Section 33 Consent to interview without solicitorI1

(1)

F1Subsection (2) applies for the purpose of section 32(3)(a).

(2)

A person may not consent to being interviewed without having a solicitor present if—

(a)

the person is under F218 years of age

F3(b)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(c)

the person is F418 years of age or over and, owing to mental disorder, appears to a constable to be unable to—

(i)

understand sufficiently what is happening, or

(ii)

communicate effectively with the police.

F5(3)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F6(4)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F7(5)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(6)

In subsection (2)(c)—

(a)

“mental disorder” has the meaning given by section 328 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003,

(b)

the reference to the police is to any—

(i)

constable, or

(ii)

person appointed as a member of police staff under section 26(1) of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1: Words in s. 33(1) substituted (30.3.2026) by Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (asp 5), ss. 15(5)(a), 38(3); S.S.I. 2025/379, reg. 2(2)(c)
F2: Word in s. 33(2)(a) substituted (30.3.2026) by Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (asp 5), ss. 15(5)(b)(i), 38(3); S.S.I. 2025/379, reg. 2(2)(c)
F3: S. 33(2)(b) repealed (30.3.2026) by Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (asp 5), ss. 15(5)(b)(ii), 38(3); S.S.I. 2025/379, reg. 2(2)(c)
F4: Word in s. 33(2)(c) substituted (30.3.2026) by Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (asp 5), ss. 15(5)(b)(iii), 38(3); S.S.I. 2025/379, reg. 2(2)(c)
F5: S. 33(3) repealed (30.3.2026) by Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (asp 5), ss. 15(5)(c), 38(3); S.S.I. 2025/379, reg. 2(2)(c)
F6: S. 33(4) repealed (30.3.2026) by Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (asp 5), ss. 15(5)(c), 38(3); S.S.I. 2025/379, reg. 2(2)(c)
F7: S. 33(5) repealed (30.3.2026) by Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (asp 5), ss. 15(5)(c), 38(3); S.S.I. 2025/379, reg. 2(2)(c)

Commencement

I1: S. 33 in force at 25.1.2018 by S.S.I. 2017/345, art. 3, sch. (with art. 4)

Notes on Part 1

Modifications

C1: Pt. 1 applied (with modifications) by 2003 c. 20, s. 31A (as inserted (25.1.2018) by The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/46), art. 2(2)(a)(f), Sch. 2 para. 2 (with art. 6))
C2: Pt. 1 applied (with modifications) by 1994 c. 33, s. 137ZA (as inserted (25.1.2018) by The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/46), art. 2(2)(a)(f), Sch. 1 para. 4 (with art. 5(2)))
C3: Pt. 1 applied (with modifications) by 2004 c. 20, s. 56A (as inserted (25.1.2018) by The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/46), art. 2(2)(a)(f), Sch. 2 para. 3 (with art. 6))
C4: Pt. 1 applied (with modifications) by 1987 c. 4, s. 2D (as inserted (25.1.2018) by The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/46), art. 2(2)(a)(f), Sch. 2 para. 1 (with art. 6))
C5: Pt. 1 applied (with modifications) (25.1.2018) by The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/46), art. 2(2)(a)(f), Sch. 4 (with art. 8)

Notes on Chapter 4

Modifications

C1: Pt. 1 applied (with modifications) by 2003 c. 20, s. 31A (as inserted (25.1.2018) by The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/46), art. 2(2)(a)(f), Sch. 2 para. 2 (with art. 6))
C2: Pt. 1 applied (with modifications) by 1994 c. 33, s. 137ZA (as inserted (25.1.2018) by The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/46), art. 2(2)(a)(f), Sch. 1 para. 4 (with art. 5(2)))
C3: Pt. 1 Chs. 1-6 applied (with modifications) (25.1.2018) by The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/46), art. 2(2)(a)(f), Sch. 3 Pt. 3 (with art. 7, Sch. 3 Pts. 5, 6)
C4: Pt. 1 applied (with modifications) by 2004 c. 20, s. 56A (as inserted (25.1.2018) by The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/46), art. 2(2)(a)(f), Sch. 2 para. 3 (with art. 6))
C5: Pt. 1 Chs. 1-6 applied (with modifications) (25.1.2018) by The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/46), art. 2(2)(a)(f), Sch. 3 Pt. 2 (with art. 7, Sch. 3 Pts. 5, 6)
C6: Pt. 1 applied (with modifications) by 1987 c. 4, s. 2D (as inserted (25.1.2018) by The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/46), art. 2(2)(a)(f), Sch. 2 para. 1 (with art. 6))
C7: Pt. 1 Chs. 1-6 applied (with modifications) (25.1.2018) by The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/46), art. 2(2)(a)(f), Sch. 3 Pt. 4 (with art. 7, Sch. 3 Pts. 5, 6)
C8: Pt. 1 Chs. 1-6 applied (with modifications) (25.1.2018) by The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Application and Modification of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016) Order 2017 (S.S.I. 2017/465), arts. 1-4
C9: Pt. 1 applied (with modifications) (25.1.2018) by The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/46), art. 2(2)(a)(f), Sch. 4 (with art. 8)