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MG Form

MG05

Offence Report

MG05 – Offence Report gives the court and prosecution a concise account of the case for the first magistrates’ court hearing. It may form the basis of the prosecution case where the defendant pleads guilty.

Category: Case administration

Available templates

Check before use: Confirm that the template is current and approved for your organisation and case type. Many agencies now capture this information directly in secure case-management systems. Never use this public library to store a completed form or case data.

Additional guidance

MG05 is a concise police case summary prepared for the first hearing in the magistrates’ court. It is completed before that hearing so it can be provided to the defence as part of the advance information.

The report should set out the essential facts of the offence or offences and provide a clear account of the prosecution case. Where a defendant pleads guilty, MG05 may be used as the basis on which the prosecution presents the facts to the court.

It may also identify any order sought on conviction, where relevant.

MG05 is different from:

  • MG04 – Charge Sheet, which records the formal charge, the defendant’s response and any unconditional bail after charge; and
  • witness statements and exhibits, which provide the underlying evidence.

The report should be accurate, balanced and limited to the information needed for the hearing. It is not a substitute for disclosure or the full prosecution case. If a not guilty plea is anticipated, further case material and disclosure duties apply.

The current public reference is the Home Office criminal casefile and MG-form guidance, supplemented by the CPS DG6 Desktop Guide.