How long can I be kept on police bail for without being charged?

The police cannot keep you on pre-charge bail indefinitely. The initial bail period is three months, after which they can extend it another three months with approval from an Inspector. Following this, the police can extend it up to another three months with approval from a Superintendent, a senior-ranking officer. If the police need more time beyond this nine month period, they must apply to the Magistrates’ Court for further extensions. These legal safeguards are in place to prevent unnecessary delays and ensure that investigations progress fairly. If the police have referred the case to the CPS for a charging decision, the bail periods mentioned above are ‘paused’ while the CPS consider the case. If you are facing prolonged bail, we can challenge unnecessary extensions, push for the case to be resolved, and work to have your bail conditions lifted where appropriate.