What is an ID parade?
An identification parade is used if the police believe they may have a suspect but the identity of the suspect is in dispute. It gives the opportunity for a witness to identify the suspect from a parade of people (if they are able to). This is designed as a safeguard against the issue of mistaken identity. The witness will be shown a photograph or short video of the suspect and a group of other individuals who look similar, they will then be asked to identify if the person they saw commit the offence is in the line-up.
The rules surrounding an identification procedure can be found in Code of Practice D of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
The police have asked me to attend an ID procedure – should I attend?
It is sometimes in your interests to consent to an ID procedure, but it depends on the facts of your case and the evidence that the police have against you. It is important that you take professional legal advice. If you consent, you will be invited to the police station and a photograph/video of you will be taken. Other people will then be picked from the police database who look like you and who share your characteristics. If you have a prominent feature for example a scar or a face/neck tattoo this can either be covered or the feature will be added to the photograph of the other people in the parade.
If you do not consent to the ID procedure the police can use your custody photo (the photograph taken when you were arrested). This photo may be more likely to stand out against the other photographs on the data base. It also means you won’t have the opportunity to choose what you wear or to re-take a photograph if you are not happy with it. If you refuse to participate and are later charged, the court will sometimes draw an inference, or make their own conclusion, from your refusal to participate.
There are pros and cons of participating in an ID procedure, depending on the facts and evidence in your particular case.
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