(1)All crimes and offences, except murder and treason, shall be bailable.
(2)Any person accused of a crime which is by law bailable shall be entitled immediately after he has been brought before a justice for examination on declaration to apply to such justice or to the sheriff for [F1bail]:
Provided that the prosecutor shall be entitled to be heard against any such application.
(3)The sheriff or justice shall be entitled in his discretion to refuse such application before the person accused is committed until liberated in due course of law.
(4)Where an accused person is admitted to bail without being committed until liberated in due course of law, it shall not be necessary so to commit him, and it shall be lawful to serve him with an indictment or complaint without his having been previously so committed.
Textual Amendments
F1Word substituted by Bail etc. (Scotland) Act 1980 (c. 4, SIF 39:1), Sch. 1 para. 3