record held on the national police
database. This could wreck your chances of getting a job, or a visa to
go on holiday. If you get caught again, your Caution can be counted
against you in court making the sentence worse. In any case, you are
more likely to be prosecuted if you get caught again.
The police give a Caution when:
- they have enough evidence to make a successful prosecution, but
want to keep you out of the courts, jail etc.
- they are sure your parents or guardian understand how serious it is
and agree that you ought to be Cautioned.
Formal Warning
Formal Warnings are less serious than Cautions, and are given for minor
offences – generally if you’re caught with Class B or C drugs (Cannabis,
Speed) for your own use. You don’t get a criminal record, but:
- a record will be kept for three years of your name and offence at
the local station
- a previous Warning may influence the decision whether or not
to prosecute if you offend again.
Sounds a bit tame? You guessed it, there’s a catch. If you have been
caught with Ecstasy or any other Class A drug, it counts as too serious
an offence to get just a Formal Warning. The police guide says they must
Caution or Prosecute you and you’ll get the criminal record. And the same
goes if you have been selling drugs to anyone else, even just Cannabis.
And of course, if they get arrested then the police will be asking who the
drugs came from...
Not Proceeded With
This means that the police have enough evidence you’re guilty, but
having considered the circumstances, they decide not to do anything
further. Any offence can be treated this way.
If you get arrested ...
Excuses which don’t work:
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