law

Youth Offending Service

01452 547540

Release

02077 299 904

Gloucestershire Police Headquarters

0845 090 1234

Public Defender Service

01242 548270

Children's Legal Centre

01206 873820

Rape Crisis Centre

01452 526770

Victim Support Service (includes Witness Service)

Open Mon-Fri 9am-9pm and Sat-Sun 9am-7pm

Two more issues that might affect you:

Shoplifting

Shoplifting is theft. Shops have the right to protect themselves against it by the use of security cameras and store detectives. Shops and some shopping precincts are private property, so you can be kept out or asked to leave. Store detectives, security guards and shop staff have the same rights as everyone else - if they have good reason to think that somebody has committed a crime, they can make a -?citizens arrest'. They can stop the suspected person and hold them until the police arrive. If this happens to you it is best to wait quietly and say nothing until the police arrive. You may be well advised to say nothing to the police. If you are arrested, ask for the duty solicitor immediately. Store staff, including security guards and store detectives, have no right to search you unless you agree.

Indecent Assault

It is an offence to touch or threaten a person in an indecent way. Groping and unwanted fondling can come into this category. Indecent assault carries a punishment of up to two years imprisonment, and if it is against a girl under thirteen, up to five years.

Rape

Any person, male or female, over the age of 10 who has intercourse with someone who doesn't want them to, and who knows that this person is not consenting or takes no care as to whether she or he does, commits the crime of rape. It's also an offence to threaten or force a person to have sex against their will, or to give them drugs in the hope that she or he will give in. If somebody helps a rapist to find a victim, or assists in a rape (by holding the victim down or drugging them, for instance) they will also be charged with rape.

Harassment is any form of unwanted and unwelcome behaviour, which may range from mildly unpleasant remarks to physical violence.

The Protection from Harassment Act states that a person must not pursue another when they know it amounts to harassment.

Racial Harassment

If a person is harassed due to their skin colour, race or cultural background then you are also protected by the Race Relations Act.

Racist attacks and violence are serious criminal offences and must be reported to the police. Racially Aggravated Offences carry higher penalties than offences with other motivation. It is also against the law to use threatening, abusive or insulting language or behaviour in order to stir up racial hatred.

A mugger is someone who intends to rob you, often with the threat of assault, which makes it hard to be prepared in any way. Even so, it's vital that your personal safety comes first, so think before you act. Do you put up a fight, make a big noise, attempt to run away or just submit to their demands? Only you can decide, based on the situation as it unfolds, just don't do anything that increases the risk of getting hurt. Choosing to comply without resistance won't make you less of a victim, or weaken your case in any way. What counts is that you protected yourself in the best way you could, and anyone from family and friends to the police will recognise that and respect you for it.

Drink driving

Alcohol seriously impairs your judgement, co-ordination and reactions. It can make you a hazard to yourself, your passengers, other road users and pedestrians, which is why drink driving is such a serious offence.

The limits:

Alcohol in the body can be measured in the breath, blood or urine. You will be found guilty of drink-driving if you have more than:

• 35 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath
• 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood
• 107 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of urine

Remember that different drinks contain different amounts of alcohol, and lots of different factors can affect how quickly your body absorbs what you drink. This means that one pint might have a stronger effect on you than somebody else. So if you're unsure how much you've had, don't drive. Ideally, if you've enjoyed a drink don't get behind the wheel at all. As for sobering up, give yourself at least an hour for every half-pint you've had - but even then the smart move is to stay out of the driving seat.

Getting hold of a set of wheels can be a defining moment in your life. You're free, you're independent, you're happy go lucky; but getting a car or a motorbike can land you in a whole heap of trouble if you're not aware of what you need to do to stay legal. So read on...

Learning To Drive a car

Before you drive a motor vehicle you must have a provisional licence for that class of motor vehicle. The vehicle must be insured for you (shop around for the best deal). Your car must be taxed, and if it is more than three years old it must be MOT tested. To apply for a licence, tax your vehicle or apply for driving tests, get the forms from any main Post Office.

Anti Social Behaviour generally refers to actions that don't match established social expectations and relates to problems caused by:

• noisy neighbours
• abandoned cars
• vandalism
• graffiti and litter
• nuisance

To prevent these problems arising the government have implemented Anti Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs). These orders aim to protect the public from any behaviour that causes, or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

ASBOs are court orders applied for by local authorities, police forces and by registered social landlords. Members of the public can not apply for a court order, but people can get involved by monitoring and collecting evidence.

In Court: If you are not released you will be brought to court on the morning after your arrest unless it is a Sunday or a public holiday. Before you get to court, if you haven't seen a solicitor already, ask to see the duty solicitor. This person will help you on legal points and speak for you in court if you wish, free of charge. After your first appearance in court, you can ask for another solicitor if you wish to do so. If you are 17 or under, your case is likely to be heard at a youth court.

If the duty solicitor is speaking for you, tell them you would like the court to be asked to release you on bail. Say you are willing to give a promise (bail undertaking) to appear in court at a later date if your case isn't finished that day.

If you are arrested, whether you have been previously detained or not, you can be searched, fingerprinted, photographed and a DNA sample could be taken. You should not be subjected to any other physical examination unless the police have secured appropriate authorisation. Any property taken from you must be packed in your presence, and you may be asked to sign a list of what is in the package. Don't sign for any thing that doesn't belong to you. You can also;

Send one message to one named person, e.g. a parent. If other people come to see you, you may ask to see them, but the police can refuse. If the police are aware that you are under 17, your parents or carer, or an appropriate adult must be sent for without delay and you will be allowed to see them.