Prosecution of Offences Act 1985

15 Interpretation of Part I. E+W

(1) In this Part—

• “binding over proceedings ” means any proceedings instituted (whether by way of complaint under section 115 of the M1 Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 or otherwise) with a view to obtaining from a magistrates’ court an order requiring a person to enter into a recognizance to keep the peace or to be of good behaviour;

• “Director ” means the Director of Public Prosecutions;

• [F1 “extradition proceedings” means proceedings under the Extradition Act 2003;]

• [F2 “legal representative ” means [F3 a person who, for the purposes of the Legal Services Act 2007, is an authorised person in relation to an activity which constitutes the exercise of a right of audience or the conduct of litigation (within the meaning of that Act);]]

• “police force ” has the same meaning as in section 3 of this Act;

• “prosecution functions ” means functions which by virtue of this Part become functions of the Director;

• “public authority ” has the same meaning as in section 17 of this Act;

• [F4 [F5 “ relevant prosecutor ”], “requisition” [F6 , “single justice procedure notice”] and “written charge” have the same meaning as in section 29 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003;]

• “Service ” means the Crown Prosecution Service; [F7 . . .

• F7 . . ..]

(2) For the purposes of this Part, proceedings in relation to an offence are instituted—

(a) where a justice of the peace issues a summons under section 1 of the M2 Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980, when the information for the offence is laid before him;

(b) where a justice of the peace issues a warrant for the arrest of any person under that section, when the information for the offence is laid before him;

[F8 (ba) where a [F9 relevant prosecutor] issues a written charge and requisition for the offence, when the written charge and requisition are issued;]

[F10 (bb) where a relevant prosecutor issues a written charge and single justice procedure notice, when the written charge and single justice procedure notice are issued;]

(c) where a person is charged with the offence after being taken into custody without a warrant, when he is informed on the particulars of the charge;

(d) where a bill of indictment is preferred under section 2 of the M3 Administration of Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1933 in a case falling within paragraph (b) [F11 or (ba)] of subsection (2) of that section, when the bill of indictment is preferred before the court;

and where the application of this subsection would result in there being more than one time for the institution of the proceedings, they shall be taken to have been instituted at the earliest of those times.

(3) For the purposes of this Part, references to the conduct of any proceedings include references to the proceedings being discontinued and to the taking of any steps (including the bringing of appeals and making of representations in respect of applications for bail) which may be taken in relation to them.

(4) For the purposes of sections 3(2)(b), 5, 6 [F12 , 7(1) and 7A] of this Act, binding over proceedings shall be taken to be criminal proceedings.

(5) For the purposes of section 5 of this Act, proceedings begun by summons issued under section 3 of the M4 Obscene Publications Act 1959 (forfeiture of obscene articles) shall be taken to be criminal proceedings.

(6) The functions which become functions of the Director by virtue of this Part shall [F13 not be treated as transferred functions] for the purposes of paragraph 1(2) of Schedule 3 to the M5 Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 (meaning of “last employing authority ”).

F14 (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F1 Definition in s. 15(1) inserted (1.1.2004) by Extradition Act 2003 (c. 41), ss. 190(6), 221; S.I. 2003/3103, art. 2 (subject to savings in Order (as amended by S.I. 2003/3312, art. 2(2) and S.I. 2003/3258, art. 3(2)))

F2 Definition in s. 15(1) inserted (1.4.1991) by Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (c. 41, SIF 37), s. 125(3), Sch. 18 para. 52(2); S.I. 1991/608, art. 2, Sch.

F3 Words in s. 15(1) substituted (1.1.2010) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), s. 211(2), Sch. 21 para. 64 (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2009/3250, art. 2(h)

F4 Definition in s. 15(1) inserted (1.10.2007) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), ss. 331, 336, Sch. 36 para. 10(1)(2); S.I. 2007/2874, art. 2(4)

F5 Words in s. 15(1) substituted (13.4.2015) by Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 (c. 2), s. 95(1), Sch. 11 para. 7(2)(a); S.I. 2015/778, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 77

F6 Words in s. 15(1) inserted (13.4.2015) by Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 (c. 2), s. 95(1), Sch. 11 para. 7(2)(b); S.I. 2015/778, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 77

F7 Word and definition in s. 15(1) repealed (1. 4. 1991) by Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (c. 41, SIF 37), s. 125(7), Sch. 20; S.I. 1991/608, art. 2, Sch.

F8 S. 15(2)(ba) inserted (1.10.2007) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), ss. 331, 336, Sch. 36 para. 10(1)(3); S.I. 2007/2874, art. 2(4)

F9 Words in s. 15(2)(ba) substituted (13.4.2015) by Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 (c. 2), s. 95(1), Sch. 11 para. 7(3)(a); S.I. 2015/778, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 77

F10 S. 15(2)(bb) inserted (13.4.2015) by Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 (c. 2), s. 95(1), Sch. 11 para. 7(3)(b); S.I. 2015/778, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 77

F11 Words in s. 15(2)(d) inserted (24.2.2014) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(2), Sch. 17 para. 35 (with Sch. 17 para. 39); S.I. 2014/258, art. 2(b)

F12 Words in s. 15(4) substituted (14.7.2008) by Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 (c. 4), ss. 55(6), 153(7); S.I. 2008/1586, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 para. 29

F13 Words in s. 15(6) substituted (22.8.1996) by 1996 c. 18, ss. 240, 243, Sch. 1 para. 25(3)

F14 S. 15(7) repealed (21.7.2008) by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2008 (c. 12), Sch. 1 Pt. 3

Marginal Citations

M1 1980 c. 43.

M2 1980 c. 43.

M3 1933 c. 36.

M4 1959 c. 66.

M5 1971 c. 56.