Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991 (repealed 25.8.1996)

52 Statements, etc., relevant to making confiscation orders. N.I.

(1) Where—

(a) there is tendered to the court by the prosecution a statement as to any matters relevant in the case of a defendant who has been convicted of a relevant offence—

(i) to the determination whether the defendant has benefited from terrorist-related activities; or

(ii) to the assessment of the value of his proceeds of those activities; or

(iii) to the determination whether the requirements of section 47(5) above are satisfied; and

(b) the defendant accepts to any extent any allegation in the statement,

the court may, for the purposes of that determination and assessment, treat his acceptance as conclusive of the matters to which it relates.

(2) Where—

(a) a statement is tendered under subsection (1)(a) above; and

(b) the court is satisfied that a copy of that statement has been served on the defendant,

the court may require the defendant to indicate to what extent he accepts each allegation in the statement and, so far as he does not accept any such allegation, to indicate any matters he proposes to rely on.

(3) If the defendant fails in any respect to comply with a requirement under subsection (2) above, he may be treated for the purposes of this section as accepting every allegation in the statement apart from any allegation in respect of which he has complied with the requirement.

(4) Where—

(a) there is tendered to the court by the defendant a statement as to any matters relevant to determining the amount that might be realised at the time the confiscation order is made; and

(b) the prosecution accepts to any extent any allegation in the statement,

the court may, for the purposes of that determination, treat the acceptance by the prosecution as conclusive of the matters to which it relates.

(5) An allegation may be accepted or a matter indicated for the purposes of this section either—

(a) orally before the court; or

(b) in writing in accordance with Crown Court rules.

(6) No acceptance by the defendant under this section that any property was obtained by him as a direct or indirect result of terrorist-related activities engaged in by him or another shall be admissible in evidence in any proceedings for an offence.

(7) If the court is satisfied as to any matter relevant for determining the amount that might be realised at the time the confiscation order is made (whether by an acceptance under this section or otherwise), the court may issue a certificate giving the court’s opinion as to the matter concerned and shall do so if satisfied that the amount that might be realised at the time the confiscation order is made is less than the amount the court assesses to be the value of the defendant’s proceeds of terrorist-related activities.