The Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989

[F1 Video recordings of testimony from child witnesses N.I.

F2 81A.— (1) This Article applies in relation to the following proceedings, namely—

(a) trials on indictment for any offence to which Article 81(3) applies;

(b) appeals to the Court of Appeal and hearings of references under[F3 section 10 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1995] in respect of any such offence; and

(c) proceedings in[F4 magistrates] courts for any such offence[F3 ,appeals to the county court arising out of such proceedings and hearings of references under section 12 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1995 so arising].

(2) In any such proceedings a video recording of an interview which—

(a) is conducted between an adult and a child who is not the accused or one of the accused ( “the child witness”); and

(b) relates to any matter in issue in the proceedings,

may, with the leave of the court, be given in evidence in so far as it is not excluded by the court under paragraph (3).

(3) Where a video recording is tendered in evidence under this Article, the court shall (subject to the exercise of any power of the court to exclude evidence which is otherwise admissible) give leave under paragraph (2) unless—

(a) it appears that the child witness will not be available for cross-examination;

(b) any rules to which this paragraph applies requiring disclosure of the circumstances in which the recording was made have not been complied with to the satisfaction of the court; or

(c) the court is of the opinion, having regard to all the circumstances of the case, that in the interests of justice the recording ought not to be admitted;

and where the court gives such leave it may, if it is of the opinion that in the interests of justice any part of the recording ought not to be admitted, direct that that part shall be excluded.

(4) In considering whether any part of a recording ought to be excluded under paragraph (3), the court shall consider whether any prejudice to the accused, or one of the accused, which might result from the admission of that part is outweighed by the desirability of showing the whole, or substantially the whole, of the recorded interview.

(5) Where a video recording is admitted under this Article—

(a) the child witness shall be called by the party who tendered it in evidence;

(b) that witness shall not be examined in chief on any matter which, in the opinion of the court, has been dealt with adequately in his recorded testimony.

(6) Where a video recording is given in evidence under this Article, any statement made by the child witness which is disclosed by the recording shall be treated as if given by that witness in direct oral testimony; and accordingly—

(a) any such statement shall be admissible evidence of any fact of which such testimony from him would be admissible;

(b) no such statement shall be capable of corroborating any other evidence given by him;

and in estimating the weight, if any, to be attached to such a statement, regard shall be had to all the circumstances from which any inference can reasonably be drawn (as to its accuracy or otherwise).

[F5 (6A) Where the court gives leave under paragraph (2) the child witness shall not give relevant evidence (within the meaning given by paragraph (6D)) otherwise than by means of the video recording; but this is subject to paragraph (6B).

(6B) In a case falling within paragraph (6A) the court may give permission for the child witness to give relevant evidence (within the meaning given by paragraph (6D)) otherwise than by means of the video recording if it appears to the court to be in the interests of justice to give such permission.

(6C) Permission may be given under paragraph (6B)—

(a) on an application by a party to the case, or

(b) of the court’s own motion;

but no application may be made under sub-paragraph (a) unless there has been a material change of circumstances since the leave was given under paragraph (2).

(6D) For the purposes of paragraphs (6A) and (6B) evidence is relevant evidence if—

(a) it is evidence in chief on behalf of the party who tendered the video recording, and

(b) it relates to matter which, in the opinion of the court, is dealt with in the recording and which the court has not directed to be excluded under paragraph (3).]

(7) In this Article “child” means a person who—

(a) in the case of an offence falling within Article 81(3)(a) or (b), is under 14 years of age or, if he was under that age when the video recording was made, is under 15 years of age; or

(b) in the case of an offence falling within Article 81(3)(c), is under 17 years of age or, if he was under that age when the video recording was made, is under 18 years of age.

(8) Any reference in paragraph (7) to an offence falling within sub-paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of Article 81(3) includes a reference to an offence which consists of attempting or conspiring to commit, or of aiding, abetting, counselling, procuring or inciting the commission of, an offence falling within that paragraph.

(9) In this Article—

• “statement” includes any representation of fact, whether made in words or otherwise;

• “video recording” means any recording, on any medium, from which a moving image may by any means be produced and includes the accompanying sound-track.

F6 (10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(11) Without prejudice to the generality of any statutory provision conferring power to make rules to which this paragraph applies, such rules may make such provision as appears to the authority making them to be necessary or expedient for the purposes of this Article.

(12) Nothing in this Article shall prejudice the admissibility of any video recording which would be admissible apart from this Article.

(13) The rules to which paragraphs (3)(b) and (11) apply are—

(a) Crown Court rules;

(b) rules of court;

(c) county court rules; and

(d) magistrates' courts rules.]

F1 1995 NI 3

F2 Art. 81A repealed (30.6.2003 for certain purposes, 1.12.2003 for certain purposes, otherwise prosp.) by Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/2789 (N.I. 8)), arts. 1(2), 40(3), Sch. 3; S.R. 2003/323, art. 2, Sch.; S.R. 2003/476, art. 2

F3 1995 c. 35

F4 1998 NI 9

F5 Art. 81A(6A)-(6D) inserted (4.7.1996 with application as mentioned in s. 62(3) of the amending Act) by Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 (c. 25), s. 62(2) (as modified in its application to Northern Ireland by Sch. 4 para. 25)

F6 Art. 81A(10) repealed (17.10.2022) by Criminal Justice (Committal Reform) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 (c. 4), s. 5(2), Sch. para. 11(d); S.R. 2022/221, art. 2(d)