Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2015

Challenge to notice of registration

25.—(1) This section applies where—

(a) a person who has received notice of the registration of a sum under section 24 for enforcement against that person as a fine makes a statutory declaration to the effect mentioned in subsection (2), and

(b) that declaration is, within 21 days of the date on which the person making it received notice of the registration, served on the fines clerk.

(2) The statutory declaration must state that the person making the declaration was not the person to whom the relevant prosecutorial fine notice was issued.

(3) In any case within subsection (2) the relevant prosecutorial fine notice, the registration and any proceedings taken before the declaration was served for enforcing payment of the sum registered shall be void.

(4) References in this section to the relevant prosecutorial fine notice are to the prosecutorial fine notice relating to the prosecutorial fine concerned.

(5) Subsection (6) applies where, on the application of a person who has received notice of the registration of a sum under section 24 for enforcement against that person as a fine, it appears to a court of summary jurisdiction that it was not reasonable to expect that person to serve, within 21 days of the date on which that person received the notice, a statutory declaration to the effect mentioned in subsection (2).

(6) The court may accept service of such a declaration by that person after that period has expired; and a statutory declaration so accepted shall be taken to have been served as required by subsection (1).

(7) In this section references to proceedings for enforcing payment of the sum registered are references to any process issued or other proceedings taken for or in connection with enforcing payment of that sum.

(8) For the purposes of this section, a person shall be taken to receive notice of the registration of a sum under section 24 for enforcement against that person as a fine when that person receives notice either of the registration as such or of any proceedings for enforcing payment of the sum registered.

(9) Nothing in this section is to be read as prejudicing any rights a person may otherwise have by virtue of the invalidity of any action purportedly taken under this Part which is not in fact authorised by this Part in the circumstances of the case.

(10) Accordingly, references in this section to the registration of any sum or to any other action taken under this Part are not to be read as implying that the registration or action was validly made or taken in accordance with that provision.