Article 12 Search of premises where person arrested

(1)

This article shall apply in any case where a person is arrested under section 67 of the Act for a serious service offence.

(2)

Subject to the following provisions of this article, a service policeman shall have power—

(a)

to enter and search—

(i)

any relevant residential premises, or

(ii)

any vehicle,

in which the arrested person was when arrested or immediately before he was arrested, and

(b)

to open and search any locker falling within section 96(1)(c) of the Act which the arrested person had open when or immediately before he was arrested,

for evidence relating to the offence for which he has been arrested.

(3)

The power to search conferred by paragraph (2) is only a power to search to the extent that is reasonably required for the purpose of discovering any such evidence.

(4)

A service policeman may not search in the exercise of the power conferred by paragraph (2) unless he has reasonable grounds for believing that there is evidence for which a search is permitted under that paragraph on the premises.

(5)

In so far as the power to search conferred by paragraph (2) relates to premises consisting of two or more separate dwellings, it is limited to a power to search—

(a)

any dwelling in which the arrest took place or in which the person arrested was immediately before his arrest; and

(b)

any parts of the premises which the occupier of any such dwelling uses in common with the occupiers of any other dwellings comprised in the premises.