Police chiefs prepare to defy Cameron and May by imposing ban on naming suspects New Association of Chief Police Officers guidance will keep arrests secret Comes as PM called for 'working assumption' in favour of naming suspects By James Slack and Jack Doyle Intervention: Home Secretary Theresa May last week said that police forces must continue to name arrested suspects if it is in the public interest to Police chiefs are preparing to defy the Prime Minister by imposing a ban on identifying arrested suspects. Despite warnings from David Cameron and Home Secretary Theresa May, the Association of Chief Police Officers is pressing ahead with plans to impose a policy of almost total secrecy. A draft of its draconian new guidance - due to be approved next week - states: "Save in exceptional and clearly identified circumstances, the names or identifying details of those who are arrested or suspected of a crime should not be released by police forces to the press or the public." It flies in the face of a hugely significant intervention by Mr Cameron on Wednesday, when he said there should be a "working assumption" in favour of identifying crime suspects. He backed Mrs May, who last week said that police should be free to name those who have been arrested if it is in the "public interest." Campaigners say it is vital that officers should not have their hands tied by rules that could prevent victims and witnesses coming forward. In the case of Stuart Hall, a string of victims contacted the police only after the media reported that the TV presenter had been arrested for indecent assault. But despite the warnings, Acpo are pressing ahead with their guidelines. The phrase in the rules "save in exceptional circumstances" echoes the Leveson report, which called for anonymity in the event of arrests. This is despite Mrs May and Mr Cameron pointing out to officers that, while the issue was raised in the Leveson report, it was not one of the judge's substantive recommendations. Last night campaigners attacked the plan for secret arrests. Kirsty Hughes, of the Index On Censorship, said: "De facto anonymity for people who have been arrested would reverse the principle of open justice we have in the UK and could lead to people being arrested and taken into custody without anyone knowing about it. 'It's a very difficult balance to get right ... making public the details of the arrest can help to bring forward evidence and bring forward victims. Therefore it is completely in the public interest Anonymity may be appropriate in certain circumstances, but sweeping powers for secrecy should not be the norm. In cases of suspected rape or abuse, naming people who have been arrested can encourage other witnesses to come forward and help to secure convictions. Save in exceptional and clearly identified circumstances, the names or identifying details of those who are arrested or suspected of a crime should not be released Peter Watt, director of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children's helpline, said: "Sex offenders frighten children into staying silent and make them feel they are partly responsible for what's happening. This can leave the victim feeling isolated and unaware there may well be others suffering the same ordeal. When a suspect is named in the public interest - for example when there is a child protection issue or because the police believe there are more victims - it gives others an opportunity to come forward, which helps build a stronger criminal case. Last week, Mrs May wrote to police chiefs to insist they must not continue with the practice - which has been adopted by a third of all forces - of refusing to identify suspects even after they had been charged. One force insisted they had adopted the policy in direct response to Leveson. But Mrs May said it risked undermining "transparency in the criminal justice system." She added: "I believe there should be a right to anonymity at arrest, but I know that there will be circumstances in which the public interest means that an arrested suspect should be named." Encouraging for witnesses: In the case of Stuart Hall, who abused a string of young girls, many victims contacted the police only after the media reported that the TV presenter had been arrested for indecent assault On Wednesday, five days after the letter was first made public, reports on the BBC suggested this meant Mrs May was herself in favour of anonymity except in exceptional circumstances. However, when this was put to the Prime Minister by journalists, he made it clear this was not the case. Mr Cameron said: "I know some people want to connect it specifically with Leveson. But actually it's a long-standing debate about how to get the balance right between making things public, which as Theresa has said should be the working assumption, but also respecting privacy where that is appropriate. It's a very difficult balance to get right. On the one hand, making public the details of the arrest can help to bring forward evidence and bring forward potential victims. Therefore it is completely in the public interest. Sometimes it is right to respect the privacy of the individual because the publicity around these sorts of arrests can be genuinely life changing. There is no simple answer to this. Mr Cameron added: "I saw Theresa's approach in advance and I think it's the right one."