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Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996

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Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 09 December 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Help about Changes to Legislation

  1. Introductory Text

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    Part I Disclosure

    1. Introduction

      1. 1. Application of this Part.

      2. 2. General interpretation.

    2. The main provisions

      1. 3.Initial duty of prosecutor to disclose.

      2. 4. Initial duty to disclose: further provisions.

      3. 5.Compulsory disclosure by accused.

      4. 6. Voluntary disclosure by accused.

      5. 6A.Contents of defence statement

      6. 6B.Updated disclosure by accused

      7. 6C.Notification of intention to call defence witnesses

      8. 6D.Notification of names of experts instructed by accused

      9. 6E.Disclosure by accused: further provisions

      10. 7. Secondary disclosure by prosecutor.

      11. 7A.Continuing duty of prosecutor to disclose

      12. 8. Application by accused for disclosure.

      13. 9. Continuing duty of prosecutor to disclose.

      14. 10.Prosecutor’s failure to observe time limits.

      15. 11. Faults in disclosure by accused.

    3. Time limits

      1. 12.Time limits.

      2. 13.Time limits: transitional.

    4. Public interest

      1. 14.Public interest: review for summary trials.

      2. 15.Public interest: review in other cases.

      3. 16.Applications: opportunity to be heard.

    5. Confidentiality

      1. 17.Confidentiality of disclosed information.

      2. 18. Confidentiality: contravention.

    6. Other provisions

      1. 19.Rules of court.

      2. 20.Other statutory rules as to disclosure.

      3. 21. Common law rules as to disclosure.

      4. 21A.Code of practice for police interviews of witnesses notified by accused

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    Part II Criminal Investigations

    1. 22. Introduction.

    2. 23. Code of practice.

    3. 24. Examples of disclosure provisions.

    4. 25. Operation and revision of code.

    5. 26. Effect of code.

    6. 27. Common law rules as to criminal investigations.

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    Part III Preparatory Hearings

    1. Introduction

      1. 28. Introduction.

    2. Preparatory hearings

      1. 29. Power to order preparatory hearing.

      2. 30. Start of trial and arraignment.

      3. 31. The preparatory hearing.

      4. 32. Orders before preparatory hearing.

      5. 33.Criminal Procedure Rules.

      6. 34. Later stages of trial.

    3. Appeals

      1. 35. Appeals to Court of Appeal.

      2. 36. Appeals to House of Lords.

    4. Reporting restrictions

      1. 37. Restrictions on reporting.

      2. 38. Offences in connection with reporting.

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    Part IV Rulings

    1. 39.Meaning of pre-trial hearing.

    2. 40. Power to make rulings.

    3. 41. Restrictions on reporting.

    4. 42. Offences in connection with reporting.

    5. 43. Application of this Part.

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    Part V Committal, Transfer, Etc.

    1. 44. Reinstatement of certain provisions.

    2. 45. Notices of transfer.

    3. 46. War crimes: abolition of transfer procedure.

    4. 47. Committal proceedings.

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    Part VI Magistrates’ Courts

    1. 48. Non-appearance of accused: issue of warrant.

    2. 49. Either way offences: accused’s intention as to plea.

    3. 50. Enforcement of payment of fines.

    4. 51. Summons to witness and warrant for his arrest.

    5. 52. Remand.

    6. 53. Attachment of earnings.

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    Part VII Miscellaneous and General

    1. Tainted acquittals

      1. 54. Acquittals tainted by intimidation etc.

      2. 55. Conditions for making order.

      3. 56. Time limits for proceedings.

      4. 57. Tainted acquittals: supplementary.

    2. Derogatory assertions

      1. 58. Orders in respect of certain assertions.

      2. 59. Restriction on reporting of assertions.

      3. 60. Reporting of assertions: offences.

      4. 61. Reporting of assertions: commencement and supplementary.

    3. Evidence: special provisions

      1. 62. Television links and video recordings.

      2. 63. Road traffic and transport: provision of specimens.

      3. 64. Checks against fingerprints etc.

    4. Witness orders and summonses

      1. 65. Abolition of witness orders.

      2. 66. Summons to witness to attend Crown Court.

      3. 67. Witness summons: securing attendance of witness.

    5. Other miscellaneous provisions

      1. 68. Use of written statements and depositions at trial.

      2. 69. Proof by written statement.

      3. 70. Indemnification of justices and justices’ clerks.

      4. 71. Meaning of preliminary stage of criminal proceedings.

      5. 72. Fraud.

      6. 73. Amendments to the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995.

      7. 74. Alibi.

    6. General

      1. 75. Time when alleged offence committed.

      2. 76. Power of magistrates’ courts.

      3. 77. Orders and regulations.

      4. 78. Application to armed forces.

      5. 79. Extent.

      6. 80. Repeals.

      7. 81. Citation.

  9. SCHEDULES

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      SCHEDULE 1

      Committal Proceedings

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        Part I Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980

        1. Introduction

          1. 1.The Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 shall be amended as mentioned...

        2. Amendments

          1. 2.(1) Section 4 (general nature of committal proceedings) shall be...

          2. 3.The following sections shall be inserted after section 5— Evidence...

          3. 4.In section 6 (discharge or committal for trial) the following...

          4. 5.(1) Section 25 (change from summary trial to committal proceedings)...

          5. 6.Section 28 (using in summary trial evidence given in committal...

          6. 7.In section 97 (summons to witness and warrant for his...

          7. 8.The following section shall be inserted after section 97— Summons...

          8. 9.Section 102 (written statements before examining justices) shall be omitted....

          9. 10.(1) Section 103 (evidence of children in certain committal proceedings)...

          10. 11.Section 105 (deposition of person dangerously ill may be given...

          11. 12.In section 106 (false written statements tendered in evidence) in...

          12. 13.In Schedule 3 the following shall be substituted for paragraph...

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        Part II Other Provisions

        1. Criminal Law Amendment Act 1867

          1. 14.Sections 6 and 7 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act...

        2. Bankers’ Books Evidence Act 1879

          1. 15.The following shall be inserted at the end of section...

          2. 16.The following shall be inserted at the end of section...

        3. Administration of Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1933

          1. 17.In section 2 of the Administration of Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions)...

        4. Criminal Justice Act 1948

          1. 18.In section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act 1948 (evidence...

        5. Theft Act 1968

          1. 19.In section 27 of the Theft Act 1968 (evidence on...

          2. 20.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

        6. Children and Young Persons Act 1969

          1. 21.In Schedule 5 to the Children and Young Persons Act...

        7. Criminal Justice Act 1972

          1. 22.(1) Section 46 of the Criminal Justice Act 1972 (written...

        8. Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1976

          1. 23.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

        9. Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984

          1. 24.The following shall be inserted at the end of section...

          2. 25.In section 76 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act...

          3. 26.In section 78 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act...

          4. 27.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

        10. Criminal Justice Act 1988

          1. 28.In section 23 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (first-hand...

          2. 29.In section 24 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (business...

          3. 30.The following shall be inserted at the end of section...

          4. 31.The following shall be inserted at the end of section...

          5. 32.In section 30 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (expert...

          6. 33.In section 32A(10) of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (video...

          7. 34.In section 40 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (power...

        11. Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988

          1. 35.In section 11 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988...

          2. 36.In section 13 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988...

          3. 37.In section 16 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988...

          4. 38.In section 20 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988...

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        Part III Commencement

        1. 39.Parts I and II of this Schedule shall have effect...

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      SCHEDULE 2

      Statements and depositions

      1. Statements

        1. 1.(1) Sub-paragraph (2) applies if— (a) a written statement has...

      2. Depositions

        1. 2.(1) Sub-paragraph (2) applies if— (a) in pursuance of section...

      3. Signatures

        1. 3.(1) A justice who signs a certificate authenticating one or...

      4. Time limit for objection

        1. 4.Criminal Procedure Rules may make provision— (a) requiring an objection...

      5. Retrial

        1. 5.In Schedule 2 to the Criminal Appeal Act 1968 (procedural...

      6. Repeals

        1. 6.(1) Section 13(3) of the Criminal Justice Act 1925 (which...

      7. Commencement

        1. 7.This Schedule shall have effect in accordance with provision made...

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      SCHEDULE 3

      Fraud

      1. Introduction

        1. 1.The Criminal Justice Act 1987 shall be amended as provided...

      2. Preparatory hearings

        1. 2.In section 7 (power to order preparatory hearing) subsections (3)...

        2. 3.(1) Section 9 (the preparatory hearing) shall be amended as...

        3. 4.The following section shall be inserted after section 9— Orders...

        4. 5.The following section shall be substituted for section 10 (later...

      3. Reporting restrictions

        1. 6.The following sections shall be substituted for section 11 (reporting...

        2. 7.In the list in section 17(2) (provisions extending to Scotland)...

      4. General

        1. 8.(1) This Schedule applies in relation to an offence if—...

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      SCHEDULE 4

      Modifications for Northern Ireland

      1. General

        1. 1.In their application to Northern Ireland the provisions of this...

        2. 2.Where a provision of this Act which extends to Northern...

        3. 3.In any provision of this Act which extends to Northern...

      2. Part I of this Act

        1. 4.In section 1 for subsections (1) and (2) substitute—

        2. 5.(1) In section 5(2) for “section 5(9) of the Criminal...

        3. 6.In section 13 (1) for “the bill of indictment is...

        4. 7.After section 14 there shall be inserted— Public interest: review...

        5. 8.In section 15(1) at the end add “ and section...

        6. 9.In section 16 after “14(2)” insert “ , 14A(2) ”...

        7. 10.In section 17(1)(a) after “14” insert “ , 14A ”....

        8. 11.In section 18 at the end add—

        9. 12.(1) In section 19(1) for the words from the beginning...

        10. 13.(1) In section 20(2) for “section 9 of the Criminal...

        11. 14.In section 21(3) for paragraph (e) substitute—

      3. Part IV of this Act

        1. 15.In section 39 for subsections (2) and (3) substitute—

        2. 15A.In section 39(4) for “(3)” substitute (3)(b).

        3. 16.In section 41(1) for “Great Britain” where it twice occurs...

        4. 17.In section 42(3) omit “in England and Wales”, and after...

      4. Part V of this Act

        1. 18.In section 45 for subsections (1) to (8) substitute—

        2. 19.In section 46 for subsections (1) and (2) substitute—

      5. Part VII of this Act

        1. 20.(1) In section 54(6) in paragraph (b) for “section 51(1)...

        2. 21.In section 56(2) for paragraphs (a) to (c) substitute—

        3. 22.In section 57 omit subsection (1).

        4. 23.(1) In section 58(1) omit paragraph (b) and the word...

        5. 24.In section 59(1) for “Great Britain” where it twice occurs...

        6. 25.In section 62 for subsections (1) and (2) substitute—

        7. 26.For section 63 substitute— Road traffic: provision of specimens. (1) In Article 18(4) of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland)...

        8. 27.In section 64 for subsection (1) substitute—

        9. 28.For section 66 substitute— (1) After section 51 of the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act...

        10. 29.In section 69(1) for “section 9 of the Criminal Justice...

        11. 30.In section 70 for subsection (1) substitute—

        12. 31.(1) In section 74 for subsection (1) substitute—

        13. 32.In section 75(1) for “sections 52(3) and 54(7)” substitute “...

        14. 33.For section 76 substitute— Power of magistrates’ courts. Anything authorised or required by this Act to be done...

        15. 34.In section 80 omit “(or revoked)”.

        16. 35.For Schedule 3 substitute— SCHEDULE 3 FRAUD Introduction The Criminal Justice (Serious Fraud) (Northern Ireland) Order 1988 shall...

        17. 36.For Schedule 5 substitute— SCHEDULE 5 Repeals 1. War Crimes...

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      SCHEDULE 5

      Repeals

      1. 1.The entries in Schedule 11 to the 1994 Act are...

      2. 2.The repeals under this paragraph (reinstatement of certain provisions) have...

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