The Magistrates' Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981

[F1 Proceedings invalid where accused did not know of them N.I.

25A.— (1) Where a summons has been issued under Article 20 and a magistrates' court has begun to hear the complaint to which the summons relates, then, if—

(a) the accused, at any time during or after the trial, makes a statutory declaration that he did not know of the summons or the proceedings until a date specified in the declaration, being a date after the court has begun to hear the complaint; and

(b) within 21 days of that date the declaration is served on the clerk of petty sessions,

without prejudice to the validity of the complaint, the summons and all subsequent proceedings shall be void.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1) a statutory declaration shall be deemed to be duly served on the clerk of petty sessions if it is delivered to him, or left at his office, or is sent in a registered letter or by the recorded delivery service addressed to him at his office.

(3) If on the application of the accused it appears to a court of summary jurisdiction that it was not reasonable to expect the accused to serve such a statutory declaration as is mentioned in paragraph (1) within the period allowed by that paragraph, the court may accept service of such a declaration by the accused after that period has expired; and a statutory declaration accepted under this paragraph shall be deemed to have been served as required by that paragraph.

(4) Where any proceedings have become void by virtue of paragraph (1), the complaint shall not be heard again by the same resident magistrate or justice of the peace or, where the complaint was heard by a juvenile court, any member of the court which heard the complaint.]

F1 1989 NI 12