SCHEDULE S Notice to accused about effect of sections 288C and 288D of 1995 Act and special pre-trial procedures: amendment of 1995 Act

Notice of restriction on conduct of defence: copy complaint S

10 In section 146 (procedure in summary prosecution following not guilty plea), after subsection (3) there is inserted—

“(3A) Where, under subsection (3) above, the prosecutor furnishes an accused charged with a sexual offence to which section 288C of this Act applies with a copy of the complaint, it shall be accompanied by a notice to the accused—

(a) that, if he is tried for the offence, his defence at his trial may be conducted only by a lawyer;

(b) that it is, therefore, in his interests, if he has not already done so, to get the professional assistance of a solicitor; and

(c) that, if he does not engage a solicitor for the purposes of his defence at the trial, the court will do so.

(3B) A failure to comply with subsection (3A) above does not affect the validity or lawfulness of any such copy complaint or any other element of the proceedings against the accused.”.