History Main / YouDoNotHaveToSayAnything

* A detective in the ''Series/DoctorWho'' special "Planet of the Dead" arrests the companion du jour by saying "You do not have to say anything, et cetera, et cetera...". Made moot by the fact the Doctor frees her, but ''Magazine/DoctorWhoMagazine'' pointed out the arrest could be invalidated in the issue after its transmission.

** In ''Discworld/GuardsGuards'', Carrot reads two prisoners their rights as set out in the Dignity of Man (Civic Rights) Act of 1341. The bit about remaining silent is in there, but because this is Ankh-Morpork there is also some stuff about the right not to [[PoliceBrutality fall down the steps to the cells or jump out of high windows]].
** In ''Discworld/{{Thud}}'', Sergeant Colon reads the an imprisoned dwarf clerk his rights "but don't ask me [[HeroicBSOD if he understood them]]". This time the irrelevant "rights" concern [[SpotOfTea tea and biscuits]].

The speech is done so often it may merely be subtitled as "Recites Caution".

** In an obvious ShoutOut in the second episode of ''Series/AshesToAshes'', Alex Drake bribes Gene Hunt into nicking the perp she's sure is the right man (but Gene is unconvinced of) by letting Gene stamp her bum. To his credit, the Gene Genie backs her 100% during the arrest, to the point of dragging an old man down a flight of stairs by his pajamalegs, but when Alex tries to give the kid his caution, Gene loudly says "That's not how it goes!"

The current England and Wales version (as modified by the 1994 Criminal Justice Act) is:

(Sharp-eyed tropers will note that the accused now has only a ''qualified'' right to remain silent[[note]]If you don't say something that could exculpate you (i.e. would assist in your defense) while being questioned, then you will have to explain ''why'' you didn't mention it during your trial, and if your reason not to mention it isn't good enough, your ''silence'' will be used against you[[/note]], whereas before 1994 the accused had an ''absolute'' right to remain silent[[note]]You don't need to say anything to police that have arrested you, period. No exceptions, and you can withhold information that may assist in your defense at trial without having to explain why[[/note]]. This change was enormously controversial at the time and is still lamented by civil libertarians. It may also be at odds with the European Convention on Human Rights.)

(Sharp-eyed tropers will note that the accused now has only a ''qualified'' right to remain silent, whereas before 1994 the accused had an ''absolute'' right to remain silent. This change was enormously controversial at the time and is still lamented by civil libertarians. It may also be at odds with the European Convention on Human Rights.)

For the version used in the United States see MirandaRights. For anything not US or UK see ReadingYourRights.

* In ''Discworld/GuardsGuards'', Carrot reads two prisoners their rights as set out in the Dignity of Man (Civic Rights) Act of 1341. The bit about remaining silent is in there, but because this is Ankh-Morpork there is also some stuff about the right not to [[PoliceBrutality fall down the steps to the cells or jump out of high windows]].

** In an obvious ShoutOut in the second episode of ''AshesToAshes'', Alex Drake bribes Gene Hunt into nicking the perp she's sure is the right man (but Gene is unconvinced of) by letting Gene stamp her bum. To his credit, the Gene Genie backs her 100% during the arrest, to the point of dragging an old man down a flight of stairs by his pajamalegs, but when Alex tries to give the kid his caution, Gene loudly says "That's not how it goes!"
*** In another episode of ''Ashes to Ashes'', Gene and Alex have finally cornered a very nasty character. Gene procedes to read him his rights, but being Gene, does his own version: "Anything you say will be taken down, ripped up and shoved down your scrawny little throat until you choke to death! Gene Hunt, chapter 1, verse 2."
* Episodes of ''ATouchOfFrost'' have been set both before and after the 1994 changes (which introduced the "But it may harm your defence" line). Those set shortly after the change had a running joke in which Detective Inspector Frost would keep forgetting the new wording, usually having to read it out from a piece of paper in his pocket.

** ''TheLastDetective''
** ''NewTricks''
** ''MidsomerMurders''
** ''[[InspectorLynley The Inspector Lynley Mysteries]]''
* ''NotTheNineOClockNews'' did a comedic riff on this: "Anything you say will be taken down and used in evidence." The deadpan response; "[[PoliceBrutalityGambit No, no, not the face. Ow. Argh. Stop it, you're hurting me.]]" The Policeman dutifully writes it all down...

* Inspector Jack Regan's take on this in ''Series/TheSweeney'' was inevitably " You're fucking ''nicked''!"

* In ''[[MatthewSwift The Minority Council]]'' by Kate Griffin, this is used in an incantation to catch a monster (along with a roll of police tape and similar paraphernalia).

[[folder: Newpaper Comics ]]

* Heard briefly in ''HotFuzz'' when Nicholas arrests the chav shoplifter.

* In ''The Pirate Movie'', an "updated" dream-like retelling of ''The Pirates of Penzance'', the lead Bobby reads "Anything you say may be taken down..." to which all the Stanley daughters yell "Knickers!"

* Almost always when a criminal is arrested in the long-running ITV drama ''Series/TheBill''. In one 1994 episode, a hardened con starts to say he knows the drill, only to be baffled by the new version.

* Inspector Jack Regan's take on this in ''TheSweeney'' was inevitably " You're fucking ''nicked''!"

* Almost always when a criminal is arrested in the long-running ITV drama ''TheBill''. In one 1994 episode, a hardened con starts to say he knows the drill, only to be baffled by the new version.

* Obviously, ''LawAndOrderUK''.

* Inspector Jack Regan's take no this in ''TheSweeney'' was inevitably " You're fucking ''nicked''!"

- "I've been framed - it's <insert name of villain> who dunnit. Honest, guv. Cor blimey. Luv a duck."
- "It's a fair cop."

A frequent TV practice is for a senior officer to yell "You're nicked!" before a junior officer recites this caution. Another practice is for the arrestee (or someone nearby) to complain that they have been framed.

* ''NotTheNineOClockNews'' did a comedic riff on this: "Anything you say will be taken down and used in evidence." The deadpan response; "[[PoliceBrutalityGambit No, no, not the face. Ow. Argh. Stop it, you're hurting me.]]"