What is a submission of no case to answer?

Where the prosecution case is weak, either because there is no evidence to prove the offence or, although there is some evidence, the evidence is insufficient to support a conviction, the defence may make an application to the judge (in the Crown Court) or to the magistrates or District Judge (in the magistrates’ court) to dismiss the case because there is no case to answer.

A successful application will result in a not guilty verdict.

Judges/magistrates can decide that there is no case to answer of their own initiative (although they would usually invite the defence to make an application), but they must allow the prosecution an opportunity to make submissions in response as to why there is a case to answer.

P.S. I was trained as a Police Investigator aged 19/20