Two new outcome codes landed in April 2026 and most descriptions of them are wrong. They did not carve anything out of Outcome 22. Here is what they are, when to ask for one, and the six-month trap nobody mentions.
There are 24 outcome codes, not the handful most representatives can name. Two of them are new since April 2026. Here is the full list, what each one means for your client, and the four that are worth arguing for.
Most police station representatives don't ask for Outcome 22 by name. Many don't know they can. Here's what it is, when it fits, and how to argue for it. The strongest disposal that doesn't leave a caution-or-conviction record and doesn't require an admission of guilt.
Diversion is the family of frameworks that lets a defence representative argue for an outcome avoiding charge entirely. It is also one of the most under-used arguments at the custody desk. Four temporal stages, three pathways that cut across them, and the practitioner’s five-question calculus.
A working test from R v Pritchard (1836) that experienced PSRs use to refuse interviews their client cannot legally take part in — and the four-line script you say to the custody sergeant.
A practical quick-reference guide to the core legal terms you will encounter at the police station. From arrest and detention to mens rea and dishonesty — each term explained with what it means for your work in custody.