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UK Law Reference
All Legislation
Criminal Law
c. 15
England & Wales

Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005

View on legislation.gov.uk

Last amended by Crime and Courts Act 2013 in 2013. Abolished SOCA and transferred its functions to the National Crime Agency (NCA).

Independent editorial summary — not the official statute text. Read the official version on legislation.gov.uk.

Summary

The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (SOCPA) created the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) to lead the national response to organised crime, and substantially reformed police powers and public order law. Most significantly, it replaced the old concept of the 'arrestable offence' with a single statutory power of arrest (amending PACE 1984 s.24) so that a constable may arrest for any offence where it is necessary to do so. It also put on a statutory footing the regime for offenders who assist investigations and prosecutions (the modern 'Queen's/King's Evidence' rules), introduced new controls on demonstrations near Parliament, and created the offence of trespass on designated sites.

Key Points

  • Created the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) (Part 1) — abolished in 2013 and its functions transferred to the National Crime Agency
  • Reformed the power of arrest (s.110) — substituted PACE 1984 s.24 with a single arrest power for any offence subject to a necessity test, abolishing the 'arrestable offence' distinction
  • Statutory assistance-by-offenders regime (ss.71-75) — immunity notices, restricted-use undertakings, and reduced sentences for defendants who assist investigations or prosecutions
  • Investigatory powers of the DPP (ss.60-70) — disclosure notices requiring the production of information in serious crime investigations
  • Trespass on designated sites (s.128) — created an offence of trespassing on protected sites such as military and royal sites
  • Demonstrations in the vicinity of Parliament (ss.132-138) — required authorisation for protests around Parliament Square (later repealed by the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011)
  • Protection of animal-research organisations (ss.145-149) — new offences targeting harassment campaigns against laboratories and their suppliers

Parts & Sections

Amendments History

2013 — Crime and Courts Act 2013

Abolished SOCA and transferred its functions to the National Crime Agency (NCA).

2011 — Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011

Repealed the ss.132-138 controls on demonstrations in the vicinity of Parliament and replaced them with new provisions targeting prohibited activities in Parliament Square.