The Juries (Northern Ireland) Order 1996

[F1 Restriction on disclosure of juror information [F2 or anonymous elector information] N.I.

26A— (1) A person to whom any of paragraphs (2) to (7) applies must not disclose juror information [F3 or anonymous elector information] (see Article 26C) except with lawful authority (see Article 26B).

(2) This paragraph applies to a person—

(a) who is or has been an electoral officer or a court official (see Article 26C); and

(b) who obtained the juror information [F3 or anonymous elector information] in the course of his functions as an electoral officer or court official.

(3) This paragraph applies to a person—

(a) who is or has been a person providing services to the [F4 Department of Justice in respect of its functions under section 69 of the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978] or the employee of such a person; and

(b) who obtained the juror information [F3 or anonymous elector information ] for or in connection with the provision of [F5 those ] services F6 . . . .

(4) This paragraph applies to a person—

(a) who is or has been a member of the police service (see Article 26C); and

(b) who obtained the juror information [F3 or anonymous elector information] for or in connection with the making of checks, in accordance with jury check guidelines (see Article 26C), on the person to whom the information relates.

(5) This paragraph applies to any person, other than a court official or a member of the police service, to whom the juror information [F3 or anonymous elector information] was disclosed in accordance with jury check guidelines.

(6) This paragraph applies to a person—

(a) who is or has been a juror or summoned as a juror; and

(b) who obtained the juror information [F3 or anonymous elector information] as a result of having been a juror or summoned as a juror;

but this paragraph does not apply to a person in so far as the juror information [F3 or anonymous elector information] is information about himself.

(7) This paragraph applies to a person who knows, or ought reasonably to have known, that the juror information [F3 or anonymous elector information] had previously been disclosed in contravention of paragraph (1).

(8) A person who contravenes paragraph (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or to both;

(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine, or to both.

(9) It shall be a defence for a person charged with an offence under this Article to prove that he reasonably believed that the disclosure by him was lawful.]

F1 Arts. 26A- 26C inserted (1.8.2007) by Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007 (c. 6), ss. 10(1), 53(4) (with s. 10(3)); S.I. 2007/2045, art. 2(2)

F2 Words in art. 26A heading inserted (15.9.2014) by The Anonymous Registration (Northern Ireland) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/1116), arts. 1(1), 11(5)(a)

F3 Words in art. 26A(1)-(7) inserted (15.9.2014) by The Anonymous Registration (Northern Ireland) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/1116), arts. 1(1), 11(5)(b)

F4 Words in art. 26A(3)(a) substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Court Service (Abolition and Transfer of Functions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2010 (S.R. 2010/133), art. 4, Sch. para.16(3)(a) (with arts. 5-7)

F5 Word in art. 26A(3)(b) inserted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Court Service (Abolition and Transfer of Functions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2010 (S.R. 2010/133), art. 4, Sch. para.16(3)(b)(i) (with arts. 5-7)

F6 Words in art. 26A(3)(b) omitted (12.4.2010) by virtue of Northern Ireland Court Service (Abolition and Transfer of Functions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2010 (S.R. 2010/133), art. 4, Sch. para.16(3)(b)(ii) (with arts. 5-7)