Max Carlton-Smith

Home Office Home SECRETARY 2 Marsham Street; London SWIP 4DF wwwhomeoffice-gov.uk Dr Andrew Harris Senior Coroner; London Inner South Southwark Coroner's Court 1 Tennis Street Southwark 3 0 MAR 2015 London SE1 1YD 5 Hsa Thank you for your report of 30 December 2014 about the death of Mr Max Carlton- Smith following his attendance at an illegal rave_ appreciate the concerns you raise in relation to the circumstances of Mr Carlton- Smith's death and the concerns raised by lof the Metropolitan Police Service in relation to preventing illegal raves being held . Our assessment is that the police have sufficient powers under sections 63 and 64 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (as amended by the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003) to both prevent and stop illegal raves Under section 63 of the Act an officer not below the rank of Superintendent may direct that people preparing for and attending an illegal rave must leave and remove any vehicles or property that they have with them, if are trespassers This power applies both to residential and commercial premises. Failure to comply with such a direction is a criminal offence with sentences of up to 3 months imprisonment andlor a €2,500 fine_ Section 64 provides that if a' police officer of at least the rank of Superintendent reasonably believes that circumstances exist that could lead to direction being made under section 63, he may authorise any police constable to enter the land to: ascertain whether such circumstances exist; exercise any power conferred on the constable by section 63; and to seize any vehicle or sound equipment in the possession of anyone subject to a direction under section 63 . The use of these powers is of course an operational matter for the police. they

hope that this addresses the concerns raised in the report: am copying this letter to the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and the Chief Coroner The Rt Hon Theresa May MP