Reporting an incident to police

If you are a victim of a crime or know about a crime, you can report it to police. You may be able to do this anonymously. 

When you need legal advice

Get legal advice if you:

  • are a witness or complainant and have concerns about giving evidence against an offender
  • have been contacted by police or a prosecutor a long time after an offence.

 How to get legal advice

How do I report someone to the police?

If you are a victim of crime, or if you know about a crime, there are several ways you can let police know: 

Do I have to say who I am?

You can report some things anonymously (like information given to Crime Stoppers), but there is often a better chance of an offender being convicted and sentenced if you are prepared to make a formal statement and give evidence in court.

You can't get compensation for injuries or property damage if the offender is convicted but the court doesn’t know you suffered a loss.

If the offender goes to court, will I have to give evidence?

If the police think there is enough evidence, they will charge the offender.

Most offenders plead guilty, so the witnesses and victims never have to go to court. If you make a formal written statement to police, your address is kept secret and is not given to the offender by police or the court.

If the offender pleads ‘not guilty’, you might have to give evidence at a hearing in court.

If you are the victim of a sexual crime, or a child, there are special ways the court can help protect you when you give evidence.

Is there any alternative to going to court?

Yes, police and the courts can refer some cases to a conference, which is like mediation, so the victim and offender (even if the offender is a child) can meet in a safe place to work things out.

This is voluntary. If you are the victim, or if you were affected by the crime, you can't be forced to go to a conference.

Can I insist police charge the offender?

No. A victim or a witness to a crime can't insist on charges being laid or dropped.

How long do the police have to contact me about an offence, is there a time limit?

For most criminal offences, a prosecutor can contact you at any time after the offence, even many years later.

How long do the police have between investigating and laying charges?

There is no way to predict how long police will need to investigate a crime. You have every right to be kept informed about how the crime investigation is going, so stay in touch with police.

Can I drop my complaint if I made the report?

Yes, usually, but the police will need you to sign a withdrawal form.

If the crime was serious, they may still go ahead even without your report if they have enough evidence to take the offender to court.

Can I stop the offender contacting me?

If the offender is granted bail, it may have conditions that limit them from contacting you if you are a victim or witness. If the offender threatens you, or gets friends to threaten you, call police straight away, because police can arrest the offender if they breach their bail conditions. You may also be able to apply for a peace and good behaviour order.

Read more about peace and good behaviour orders.

How to get legal advice

We may give legal advice about making a complaint to police.

Contact us

Other places to get legal advice:

Who else can help?

Related information

Disclaimer: This content is for general purposes only and not legal advice. If you have a legal problem, please contact us or speak to a lawyer. View our full disclaimer.

Last updated
Last reviewed
Back to top