Now if only he had thought of that before the armed robbery!

[vetran]

Are you sure?

well if they have had a modicum of training then they are likely to make things better.

Clearing the airway, stemming bleeding and keeping the heart pumping will increase the likelihood that the experts can save you when they get there.

[billybiro]

Are you sure?

My point being that, if I'm bleeding out and nobody does anything, I'll die before the emergency services arrive at scene. If a bystander gets involved and makes a complete mess of things, I'll also die. Ergo, I'm in no worse a position since I die either way. But there's a chance the bystander gets involved and doesn't make a complete mess of things, they help to stem the bleeding, and the emergency services arrive in time to save me.

Of course, there's any number of other situations where doing something without knowing what you're doing genuinely could make the situation worse, but for the specific situation I'm talking about, not so much.

[OwlHoot]

Anyone can make a citizens arrest. In fact, it is what special constables do as they have no powers of arrest.

You should be arrested for crimes against intelligence. As soon as I have arrested sasguru, I will be round for you....

A member of the public has significantly fewer powers of so called "citizen's arrest" than a constable.

For a start you can only arrest if you believe a crime has been committed. Unlike a copper, you can't arrest someone supposedly loitering with intent to commit a crime.

Also, your belief must be well founded, in that the crime for which you made the arrest must turn out to have been committed. (I don't think it has to have been committed by the person you arrested, but I'm not sure about that.)

And I think a citizen's arrest can only be legally made for a sufficiently serious crime, what used to be called a felony but is now something like "an arrestable offence that upon conviction can result in a jail sentence of at least two years". So something trivial like littering is not rightful grounds for a citizen's arrest.

If you get any of the above wrong then the perp or suspected perp can sue you for wrongful arrest.

I'm not sure where "special constables" fit on the powers of arrest spectrum. But I'd have thought if they are sworn in as constables (the legal office rather than the rank) then under common law they have full powers of arrest like any other copper.

[NotAllThere]

His mate should be prosecuted for manslaughter - causing death by the criminal negligence of going on a job with him.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/articl...itizens-arrest

[BrilloPad]

His mate should be prosecuted for manslaughter - causing death by the criminal negligence of going on a job with him.



How to make a citizen's arrest - BBC Newsbeat

Next time I see a murder in progress, I will check all the above instead of intervening.

No wonder the UK is stuffed.

[vetran]

Next time I see a murder in progress, I will check all the above instead of intervening.

No wonder the UK is stuffed.

That is how the Swiss operate.

[tiggat]

Next time I see a murder in progress, I will check all the above instead of intervening.
.

Let us know when that eventuality arises...

[vwdan]

I'm not sure where "special constables" fit on the powers of arrest spectrum. But I'd have thought if they are sworn in as constables (the legal office rather than the rank) then under common law they have full powers of arrest like any other copper.

I think Brillo is thinking of PCSO's which only hold a small handful of privileges above ordinary citizens. Special Constables, on the other hand, hold the same powers as their ordinary counterparts.

[vwdan]

He looks like a big lad in the justgiving page. Pretty brave of whoever took him on!

'kin hell, you're not wrong.

[Lost It]

Next time come over all hippy-like and say "Karma".

I think there was a "You reap what you sow" comment at the time.