- Latest available (Revised)
- Original (As enacted)
Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995, Section 288E is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 15 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):
F1(1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(2)This section applies to any proceedings (other than proceedings in the [F2JP court])—
(a)in respect of any offence specified in subsection (3) below, and
(b)in which a child witness who is under the age of 12 on the date of commencement of the proceedings is to give evidence at or for the purposes of [F3any hearing in the course of the proceedings].
[F4(2A)The accused is prohibited from conducting his case in person at, or for the purposes of, any hearing at, or for the purposes of, which the child witness is to give evidence.]
(3)The offences referred to in subsection (2)(a) above are—
(a)murder,
(b)culpable homicide,
(c)any offence which—
(i)involves an assault on, or injury or threat of injury to, any person (including any offence involving neglect or ill-treatment of, or other cruelty to, a child), but
(ii)is not an offence to which section 288C [F5or 288DC] of this Act applies,
(d)abduction, and
(e)plagium.
(4)Section 288D of this Act applies in the case of proceedings to which this section applies as it applies in the case of proceedings in respect of a sexual offence to which section 288C of this Act applies [F6and as if references to a relevant hearing were references to a hearing referred to in subsection (2A) above].
(5)In proceedings to which this section applies, the prosecutor shall, at the same time as intimating to the accused under section 271A(13) of this Act a [F7vulnerable] witness notice in respect of [F8the trial], serve on the accused a notice under subsection (6).
(6)A notice under this subsection shall contain intimation to the accused—
[F9(a)that his case at, or for the purposes of, any hearing in the course of the proceedings at, or for the purposes of, which the child witness is to give evidence may be conducted only by a lawyer,]
(b)that it is therefore in his interests, if he has not already done so, to get the professional assistance of a solicitor, and
(c)that if he does not engage a solicitor for the purposes of [F10the conduct of his case at or for the purposes of the] [F11hearing], the court will do so.
(7)A failure to comply with subsection (5) or (6) above does not affect the validity or lawfulness of any [F12vulnerable] witness notice or any other element of the proceedings against the accused.
F13(8). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(9)For the purposes of subsection (2)(b) above, proceedings shall be taken to have commenced when the indictment or, as the case may be, the complaint is served on the accused.
Textual Amendments
F1 S. 288E(1) repealed (28.3.2011) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 69(4)(a), 206(1); S.S.I. 2011/178, art. 2, sch.
F2 Words in s. 288E substituted (10.3.2008, 2.6.2008, 8.12.2008, 23.2.2009 and 14.12.2009 for certain purposes, otherwise 22.2.2010) by Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007 (asp 6), ss. 80, 84, Sch. para. 26(q); S.S.I. 2008/42, art. 3, Sch.; S.S.I. 2008/192, art. 3, Sch.; S.S.I. 2008/329, art. 3, Sch.; S.S.I. 2008/362, art. 3, Sch.; S.S.I. 2009/432, art. 3, Schs. 1, 2
F3 Words in s. 288E(2)(b) substituted (28.3.2011) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 69(4)(b), 206(1); S.S.I. 2011/178, art. 2, sch.
F4 S. 288E(2A) inserted (28.3.2011) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 69(4)(c), 206(1); S.S.I. 2011/178, art. 2, sch.
F5Words in s. 288E(3)(c)(ii) inserted (1.4.2019) by Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 (asp 5), s. 15(2), sch. para. 4(15); S.S.I. 2018/387, reg. 2 (with reg. 7)
F6 Words in s. 288E(4) inserted (28.3.2011) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 69(4)(d), 206(1); S.S.I. 2011/178, art. 2, sch.
F7Word in s. 288E(5) substituted (1.9.2015) by Victims and Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 1), ss. 11(9), 34; S.S.I. 2015/200, art. 2(2), sch. (with arts. 1(3), 4)
F8 Words in s. 288E(5) substituted (28.3.2011) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 87(10), 206(1); S.S.I. 2011/178, art. 2, sch.
F9 S. 288E(6)(a) substituted for s. 288E(6)(za)(a) (28.3.2011) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 69(4)(e)(i), 206(1); S.S.I. 2011/178, art. 2, sch.
F10 Words in s. 288E(6)(c) inserted (1.4.2005, 1.4.2006 and 1.4.2007 for certain purposes, otherwise 1.4.2008) by Criminal Procedure (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 5), ss. 4(3)(b)(ii), 27(1); S.S.I. 2004/405, art. 2(2), Sch. 2 (with savings in arts. 3-5); S.S.I. 2005/168, art. 2, Sch. (with savings in art. 4); S.S.I. 2006/59, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 4(1)); S.S.I. 2007/101, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 4); S.S.I. 2008/57, art. 2 (with art. 3)
F11 Word in s. 288E(6)(c) substituted (28.3.2011) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 69(4)(e)(ii), 206(1); S.S.I. 2011/178, art. 2, sch.
F12Word in s. 288E(7) substituted (1.9.2015) by Victims and Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 1), ss. 11(9), 34; S.S.I. 2015/200, art. 2(2), sch. (with arts. 1(3), 4)
F13 S. 288E(8) repealed (28.3.2011) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 69(4)(f), 206(1); S.S.I. 2011/178, art. 2, sch.
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1S. 288E applied (with modifications) (23.12.2015) by The Justice of the Peace Courts (Special Measures) (Scotland) Order 2015 (S.S.I. 2015/447), arts. 1(2), 4 (with art. 1(3))
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?
The 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.