A Postal Requisition is an increasingly common way for the police to notify someone that they have to attend the Magistrates’ Court. The letter will give the date and time that a person must attend court and the charges they will face. It will be sent to the person’s last known address.
A Postal Requisition normally arises when the police have released someone under investigation (‘RUI’ed’) following an arrest and interview. For indictable and either way offences (the more serious offences) the Crown Prosecution Service will make the decision to charge and send the letter. This can often be a long time after the person was interviewed.
A Postal Requisition must be served directly on the individual either in person or by leaving it at or sending to a persons last known address.
If a person fails to attend court as required by the Postal Requisition then a warrant will likely be issued for their arrest. The Court must ensure that the Postal Requisition letter was correctly drafted and that it was served on the persons last known address. If the court is satisfied that the requisition was sent to the correct address then they will issue a warrant for that person’s arrest.
It is important to note that the warrant can be marked as ‘not backed for bail’, which means that when the person is arrested by the police for failing to attend court, they will be held in the police cells until they are produced in court (often the next day). If the Magistrates’ mark the warrant ‘backed for bail, then the person will be released from the police station and given a new date to attend court.
If you receive a Postal Requisition you should call a solicitor as soon as possible. Our award winning and highly recommended criminal law team are able to assist you. You can find more details here.