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Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999

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Changes over time for: Section 31

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Version Superseded: 06/12/2006

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Point in time view as at 01/12/2003. This version of this provision has been superseded. Help about Status

Changes to legislation:

Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, Section 31 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 28 November 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. Help about Changes to Legislation

31 Status of evidence given under Chapter I.E+W
This section has no associated Explanatory Notes

(1)Subsections (2) to (4) apply to a statement made by a witness in criminal proceedings which, in accordance with a special measures direction, is not made by the witness in direct oral testimony in court but forms part of the witness’s evidence in those proceedings.

(2)The statement shall be treated as if made by the witness in direct oral testimony in court; and accordingly—

(a)it is admissible evidence of any fact of which such testimony from the witness would be admissible;

(b)it is not capable of corroborating any other evidence given by the witness.

(3)Subsection (2) applies to a statement admitted under section 27 or 28 which is not made by the witness on oath even though it would have been required to be made on oath if made by the witness in direct oral testimony in court.

(4)In estimating the weight (if any) to be attached to the statement, the court must have regard to all the circumstances from which an inference can reasonably be drawn (as to the accuracy of the statement or otherwise).

(5)Nothing in this Chapter (apart from subsection (3)) affects the operation of any rule of law relating to evidence in criminal proceedings.

(6)Where any statement made by a person on oath in any proceeding which is not a judicial proceeding for the purposes of section 1 of the M1Perjury Act 1911 (perjury) is received in evidence in pursuance of a special measures direction, that proceeding shall be taken for the purposes of that section to be part of the judicial proceeding in which the statement is so received in evidence.

(7)Where in any proceeding which is not a judicial proceeding for the purposes of that Act—

(a)a person wilfully makes a false statement otherwise than on oath which is subsequently received in evidence in pursuance of a special measures direction, and

(b)the statement is made in such circumstances that had it been given on oath in any such judicial proceeding that person would have been guilty of perjury,

he shall be guilty of an offence and liable to any punishment which might be imposed on conviction of an offence under section 57(2) (giving of false unsworn evidence in criminal proceedings).

(8)In this section “statement” includes any representation of fact, whether made in words or otherwise.

Commencement Information

I1S. 31 wholly in force at 24.7.2002; Pt. II Chs. 1-4 (ss. 16-52) in force for certain purposes at Royal Assent, see s. 68(4); s. 31 in force in so far as not already in force at 24.7.2002 by S.I. 2002/1739, art. 2(b)

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