PART 12EVIDENCE

F1CHAPTER 7Use of specimens in proceedings for offences relating to alcohol and drugs

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)

Use of specimens100B

1

Evidence of the proportion of alcohol or any drug in a specimen of breath, blood or urine provided by or taken from the defendant shall, in all cases (including cases where the specimen was not provided or taken in connection with the alleged offence), be taken into account and, subject to paragraph (2), it shall be assumed that the proportion of alcohol in the defendant’s breath, blood or urine at the time of the alleged offence was not less than in the specimen.

2

That assumption shall not be made if the defendant proves—

a

that he consumed alcohol before he provided the specimen or had it taken from him, and after the time of the alleged offence; and

b

that had he not done so the proportion of alcohol in his breath, blood or urine—

i

in the case of an offence under section 20(1)(a) of the 2006 Act, or an offence under section 42 of that Act as respects which the corresponding offence under the law of England and Wales is an offence under section 78(2) of the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003, would not have been such as to impair his ability to carry out the duty or duties in question;

ii

in the case of an offence under section 20A of the 2006 Act, would not have exceeded the relevant limit (within the meaning of that section);

iii

in the case of an offence under section 42 of the 2006 Act as respects which the corresponding offence under the law of England and Wales is an offence under subsection (2) of section 79 of the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003, would not have been such as to impair his ability to take the action mentioned in subsection (1)(b) of that section;

iv

in the case of an offence under section 42 of the 2006 Act as respects which the corresponding offence under the law of England and Wales is an offence under section 92 of the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003, would not have been such as to impair his ability to perform the function mentioned in subsection (1)(a) or (b) (as the case may be) of that section;

v

in the case of an offence under section 42 of the 2006 Act as respects which the corresponding offence under the law of England and Wales is an offence under section 78(3), 79(3) or 93 of the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003, would not have exceeded the prescribed limit.

3

A specimen of blood shall be disregarded unless—

a

it was taken from the defendant under section 93E of the 2006 Act; or

b

it was taken from the defendant under section 93G of that Act and the defendant subsequently gave his permission for a laboratory test of the specimen.

4

Where, at the time a specimen of blood or urine was provided by the defendant, he asked to be provided with such a specimen, evidence of the proportion of alcohol or any drug found in the specimen is not admissible on behalf of the Director unless—

a

the specimen in which the alcohol or drug was found is one of two parts into which the specimen provided by the defendant was divided at the time it was provided; and

b

the other part was supplied to the defendant.

5

Where a specimen of blood was taken from the defendant under section 93G of the 2006 Act, evidence of the proportion of alcohol or any drug found in the specimen is not admissible on behalf of the Director unless—

a

the specimen in which the alcohol or drug was found is one of two parts into which the specimen taken from the defendant was divided at the time it was taken; and

b

any request to be supplied with the other part which was made by the defendant at the time when he gave his permission for a laboratory test of the specimen was complied with.