england-and-wales police assault
What is the time limit for reporting an incident of criminal assault to the police for which you possess video evidence?
<p>Suppose Bob assaults Alice by punching and kicking her, as well as surrounding her with a bunch of colleagues with her back against a wall because she voiced political viewpoints which Bob and his associates find objectionable while they were trying to stage a demonstration.</p>
<p>Alice caught numerous of their strikes and blows on camera, even while they often tried to grab her phone out of her hand and demanded that she stop filming them (on public property).</p>
<p>Alice was so flustered on the day that she didn't have energy to go to the police but is now left with regrets.</p>
<p>How long does she have to file a proper police report of the assault?</p>

<h2>6 months or unlimited</h2>
<p>England and Wales has a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limitation_periods_in_the_United_Kingdom" rel="nofollow noreferrer">limit</a> on summary offences of 6 months. Common assault is usually a summary offence. Note that the limitation period is from the offence to the bringing of charges so, as a practical matter, the report needs to be made early enough to allow for investigation.</p>
<p>For indictable offences, there is no limit. However, the older the crime, the harder it is to get a conviction.</p>
