The right to liberty is a fundamental principle of human rights. The exercise of the power of arrest is a significant interference with that right. Therefore an arrest must be lawful. The police powers of arrest are principally governed by the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE 1984). To be lawful, a police arrest must be necessary by reference to the statutory powers set out in PACE 1984. PACE 1984 Code of Practice G provides additional rules and guidance on the use of these powers and are essential reading for all lawyers advising on this area of law.
The term 'arrest' is not defined in PACE 1984. The courts have held that it is an ordinary English word and whether or not a person has been arrested depends not on the legality of the arrest but on whether they have been deprived of liberty of movement. Under PACE 1984, a police officer must inform a person that they are under arrest and the reason why. A failure to do so may render the arrest unlawful.
PACE 1984 expressly preserves certain
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