The Road Traffic Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1996

Penalty points to be attributed to an offence

30.—(1) Where a person is convicted of an offence involving obligatory endorsement, then, subject to the following provisions of this Article, the number of penalty points to be attributed to the offence is—

(a) the number shown in relation to the offence in the last column of Part I or Part II of Schedule 1, or

(b) where a range of numbers is shown, a number within that range.

(2) Where a person is convicted of an offence committed by aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring, or inciting to the commission of, an offence involving obligatory disqualification, then, subject to the following provisions of this Article, the number of penalty points to be attributed to the offence is 10.

(3) Where a range of numbers is shown in the last column of Part I or Part II of Schedule 1 in relation to an offence, the lowest number in the range is the number of penalty points to be attributed to the offence for the purposes of Article 63(5) or 82(4).

(4) Where a person is convicted (whether on the same occasion or not) of 2 or more offences committed on the same occasion and involving obligatory endorsement, the total number of penalty points to be attributed to them is the number or highest number that would be attributed on a conviction of one of them (so that if the convictions are on different occasions the number of penalty points to be attributed to the offences on the later occasion or occasions shall be restricted accordingly).

(5) In a case where (apart from this paragraph) paragraph (4) would apply to 2 or more offences, the court may if it thinks fit determine that that paragraph shall not apply to the offences (or, where 3 or more offences are concerned, to any one or more of them).

(6) Where a court makes such a determination it shall state the reasons for the determination in the order of the court.

(7) The Department may by order—

(a) alter a number or range of numbers shown in relation to an offence in the last column of Part I or Part II of Schedule 1 (by substituting one number or range for another, a number for a range, or a range for a number), and

(b) alter the number of penalty points shown in paragraph (2);

and an order under this paragraph may provide for different numbers or ranges of numbers to be shown in relation to the same offence committed in different circumstances.

(8) An order under paragraph (7) shall be made subject to affirmative resolution.