Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978

F1 51H Further process to secure attendance of witnesses. U.K.

(1) If the Crown Court is satisfied by evidence on oath that—

(a) a witness in respect of whom a witness summons is in force is unlikely to comply with the summons; and

(b) the witness is likely to be able to give evidence likely to be material evidence or produce any document or thing likely to be material evidence in the proceedings,

the Crown Court may issue a warrant to arrest the witness and bring him before the court.

(2) Where a witness who is required to attend before the Crown Court by virtue of a witness summons fails to attend in compliance with the summons, the Crown Court may—

(a) in any case, cause to be served on him a notice requiring him to attend the court forthwith or at such time as may be specified in the notice;

(b) if the court is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for believing that he has failed to attend without just excuse, or if he has failed to comply with a notice under paragraph (a), issue a warrant to arrest him and bring him before the court.

(3) A witness brought before the Crown Court in pursuance of a warrant under this section may be remanded by that court in custody or on bail (with or without sureties) until such time as the court may appoint for receiving his evidence or dealing with him under section 51G.

(4) Where a witness attends the Crown Court in pursuance of a notice under this section, the court may direct that the notice shall have effect as if it required him to attend at any later time appointed by the court for receiving his evidence or dealing with him under section 51G.”

(2) No subpoena ad testificandum or subpoena duces tecum shall issue after the appointed day in respect of any criminal proceedings for the purposes of which—

(a) a witness summons may be issued under section 51A of the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978; or

(b) a summons may be issued under Article 118 of the Magistrates’ Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (process for attendance of witnesses in magistrates’ courts).

(3) In section 47(4) of the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978 after the words “Subject to” there shall be inserted the words “section 66(2) of the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 (subpoenas not to issue in certain criminal cases) and to”.

(4) This section applies in relation to any proceedings for the purposes of which no summons requiring the attendance of a witness has been issued before the appointed day.

(5) The references in subsections (2) and (4) to the appointed day are to such day as is appointed for the purposes of this section by the Secretary of State by order.

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 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 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))