8 Dec 2009

New legal rights caution to be issued

3:21 pm on 8 December 2009

A new rights caution is to be issued to suspects of crime when they are being arrested to make it clearer that legal help can be sought straight away.

Police will now have to state that people can contact a lawyer immediately and for free.

The Council for Civil Liberties says it is a good step, but is complaining the order the rights are to be read is wrong.

It says the right to a lawyer should be the first thing a suspect hears, in case the other statements are found too confusing.