Someone in custody at a Kent police station?

What happens at the custody desk

When someone's booked in, the custody sergeant reads them their rights. One of them is the right to free legal advice. If they ask for me by name, Robert Cashman at Tuckers Solicitors, the request goes through the Defence Solicitor Call Centre and reaches me.

You can instruct me as immediate family, but they'll still need to confirm they want me.

What I'll do once I'm instructed

• I'll speak to them in private on the phone, and tell them not to discuss the allegation with anyone, in the cells or with officers, until we've spoken properly.
• I'll call the officer in the case to find out what the allegation is, what they'll show me, and when they want to interview.
• I'll come to the station, see them before the interview, and sit with them all the way through it.
• If they agree, I'll let you know how things are going and when they might be released.

How long can they be kept?

The normal limit is 24 hours from when they arrive at the police station. For more serious offences a superintendent can extend that to 36 hours, and anything longer needs a magistrates' court. That's the maximum, not the norm. Many people are released well before then.

What I can't do

I can't tell you whether someone is in custody, trace a missing person or pass messages to them. I can't take crime reports or put you through to the police. Until I'm instructed, custody won't give me updates either. If you need the police rather than a solicitor, use the official contacts below.