- Latest available (Revised)
- Original (As enacted)
Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, Section 73 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 28 August 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
(1)Where in any proceedings the fact that a person has in the United Kingdom F1... been convicted or acquitted of an offence otherwise than by a Service court is admissible in evidence, it may be proved by producing a certificate of conviction or, as the case may be, of acquittal relating to that offence, and proving that the person named in the certificate as having been convicted or acquitted of the offence is the person whose conviction or acquittal of the offence is to be proved.
(2)For the purposes of this section a certificate of conviction or of acquittal—
(a)shall, as regards a conviction or acquittal on indictment, consist of a certificate, signed by the [F2proper officer] of the court where the conviction or acquittal took place, giving the substance and effect (omitting the formal parts) of the indictment and of the conviction or acquittal; and
(b)shall, as regards a conviction or acquittal on a summary trial, consist of a copy of the conviction or of the dismissal of the information, signed by the [F2proper officer] of the court where the conviction or acquittal took place or by the [F2proper officer] of the court, if any, to which a memorandum of the conviction or acquittal was sent; F3...
F3(c). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
and a document purporting to be a duly signed certificate of conviction or acquittal under this section shall be taken to be such a certificate unless the contrary is proved.
[F4(3)In subsection (2) above “proper officer” means—
(a)in relation to a magistrates’ court in England and Wales, the [F5designated officer] for the court; and
(b)in relation to any other court F6..., the clerk of the court, his deputy or any other person having custody of the court record, F7...
F7(c). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]
(4)The method of proving a conviction or acquittal authorised by this section shall be in addition to and not to the exclusion of any other authorised manner of proving a conviction or acquittal.
Extent Information
E1S. 73 extends to England and Wales only with exceptions as regards courts martial, see s. 120(1)(6)-(8)
Textual Amendments
F1Words in s. 73(1) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Criminal Justice (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/780), regs. 1(1), 29(2)(a) (with reg. 31) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1520, regs. 1(1), 7); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F2Words in s. 73(2)(a)(b) substituted (1.4.2001) by 1999 c. 22, s. 90, Sch. 13 para. 128(1)(2) (with Sch. 14 para. 7(2)); S.I. 2001/916, art. 2
F3S. 73(2)(c) and word omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Criminal Justice (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/780), regs. 1(1), 29(2)(b) (with reg. 31) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1520, regs. 1(1), 7); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F4S. 73(3) substituted (1.4.2001) by 1999 c. 22, ss. 90, Sch. 13 para. 128(1)(3) (with Sch. 14 para. 7(2)); S.I. 2001/916, art. 2
F5Words in s. 73(3)(a) substituted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 109(1), 110, Sch. 8 para. 285; S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(y)
F6Words in s. 73(3)(b) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Criminal Justice (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/780), regs. 1(1), 29(2)(c)(i) (with reg. 31) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1520, regs. 1(1), 7); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F7S. 73(3)(c) and word omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Criminal Justice (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/780), regs. 1(1), 29(2)(c)(ii) (with reg. 31) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1520, regs. 1(1), 7); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.
Would you like to continue?
The Whole Act without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
The Whole Act without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.
Would you like to continue?
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
The Whole Act without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.
Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.
Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.
Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.
Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:
This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.
Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:
Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including: