Perverting the Course of Justice
A common law offence committed by acts tending and intended to pervert the course of public justice, such as fabricating evidence, intimidating witnesses, or making false statements to the police. Maximum sentence: life imprisonment.
Independent editorial summary — not the official statute text. Read the official version on legislation.gov.uk.
Perverting the course of justice is a common law offence. CPS legal guidance describes it as a serious offence that can only be tried on indictment and carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. It is committed where a person does an act — a positive act or series of acts is required, mere inaction being insufficient — which has a tendency to pervert, and which is intended to pervert the course of public justice.
The 'course of justice' is interpreted broadly: CPS guidance confirms it includes the police investigation of a possible crime, so it is not necessary for legal proceedings to have begun before the offence can be committed. A false allegation which risks the arrest or wrongful conviction of an innocent person is enough, and all the prosecution needs to prove is that there is a possibility that what the complainant has done, without more, might lead to a wrongful consequence such as the arrest of an innocent person — there is no need to show that anyone was actually arrested.
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Official sources
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