Overview of the Act Part 1 – Arrest and Custody Person to be brought before court Section 23 – Notice to parent that under 18 to be brought before court
64.Section 23 makes provision for circumstances where a person who is under 16 or is aged 16 or over and subject to a supervision order is to be brought before a court in accordance with section 21(2) or released from police custody on an undertaking given under section 25(2)(a). It provides that a parent of that person (if one can be found) must be informed (a) of the court before which the person is to be brought, (b) of the date on which the person is to be brought before the court, (c) of the general nature of the offence which the person has been officially accused of committing and (d) that the parent’s attendance at the court may be required under section 42 of the 1995 Act. The requirement to give such information may be dispensed with if a constable believes that it would be detrimental to the wellbeing of the person being brought before the court or released on undertaking (subsection(3)).