The Industrial Tribunals (Northern Ireland) Order 1996

Restriction of publicity F1 . . . N.I.

13.— [F2 (1) Industrial tribunal procedure regulations may include provision for cases to which this paragraph applies enabling an industrial tribunal, on the application of any party to proceedings before it or of its own motion, to make a restricted reporting order having effect (if not revoked earlier) until the promulgation of the decision of the tribunal.

(1A) Paragraph (1) applies to cases—

(a) involving allegations of sexual misconduct;

(b) where the disclosure of identifying matter would be likely to cause—

(i) an individual (whether a party to the proceedings or not) to be subjected to harassment;

(ii) such an individual, or any property of such an individual, to be placed at risk of injury or damage; or

(c) where, in the opinion of the tribunal, the interests of justice otherwise require.

(1B) Industrial tribunal procedure regulations may include provision, for cases involving allegations of the commission of sexual offences, for securing that the registration or other making available of documents or decisions shall be so effected as to prevent the identification of any person affected by or making the allegation.]

(2) If any identifying matter is published or included in a relevant programme in contravention of a restricted reporting order—

(a) in the case of publication in a newspaper or periodical, any proprietor, any editor and any publisher of the newspaper or periodical,

(b) in the case of publication in any other form, the person publishing the matter, and

(c) in the case of matter included in a relevant programme—

(i) any body corporate engaged in providing the service in which the programme is included, and

(ii) any person having functions in relation to the programme corresponding to those of an editor of a newspaper,

shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

(3) Where a person is charged with an offence under paragraph (2) it is a defence to prove that at the time of the alleged offence he was not aware, and neither suspected nor had reason to suspect, that the publication or programme in question was of, or included, the matter in question.

(4) In this Article—

• “identifying matter”, in relation to a person, means any matter likely to lead members of the public to identify [F3 a party to the proceedings in question or such other persons (if any) as may be named in the restricted reporting order],

• “relevant programme” means a programme included in a programme service, within the meaning of the [1990 c. 42.] Broadcasting Act 1990,

• “restricted reporting order” means an order—

  (a)

  made in exercise of a power conferred by regulations made by virtue of this Article, and

  (b)

  prohibiting the publication in Northern Ireland of identifying matter in a written publication available to the public or its inclusion in a relevant programme for reception in Northern Ireland,

• “sexual misconduct” means the commission of a sexual offence, sexual harassment or other adverse conduct (of whatever nature) related to sex, and conduct is related to sex whether the relationship with sex lies in the character of the conduct or in its having reference to the sex or sexual orientation of the person at whom the conduct is directed,

• “sexual offence” means—

  (a)

  rape, aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring rape or attempted rape, incitement to rape, conspiracy to rape or burglary with intent to rape;

  (b)

  any offence under any of the following statutory provisions, namely—

  (i)

  section 52,F4 . . . of the [1861 c. 100.] Offences Against the Person Act 1861;

  (ii)

  section 3, 4 or 5 of the [1885 c. 69.] Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885;

  (iii)

  section 1 or 2 of the [1908 c. 45.] Punishment of Incest Act 1908;

  (iv)

  section 22 of the [1968 c. 34 (N.I.).] Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968;

  (v)

  Article 9 of the [1980 NI 6.] Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 1980;

  (vi)

  Article 122(1)(a) or (b) or 123 of the [1986 NI 4.] Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986;

  (vii)

  [F4 Article 19, 20 or 21 of the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003;]

  (viii)

  [F5 any provision of Part 2, 3 or 4 of the Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008, or Article 65, 66, 67, 70, 71 [F6 , 71A, 71B, 72A] or 74 of that Order;]

  (c)

  any attempt to commit any of the offences mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) or (b);

• “written publication” includes a film, a sound track and any other record in permanent form but does not include an indictment or other document prepared for use in particular legal proceedings.

F1 Words in art. 13 heading omitted (3.4.2011) by virtue of Employment Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 13), ss. 6(2), 17(1); S.R. 2011/159, art. 2

F2 Art. 13(1)(1A)(1B) substituted (3.4.2011) for art. 13(1) by Employment Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 13), ss. 6(3), 17(1); S.R. 2011/159, art. 2

F3 Art. 13(4): words in definition of "identifying matter" substituted (3.4.2011) by Employment Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 13), ss. 6(4), 17(1); S.R. 2011/159, art. 2

F4 2003 NI 13

F5 By the Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/1769 (N.I. 2)), arts. 1(3), 81, Sch. 1 para. 25; S.R. 2008/510, art. 2 it is provided that in art. 13(5)(b) in the definition of "sexual offence", after para. (vii) insert (2.2.2009) para. (viii)

F6 Words in art. 13(4)(b)(viii) inserted (27.11.2023) by Justice (Sexual Offences and Trafficking Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 (c. 19), s. 30(2), Sch. 1 para. 3; S.R. 2023/188, art. 3(b)