(1)Subject to the following provisions of this section, where a witness gives evidence in criminal proceedings, any prior statement made by the witness shall be admissible as evidence of any matter stated in it of which direct oral evidence by him would be admissible if given in the course of those proceedings.
(2)A prior statement shall not be admissible under this section unless—
(a)the statement is contained in a document;
(b)the witness, in the course of giving evidence, indicates that the statement was made by him and that he adopts it as his evidence; and
(c)at the time the statement was made, the person who made it would have been a competent witness in the proceedings.
(3)For the purposes of this section, any reference to a prior statement is a reference to a prior statement which, but for the provisions of this section, would not be admissible as evidence of any matter stated in it.
(4)Subsections (2) and (3) above do not apply to a prior statement—
(a)contained in a precognition on oath; or
(b)made in other proceedings, whether criminal or civil and whether taking place in the United Kingdom or elsewhere,
and, for the purposes of this section, any such statement shall not be admissible unless it is sufficiently authenticated.
[F1(5)A prior statement made by a witness shall not, in any proceedings on indictment, be inadmissible by reason only that it is not included in any list of productions lodged by the parties.]
Textual Amendments
F1S. 260(5) inserted (4.10.2004) by Criminal Procedure (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 5), ss. 23, 27(1); S.S.I. 2004/405, art. 2, Sch. 1 (subject to savings in arts. 3-5)
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1Ss. 259-261 excluded (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 40, ss. 3, 7(2), Sch. 3 Pt. II para. 14
C2S. 260(2)(c) modified (28.3.2011) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 84, 206(1); S.S.I. 2011/178, art. 2, sch.