The Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003

Additional time limits for persons under 18

15.—(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision—

(a) with respect to a person under the age of 18 at the time of his arrest in connection with an offence, as to the maximum period to be allowed for the completion of the stage beginning with his arrest and ending with the date fixed for his first appearance in court in connection with the offence (“the initial stage”);

(b) with respect to a person convicted of an offence who was under that age at the time of his arrest for the offence or (where he was not arrested for it) the making of the complaint charging him with it, as to the period within which the stage between his conviction and his being sentenced for the offence should be completed.

(2) Paragraph (2) of Article 12 applies for the purposes of regulations under paragraph (1) as if the reference in sub-paragraph (a) of Article 12(2) to custody or overall time limits were a reference to time limits imposed by the regulations.

(3) In this Article “initial stage time limit” means a time limit imposed by the regulations under paragraph (1)(a); but, where an initial stage time limit has been extended by the court by virtue of Article 12(2)(c) as applied by paragraph (2), “initial stage time limit” means the limit as extended.

(4) Where the initial stage time limit expires before the person arrested is charged with the offence, he shall not be charged with it unless further evidence relating to it is obtained, and—

(a) if he is then under arrest, he shall be released;

(b) if he is then on bail under Part V of the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (NI 12), his bail (and any duty or conditions to which it is subject) shall be discharged.

(5) Where the initial stage time limit expires after the person arrested is charged with the offence but before the date fixed for his first appearance in court in connection with it, the court shall stay the proceedings.

(6) Where—

(a) a person escapes from arrest; or

(b) a person who has been released on bail under Part V of the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 fails to surrender himself at the appointed time,

and is accordingly unlawfully at large for any period, that period shall be disregarded, so far as the offence in question is concerned, for the purposes of the initial stage time limit.

(7) Article 14 (appeals) shall apply for the purposes of this Article, at any time after the person arrested has been charged with the offence in question, as if any reference (however expressed) to a custody or overall time limit were a reference to the initial stage time limit.

(8) Where a person is convicted of an offence, the extension of a time limit in the exercise of the power conferred by virtue of Article 12(2)(c) as applied by paragraph (2) shall not be called into question on an appeal against the conviction.

(9) Any reference in this Article (however expressed) to a person being charged with an offence includes a reference to the making of a complaint charging an offence.

(10) Paragraph (1) is without prejudice to Article 8 of the Criminal Justice (Children) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 (NI 9) (child apparently under 14).