(1)The following powers of a magistrates’ court for any area may be exercised by a single justice of the peace for that area, namely—
(a)to extend bail or to impose or vary conditions of bail;
(b)to mark an information as withdrawn;
(c)to dismiss an information, or to discharge an accused in respect of an information, where no evidence is offered by the prosecution;
(d)to make an order for the payment of defence costs out of central funds;
(e)to request a pre-sentence report following a plea of guilty and, for that purpose, to give an indication of the seriousness of the offence;
(f)to request a medical report and, for that purpose, to remand the accused in custody or on bail;
(g)to remit an offender to another court for sentence;
(h)where a person has been granted police bail to appear at a magistrates’ court, to appoint an earlier time for his appearance;
(i)to extend, with the consent of the accused, a custody time limit or an overall time limit;
F1(j). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(k)where an accused has been convicted of an offence, to order him to produce his driving licence;
(l)to give a direction prohibiting the publication of matters disclosed or exempted from disclosure in court;
(m)to give, vary or revoke directions for the conduct of a trial, including directions as to the following matters, namely—
(i)the timetable for the proceedings;
(ii)the attendance of the parties;
(iii)the service of documents (including summaries of any legal arguments relied on by the parties);
(iv)the manner in which evidence is to be given; and
(n)to give, vary or revoke orders for separate or joint trials in the case of two or more accused or two or more informations.
F2(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F2(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F2(4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F2(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Textual Amendments
F1S. 49(1)(j) repealed (2.4.2001) by 1999 c. 22, s. 106, Sch. 15 Pt. I (with Sch. 14 paras. 7(2), 36(9)); S.I. 2001/916, art. 3(b) (with Sch. 2 para. 2)
F2S. 49(2)-(5) omitted (6.4.2020) by virtue of Courts and Tribunals (Judiciary and Functions of Staff) Act 2018 (c. 33), s. 4(3), Sch. para. 21; S.I. 2020/24, reg. 3(b)
Commencement Information
I1S. 49 wholly in force at 1.11.1999; S. 49 not in force at Royal Assent see s, 121. In force at 31.7.1998 for the purpose of making rules which make such provision as is mentioned in ss.(2) of this section by S.I. 1998/1883, art. 2(b); S. 49 in force at 30.9.1998 in the areas specified in Sch. 2 of the said S.I. by S.I. 1998/2327, art. 3(2), Sch. 2; S. 49 in force at 1.11.1999 insofar as not already in force by S.I. 1999/2976, art. 2