Stop and Search: Scrapped law may return

Last year a law allowing police counter-terrorism stops without suspicion, under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, was scrapped by Home Secretary, Theresa May, after European judges overruled it as breaching human rights.

But last week Police went back to the government to ask for new powers to stop and search people without having to suspect them of involvement in crime.

The Guardian reported that senior officers have told the government the new law is needed to better protect the public against attempted attacks on large numbers of people, and are hopeful they can win ministers' backing.

Police, including the Metropolitan force have asked the government for a law which would be more limited than section 44 and would be restricted to specific periods of time and geographic area, or a specific place or event. 

The new stop and search power would need primary legislation to become law and it is believed it could be introduced within months.

Winsome-Grace Cornish