The Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2004

Right of appeal in respect of evidentiary rulings

21.—(1) The prosecution may, in accordance with this Article and Article 22, appeal in respect of—

(a) a single qualifying evidentiary ruling; or

(b) two or more qualifying evidentiary rulings.

(2) A “qualifying evidentiary ruling” is an evidentiary ruling of a judge in relation to a trial on indictment which is made at any time (whether before or after the commencement of the trial) before the opening of the case for the defence.

(3) The prosecution may not appeal in respect of a single qualifying evidentiary ruling unless the ruling relates to one or more qualifying offences (whether or not it relates to any other offence).

(4) The prosecution may not appeal in respect of two or more qualifying evidentiary rulings unless each ruling relates to one or more qualifying offences (whether or not it relates to any other offence).

(5) If the prosecution intends to appeal under this Article, it must before the opening of the case for the defence inform the court—

(a) of its intention to do so; and

(b) of the ruling or rulings to which the appeal relates.

(6) In respect of the ruling, or each ruling, to which the appeal relates—

(a) the qualifying offence, or at least one of the qualifying offences, to which the ruling relates must be the subject of the appeal; and

(b) any other offence to which the ruling relates may, but need not, be the subject of the appeal.

(7) The prosecution must, at the same time that it informs the court in accordance with paragraph (5), inform the court of the offence or offences which are the subject of the appeal.

(8) For the purposes of this Article, the case for the defence opens when, after the conclusion of the prosecution evidence, the earliest of the following events occurs—

(a) evidence begins to be adduced by or on behalf of a defendant;

(b) it is indicated to the court that no evidence will be adduced by or on behalf of a defendant;

(c) a defendant’s case is opened, as permitted by section 2 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1865 (c. 18).

(9) In this Article—

“evidentiary ruling” means a ruling which relates to the admissibility or exclusion of any prosecution evidence;

“qualifying offence” means—

(a)

an offence described in Schedule 2;

(b)

an offence of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the commission of an offence described in Schedule 2.

(10) The Secretary of State may by order amend that Schedule by doing any one or more of the following—

(a) adding a description of offence;

(b) removing a description of offence for the time being included;

(c) modifying a description of offence for the time being included.

(11) Nothing in this Article affects the right of the prosecution to appeal in respect of an evidentiary ruling under Article 17.