The Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 (Commencement No. 14) (England and Wales) Order 2015

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order brings provisions of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 (c. 23) (“the 1999 Act”) about reporting restrictions relating to under 18 year olds in criminal proceedings in England and Wales into force on 13th April 2015.

Article 2(a) brings into force section 45 of the 1999 Act which permits courts in certain criminal proceedings to restrict the publication of identifying information about any person under the age of 18.

Article 2(c) to (f) bring into force sections 49 to 52 of the 1999 Act, which make provision about the making of, and breaches of, reporting restrictions, insofar as those provisions apply to orders under section 45 of the 1999 Act, and under section 45A of that Act (lifetime reporting restrictions in criminal proceedings for witnesses and victims under 18) which is inserted into the 1999 Act by section 78 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 (c. 2) and also comes into force on 13th April 2015.

Article 2(b) and (g) bring into force paragraphs 1 and 3 of Schedule 2 of the 1999 Act which amends section 49 the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (c. 12) (provision about reporting restrictions arrangements in certain youth and magistrates’ court proceedings).

Article 2(h) commences paragraphs 1 and 6 of Schedule 7, which make transitional provision, in so far as they apply to section 45 of the 1999 Act, so that the provisions of that section are not applicable in relation to proceedings instituted before the commencement of the section.