There has been criticism of legal commentators who have warned of the dangers of some police forces misunderstanding and misusing the Covid-19 Regulations.
This is why it matters. If the law is not applied correctly, people can end up prosecuted for offences that don't exist.
This is why it matters. If the law is not applied correctly, people can end up prosecuted for offences that don't exist.
The problem is particularly acute in the magistrates' courts, where legal aid is not available for many people, and where magistrates are not legally trained. The scope for rogue prosecutions to slip through the net is all too real.
None of this is intended as a criticism of police officers doing an already-impossible job in even more impossible conditions. They are heroes and deserve every bit of acclaim rightly afforded to NHS workers. But without clear training, mistakes will happen.
