(1)If a witness summons issued under section 51E is directed to a person who—
(a)applies to the Crown Court, and
(b)satisfies the court that he cannot give any evidence likely to be material evidence or, as the case may be, produce any document or thing likely to be material evidence,
the court may direct that the summons shall be of no effect.
(2)The Crown Court may refuse to make a direction under this section if any requirement relating to the application under this section is not fulfilled.
(3)An application under this section must be made in accordance with Crown Court rules; and different provision may be made for different cases or descriptions of case.
(4)Crown Court rules may, in such cases as the rules may specify, require that where—
(a)a person applying under this section can produce a particular document or thing, but
(b)he seeks to satisfy the court that the document or thing is not likely to be material evidence,
he must arrange for the document or thing to be available at the hearing of the application.
Textual Amendments
F1Ss. 51A-51H inserted (4.7.1996) by virtue of 1996 c. 25 s. 79(4), Sch. 4 paras. 1, 28 (by virtue of which provisions the 1996 Act has effect, subject to the modification that in its application to N.I. for s. 66(1)(4) of that Act there is substituted s. 66(1)(4) as set out in Sch. 4 para. 28 of the 1996 Act) (with s. 78(1))