S. 1(1) substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 12, Sch. 14 para. 3(2) (with
SI 1973/2163
Words in s. 1(3) substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 12, Sch. 14 para. 3(3) (with
SI 1973/2163
S. 2(1)(a) substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 12, Sch. 14 para. 4(2) (with
S. 3(1)(i) substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 12, Sch. 14 para. 5(2) (with
Words in s. 3(5) substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 12, Sch. 14 para. 5(3) (with
SI 1982/159
Words in s. 4(1)(a) substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 12, Sch. 14 para. 6(2)(a) (with
Words in s. 4(1)(a) substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 12, Sch. 14 para. 6(2)(b) (with
Words in s. 4(2) substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 12, Sch. 14 para. 6(3) (with
Words in s. 4(2A) substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 12, Sch. 14 para. 6(4) (with
Words in s. 4(4) substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 12, Sch. 14 para. 6(5) (with
Words in s. 5A substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 12, Sch. 14 para. 7 (with
Words in s. 6(b) substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 12, Sch. 14 para. 8 (with
SI 1973/2163
SI 1982/159
SR 1979/90
Words in s. 8 substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 12, Sch. 14 para. 9 (with
S. 9 omitted (12.4.2010) by virtue of Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 12, Sch. 14 para. 10 (with
SLR 1980
S. 10(1): words in the definition of "private prosecutor" substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 12, Sch. 14 para. 11(2) (with
S. 10(1A) omitted (12.4.2010) by virtue of Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 12, Sch. 14 para. 11(3) (with
Words in s. 10(2) substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 12, Sch. 14 para. 11(4) (with
S. 1 applied (6.4.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), ss. 37, 94(1), Sch. 2 para. 20; S.I. 2008/755, art. 15(1)(g)(h)
1980 N.I. 3
1980 c.47
1947 c.44
1954 c.33
Where any criminal proceedings are instituted by or on behalf of, or taken over by, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the costs of the prosecution of such proceedings (including any costs incurred in connection with any matter preliminary or incidental to, and with any appeal from, those proceedings) shall, in accordance with arrangements approved by the Department of Finance and Personnel, be defrayed in the first instance by the Director.
Except in the case of proceedings to which subsection (1) applies, the costs of the prosecution of any criminal proceedings (including any costs incurred in connection with any matter preliminary or incidental to, and with any appeal from, those proceedings) shall, subject to subsection (3), be defrayed in the first instance by the prosecutor.
The court by or before which any person is convicted of any offence may, in addition to any other order which it may make on or in consequence of such conviction, order, subject to rules made pursuant to section 7, that person to pay—
in the case of proceedings to which section 1(1) applies, to the Director of Public Prosecutions; and
in any other case, to the prosecutor;
the whole or any part of the costs of the prosecution, including any costs incurred in connection with any matter preliminary or incidental to the trial.
The amount of any costs ordered by a magistrates' court under this section to be paid by a person under the age of
Any order under this section shall be enforceable—
if made by a magistrates' court, in the same manner as any other sum adjudged to be paid by a conviction of that court; or
if made by any other court—
in any case where the prosecutor is a private prosecutor, in the same manner as an order under section 3 for the payment by a private prosecutor of the costs of the defence; and
in any other case, in the same manner as any fine which has been or might have been imposed, in respect of the offence for which the person has been convicted, by the court making the order.
Subject to the provisions of this section and of section 6, any court before which a person is prosecuted or tried (including a magistrates' court conducting the preliminary investigation of an indictable offence)
the accused is acquitted; or
the charge is dismissed, withdrawn or struck out; or
in the case of a magistrates' court conducting the preliminary investigation of an indictable offence, the accused is discharged;
may—
in any other case, order the prosecutor;
to pay to the accused the whole or any part of the costs of the defence.
Where a person committed for trial is not subsequently tried, the court to which he is committed shall have the same power to order payment of costs under this Act as if the accused had been tried and acquitted.
Where a notice of transfer is given under Article 3 of the Criminal Justice (Serious Fraud) (Northern Ireland) Order 1988
The costs of the defence mentioned in subsection (1) shall, subject to subsection (4) and to rules pursuant to section 7, be such sums as appear to the court reasonably sufficient to compensate the accused for the expenses properly incurred by him in carrying on the defence (including, in the case of a trial, any proceedings preliminary or incidental to such trial) and to compensate any witness for the defence for the expense, trouble or loss of time properly incurred in, or incidental to, his attendance to give evidence.
Where an appellant is retried by virtue of an order under [
any costs which could have been ordered to be paid under this section by the court by which he was originally tried if he had been acquitted at the original trial; and
if no order was made under section 4(2) of this Act or under [
Notwithstanding that the court makes no order under subsection (1) for the payment of the costs of the defence, it may, subject to section 6, order the payment by the
Unless the court otherwise directs, no sum shall be payable in pursuance of an order under this section to, or in respect of, any witness for the defence who is a witness to character only.
Where a court orders, under this section, payment of the costs of the defence, the order shall be enforceable—
where the prosecutor is a private prosecutor—
if the court is a magistrates' court, in the same manner as an order made by a magistrates' court in respect of a civil debt; or
Sub-para. (ii) rep. by 1978 c. 23
in any other case, in the same manner as an order for the payment of costs made by the High Court in a civil case; or
if the prosecutor is not a private prosecutor, in the same manner as is provided by section 25 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947
In this section, “witness” means a person properly attending to give evidence, whether or not he gives evidence; and a person called to give evidence at the instance of the court may, whether or not he is a witness for the defence, be made the subject of an order under subsection (5).
When the Court of Appeal dismisses an appeal or an application for leave to appeal, it may, subject to rules made pursuant to section 7, order the appellant—
to pay
to pay to the Lord Chancellor the whole or any part of any expenses payable by the Lord Chancellor in respect of the appeal or application by virtue of the said section 28(2); and
to pay the cost of any transcript of a record of proceedings made in accordance with rules of court under section 21 of that Act.
Where the Court of Appeal reverses or varies a ruling on an appeal under Part IV of the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 (prosecution appeals) it may, subject to rules made pursuant to section 7, make such order as to the costs to be paid by the accused, to such person as may be named in the order, as it considers just and reasonable.
Costs ordered to be paid under subsection (1A) may include the cost of any transcript of a record of proceedings made in accordance with rules of court under section 21 of the Criminal Appeal (Northern Ireland) Act 1980.
Without prejudice to the said [
The Court may also order the
The costs of the appellant mentioned in
Where the [
Where section 47A of the Criminal Appeal (Northern Ireland) Act 1980 (death of convicted person) applies, any reference in this section to the appellant includes the person approved under that section.
Where an order for the payment of costs is made in any criminal cause by the High Court or the Court of Appeal, not being an order under section 2 or 3, the order shall be enforceable in the same manner as an order for the payment of costs made by the High Court in a civil case, but subject to section 25 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947 where that section is applicable.
A county court, when exercising, in criminal appeals, the jurisdiction conferred on it by [
when it dismisses an appeal, order, subject to rules made pursuant to section 7, the appellant to pay to the respondent the whole or any part of the costs of the appeal; or
when it allows an appeal against conviction, order, subject to section 6, the respondent to pay to the appellant the whole or any part of the costs of the appellant.
The costs of the appellant mentioned in subsection (1)( b) shall, subject to rules made pursuant to section 7, be such sums as appear to the county court reasonably sufficient to compensate the appellant for any expenses properly incurred in the prosecution of his appeal (including any proceedings preliminary or incidental to such an appeal) and in carrying on his defence at the magistrates' court, including any proceedings preliminary or incidental to the proceedings in that court.
Notwithstanding that the court makes no order under subsection (1)( b) for the payment of the costs of the appellant, it may, subject to section 6, order the payment by the respondent of such sums as, subject to rules made pursuant to section 7, appear to the county court reasonably sufficient to compensate any person properly attending to give evidence for the appellant, or at the instance of the court, on an appeal against conviction to that court, or in proceedings preliminary or incidental to such appeal, whether or not he gives evidence, for the expense, trouble or loss of time properly incurred in, or incidental to, his attendance.
Where, under this section, a county court orders the payment of costs by—
the person who has appealed against the conviction, the order shall be enforceable in the same manner as a sum adjudged to be paid by a conviction of a magistrates' court;
a prosecutor who is a private prosecutor, the order shall be enforceable in the same manner as an order made by a magistrates' court in respect of a civil debt;
a prosecutor who is not a private prosecutor, the order shall be enforceable in the same manner as is provided by section 25 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947 for the payment of costs in civil proceedings.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Act, where in any criminal proceedings an interpreter is required because of a defendant's lack of English, the expenses properly incurred on his employment shall, in accordance with rules made pursuant to section 7, be defrayed by the
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in sections 3, 4 and 5, where any costs of a defence or appeal are defrayable under [
no order shall be made under section 3(1) or (5), 4(2) or 5(1)( b) or (3) in favour of the defendant or appellant; and
the appropriate court may, if the costs would, had any order been made under section 3(1) or 5(1)( b), have been payable to the defendant or appellant, as the case may be, by any person other than the
Rules of court, Crown Court rules, county court rules and magistrates' courts rules may provide for the rates or scales of payment [
Nothing in this Act shall affect any other statutory provision requiring the payment of the costs of the prosecution or defence, or of an appeal, in respect of any offence, out of any assets, moneys or fund, or by any person other than the
In this Act—
“constable” means any member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary acting as such …
“the Ministry” has the meaning assigned to it by section 1(1);
“private prosecutor” means a prosecutor in any prosecution other than a prosecution instituted by or on behalf of, or taken over by,
“prosecutor” means the person by or on whose behalf the criminal proceedings were instituted;
“statutory provision” has the meaning assigned to it by section 1( f) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954.
Without prejudice to the definition of “costs”
in section 46(2) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954
S. 11, with Schedule, effects repeals
This Act may be cited as the Costs in Criminal Cases Act (Northern Ireland) 1968.
Commencement