Legislation – Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2015

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Introduction

PART 1
SINGLE JURISDICTION FOR COUNTY COURTS AND MAGISTRATES’ COURTS

1 Single jurisdiction: abolition of county court divisions and petty sessions districts

2 Administrative court divisions

3 Directions as to distribution of business

4 Lay magistrates

5 Justices of the peace

6 Consequential amendments

PART 2
COMMITTAL FOR TRIAL

CHAPTER 1 RESTRICTION ON HOLDING OF PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS AND MIXED COMMITTALS

7 Preliminary investigations

8 Mixed committals: evidence on oath at preliminary inquiry

CHAPTER 2 DIRECT COMMITTAL FOR TRIAL IN CERTAIN CASES

9 Application of this Chapter

10 Direct committal: indication of intention to plead guilty

11 Direct committal: specified offences

12 Direct committal: offences related to specified offences

13 Direct committal: procedures

14 Specified offences: application to dismiss

15 Restrictions on reporting applications for dismissal

16 Supplementary and consequential provisions

PART 3
PROSECUTORIAL FINES

17 Prosecutorial fine: notice of offer

18 Prosecutorial fine notice

19 Amount of prosecutorial fine

20 Restrictions on prosecutions

21 Payment of prosecutorial fine

22 Failure to pay prosecutorial fine

23 Registration certificates

24 Registration of sum payable in default

25 Challenge to notice of registration

26 Setting aside of sum enforceable under section 24

27 Interpretation of this Part

PART 4
VICTIMS AND WITNESSES

28 The Victim Charter

29 Meaning of victim

30 The Witness Charter

31 Procedure for issuing Charters

32 Effect of non compliance

33 Persons to be afforded opportunity to make victim statement

34 Supplementary statement

35 Use of victim statement

36 Disclosure for purposes of victim and witness support services and victim information schemes

PART 5
CRIMINAL RECORDS

37 Restriction on information provided to certain persons

38 Minimum age for applicants for certificates or to be registered

39 Additional grounds for refusing an application to be registered

40 Enhanced criminal record certificates: additional safeguards

41 Review of criminal record certificates

42 Up-dating certificates

43 Applications for enhanced criminal record certificates

44 Electronic transmission of applications

45 Disclosures by Department of Justice to Disclosure and Barring Service

46 Inclusion of cautions and other diversionary disposals in criminal records

47 Consequential amendments

PART 6
CHILD PROTECTION DISCLOSURES

48 Child protection disclosures

PART 7
LIVE LINKS IN CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS

49 Live links: accused at committal proceedings

50 Live links from another courtroom: first remands,

51 Live links: proceedings for failure to comply with certain orders or licence conditions

52 Live links: expert witnesses

53 Live links: witnesses outside the United Kingdom

54 Live links: patients detained in hospital under Mental Health Order

PART 8
VIOLENT OFFENCES PREVENTION ORDERS

55 Violent offences prevention orders

56 Violent offences prevention order made on conviction, etc.

57 Violent offences prevention order made on application of Chief Constable

58 Qualifying offenders

59 Provisions that violent offences prevention orders may contain

60 Variation, renewal or discharge of violent offences prevention orders

61 Interim violent offences prevention orders

62 Notice of applications

63 Appeals

64 Offenders subject to notification requirements

65 Notification requirements: initial notification

66 Notification requirements: changes

67 Notification requirements: periodic notification

68 Notification requirements: absence from notified residence

69 Notification requirements: travel outside the United Kingdom

70 Method of notification and related matters

71 Offences

72 Supply of information to relevant Northern Ireland departments or Secretary of State

73 Supply of information by relevant Northern Ireland departments or Secretary of State

74 Information about release or transfer

75 Power of entry and search of offender’s home address

76 Interpretation of this Part

PART 9
MISCELLANEOUS

77 Removal of maximum age for jury service

78 Preparation of jury lists

79 Persons disqualified for jury service

80 Persons ineligible for jury service

81 Persons excusable as of right from jury service

82 Unpaid community service after early release

83 Power to take further fingerprints or non-intimate samples

84 Retention of material: persons convicted of an offence in England and Wales or Scotland

85 Retention of DNA profiles or fingerprints: persons given a prosecutorial fine

86 Power to retain DNA profile or fingerprints in connection with different offence

87 Retention of personal samples that are or may be disclosable

88 Sentencing court to indicate sentence which would have been imposed if guilty plea entered at earliest reasonable opportunity

89 Meeting a child following sexual grooming etc.

90 Sexual communication with a child

91 General duty to progress criminal proceedings

92 Case management regulations

93 Public Prosecutor’s summons

94 Defence access to premises

95 Powers of court security officers

96 Causing or allowing child or vulnerable adult to suffer serious physical harm

97 Domestic violence protection notices and orders

98 Aims of youth justice system

99 Amendment to section 10 of the Criminal Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

100 Salary of Lands Tribunal members

101 Amendment to Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Criminal Justice and Support for Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2015

PART 10
SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS

102 Regulations, orders and directions

103 Interpretation

104 Transitional provisions, etc.

105 Repeals

106 Commencement

107 Short title

SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 1 AMENDMENTS: SINGLE JURISDICTION

SCHEDULE 2 AMENDMENTS: DIRECT COMMITTAL FOR TRIAL

SCHEDULE 3 DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION: VICTIM AND WITNESS SUPPORT SERVICES AND VICTIM INFORMATION SCHEMES

SCHEDULE 4 SCHEDULE INSERTED AS SCHEDULE 8A TO THE POLICE ACT 1997

SCHEDULE 5 AMENDMENTS: CRIMINAL RECORDS

SCHEDULE 6 AMENDMENTS: SERIOUS PHYSICAL HARM TO CHILD OR VULNERABLE ADULT

SCHEDULE 7 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROTECTION NOTICES AND ORDERS

SCHEDULE 8 TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS AND SAVINGS

SCHEDULE 9 REPEALS

Changes to legislation:

Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2015, SCHEDULE 5 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 16 December 2025. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. Help about Changes to Legislation

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SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 5AMENDMENTS: CRIMINAL RECORDS

Section 47.

The Police Act 1997(c. 50)

1

(1)

Section 113A (criminal record certificates) is amended as follows.

(2)

In subsection (4) for “the registered person who countersigned” substitute
whoever acted as the registered person in relation to
.

(3)

After subsection (8) insert—

“(9)

For the purposes of this Part a person acts as the registered person in relation to an application for a criminal record certificate if the person—

(a)

countersigns the application, or

(b)

transmits the application to the Department under subsection (2A).”

2

(1)

Section 113B (enhanced criminal record certificates) is amended as follows.

(2)

In subsection (6) for “the registered person who countersigned” substitute
whoever acted as the registered person in relation to
.

(3)

After subsection (11) insert—

“(12)

For the purposes of this Part a person acts as the registered person in relation to an application foran enhanced criminal record certificate if the person—

(a)

countersigns the application, or

(b)

transmits the application to the Department under subsection (2A).”

3

In section 113BC(1) (suitability information: power to amend) after paragraph (b) insert—

“(c)

amend section 120AC(4)(b) in consequence of an order made under paragraph (a) or (b).”

4

In section 114(3) (application of other provisions of Part 5 to an application under that section) for “Section 113A(3) to (6)” substitute
Sections 113A(3) to (6), 120AC and 120AD
.

5

In section 116(3) (application of other provisions of Part 5 to an application under that section) for “and 113BA to 113BC” substitute
, 113BA to 113BC, 120AC and 120AD
.

6

(1)

Section 117 (disputes about accuracy of certificates) is amended as follows.

(2)

In the title for “accuracy of certificates” substitute
certificates and up-date information
.

(3)

After subsection (1A) insert—

“(1B)

Where a person believes that the wrong up-date information has been given under section 116A in relation to the person’s certificate, the person may make an application in writing to the Department for corrected up-date information.”.

(4)

In subsection (2)—

(a)

after “inaccurate” insert
, or that the wrong up-date information has been given,
, and

(b)

after “new certificate” insert
or (as the case may be) corrected up-date information
.

(5)

After subsection (2) insert—

“(2A)

In this section—

corrected up-date information”, in relation to a certificate, means information which includes—

(a)

information that the wrong up-date information was given in relation to the certificate on a particular date, and

(b)

new up-date information in relation to the certificate,

up-date information” has the same meaning as in section 116A.”

7

(1)

Section 118 (evidence of identity) is amended as follows.

(2)

In subsection (1)—

(a)

after “consider” insert
an application as mentioned in section 116A(4)(a) or (5)(a) or
, and

(b)

after “117” insert
, 117A
.

(3)

After subsection (3) insert—

“(3A)

The Department by notice given in writing may require a person who has a certificate which is subject to up-date arrangements under section 116A to attend at a place and time specified in the notice to provide fingerprints for the sole purpose of enabling the Department to verify whether information in the possession of the Department that the Department considers may be relevant to the person’s certificate does relate to that person.

(3B)

If a person fails to comply with a requirement imposed under subsection (3A), the Department by notice given in writing may inform that person that, from a date specified in the notice, the person’s certificate is to cease to be subject to up-date arrangements.”.

(4)

In subsection (4) after “117” insert
or 117A
.

8

(1)

Section 119 (sources of information) is amended as follows.

(2)

In subsection (1A), after paragraph (a) (but before the word “or” at the end of the paragraph) insert—

“(aa)

the provision of up-date information under section 116A;”.

(3)

In subsection (1B) for the words from “determining” to the end substitute
deciding whether to make a request to that chief officer under section 113B(4)
.

(4)

After subsection (2) insert—

“(2A)

Where, in connection with the provision of up-date information under section 116A, the chief officer of a police force receives a request for information of the kind mentioned in section 113B(4), the chief officer of police must comply with it as soon as practicable.”.

(5)

In subsection (4) at the end of paragraph (a), after “registration;” insert—

“(aa)

any application as mentioned in section 116A(4)(a) or (5)(a);”.

(6)

In subsection (8) at the end of paragraph (a) insert—

“(aa)

under this Part in relation to any request under section 116A(1);”.

9

(1)

Section 119B (independent monitor) is amended as follows.

(2)

Omit subsection (5)(a).

(3)

In subsection (5)(c) omit the words from “or disclosed” to the end.

(4)

After subsection (5)(c) insert—

“(ca)

a sample of cases in which the chief officer of a police force has decided that information should be disclosed or not disclosed to the Department for the purpose of the provision by the Department of up-date information under section 116A;”.

(5)

After subsection (8) insert—

“(8A)

The independent monitor has the functions conferred on the monitor by section 117A.”.

(6)

In subsection (9) after “section” insert
or section 117A
.

10

(1)

Section 120 (registered persons) is amended as follows.

(2)

In subsection (2)—

(a)

for the words from the beginning to “the”, where it first occurs, substitute
The
,

(b)

after paragraph (a) insert
and
, and

(c)

omit paragraph (c) and the word “and” before it.

(3)

After that subsection insert—

“(2A)

Subsection (2) is subject to—

(a)

regulations under section 120ZA,

(b)

section 120A, and

(c)

section 120AA and regulations made under that section.”.

(4)

In subsection (5)(b) for “countersign” substitute
act as the registered person in relation to
.

11

(1)

Section 120ZA (regulations about registration) is amended as follows.

(2)

In subsection (2)(d) after “this Part” insert
or the transmitting of applications under section 113A(2A) or 113B(2A)
.

(3)

In subsection (4)—

(a)

in paragraph (a) for “he countersigns” substitute
acting as the registered person in relation to
, and

(b)

in paragraph (b) for “registered person who countersigns it” substitute
person who acts as the registered person in relation to the application
.

12

In section 120A(4) (provision of information about suitability of registered persons)—

(a)

in paragraph (b)(iii) for “the countersigning of applications by a particular applicant for registration or by a particular registered person” substitute
a particular applicant for registration, or a particular registered person, acting as the registered person in relation to applications under this Part
, and

(b)

in paragraph (c) for “the countersigning of” substitute
a person acting as the registered person in relation to
.

13

(1)

Section 120AA (refusal, cancellation or suspension of registration on other grounds) is amended as follows.

(2)

In subsection (1) for “countersign” substitute
act as the registered person in relation to
.

(3)

In subsection (2)—

(a)

in paragraph (a) for “countersign” substitute
act as the registered person in relation to
, and

(b)

in paragraph (b) for “countersigned” substitute
acted as the registered person in relation to
.

14

In section 120AB(8)(a) (exception from procedure for cancellation or suspension) for “countersigning” substitute
acting as the registered person in relation to

15

(1)

Section 122 (code of practice) is amended as follows—

(2)

After subsection (1) insert—

“(1A)

The reference in subsection (1) to the use of information provided to registered persons under this Part includes a reference to the use of information provided in accordance with section 116A(1) to relevant persons (within the meaning of that section) who are not registered persons under this Part.”.

(3)

In subsection (3)—

(a)

for “registered person who countersigned” substitute
person who acted as the registered person in relation to
, and

(b)

in paragraph (b) for “countersigned” substitute
acted as the registered person
.

(4)

Omit subsection (3A)(a).

16

(1)

Section 124 (offences: disclosure) is amended as follows.

(2)

In subsection (1)(b) and (c) for “countersigned” substitute
acted as the registered person in relation to
.

(3)

In subsection (2) for “countersigned” substitute
in relation to which the person who acted as the registered person did so
.

(4)

In subsection (3) for “countersigned by or at the request of an individual” substitute
in relation to which an individual acted as the registered person, or in relation to which the person who acted as the registered person did so at the request of an individual
.

(5)

In subsection (4)—

(a)

in paragraph (b) omit “(5) or”, and

(b)

for “subsections (5) and (6)” substitute
subsection (6)
.

(6)

Omit subsection (5).

17

(1)

Section 124A (offences relating to disclosure of information obtained in connection with delegated function) is amended as follows.

(2)

In subsection (1)(c) omit “or registered person”.

(3)

After subsection (6) insert—

“(6A)

For the purposes of this section the reference to an applicant includes a person who makes a request under section 116A(1), 120AC(1) or 120AD(2).”.

18

After section 125B(2) (form of applications) insert—

“(3)

In this section “application” includes a request under section 116A(1), 120AC(1) or 120AD(2).”.

19

(1)

In section 126(1) (interpretation of Part 5) is amended as follows.

(2)

In the definition of “certificate”, after “application” insert “but does not include any documents issued in response to—

(a)

a request under section 116A(1),

(b)

an application as mentioned in section 116A(4)(a) or (5)(a), or

(c)

a request under section 120AC or 120AD.”.

(3)

After the definition of “chief officer” insert—

““the Department” means the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland;”.

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 (NI 11)

20

(1)

Paragraph 19 of Schedule 1 (barred lists: information) is amended as follows.

(2)

In sub-paragraph (1)(c) for “chief officer of a relevant police force” substitute
relevant chief officer
.

(3)

In sub-paragraph (3) after “which the” insert
relevant
.

(4)

In sub-paragraph (5) for “chief officer of the relevant police force” substitute
relevant chief officer
.

(5)

In sub-paragraph (7) for the definition of “relevant police force” substitute—

““the relevant chief officer” means any chief officer of a police force who is identified by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this paragraph;”.

(6)

After sub-paragraph (7) insert—

“(7A)

Subsections (10) and (11) of section 113B of the Police Act 1997 apply for the purposes of the definition of “the relevant chief officer” as they apply for the purposes of that section.”.

(7)

In sub-paragraph (8) for “which police forces are relevant police forces” substitute
who is the relevant chief officer
.