Criminal Procedure
(Jersey) Law 2018
A LAW prescribing the procedure to be
followed in, or in connection with, criminal proceedings; to provide for the
quashing of acquittals by the Court of Appeal; to amend the Police Procedures
and Criminal Evidence (Jersey) Law 2003 in connection with evidence in
criminal proceedings; and for connected purposes.
Adopted by the
States 20th March 2018
Sanctioned by
Order of Her Majesty in Council 11th July 2018
Registered by the
Royal Court 20th
July 2018
THE STATES, subject to the sanction of Her Most Excellent Majesty in Council, have
adopted the following Law –
part 1
interpretation and application
1 Interpretation
and application
(1) In
this Law, unless the context indicates otherwise –
“adjourn” means a
decision by the court to suspend or delay the hearing of criminal proceedings
until another day;
“administration of the States”
has the same meaning as in Article 1 of the Employment of States of Jersey
Employees (Jersey) Law 2005[1];
“Assistant Magistrate”
shall be construed in accordance with Article 1 of Loi (1864) concernant
la charge de Juge d’Instruction[2];
“Bail Law” means the
Criminal Procedure (Bail) (Jersey) Law 2017[3];
“Bâtonnier”
means the person elected under Article 33 of The Law Society of Jersey Law 2005[4];
“Broadcasting Act”
means the Broadcasting Act 1990 of the United Kingdom, as extended to Jersey
by the Broadcasting Act 1990 (Jersey) Order 1991[5] and the Broadcasting Act 1990
(Jersey) (No. 2) Order 1991[6];
“case management powers”
shall be construed in accordance with Article 9;
“child” means a
person who has attained the age of 10 years and has not attained the age
of 15 years;
“Commissioner” means
a person appointed in accordance with Article 10 of the Royal Court
(Jersey) Law 1948[7];
“community service order”
shall be construed in accordance with Article 4 of the Community Service
Orders Law;
“Community Service Orders Law”
means the Criminal Justice (Community Service Orders) (Jersey) Law 2001[8];
“complainant” means the person against whom an offence
is alleged to have been committed;
“court” means the
Magistrate’s Court (including the Youth Court) or the Royal Court;
“Criminal Procedure Rules
Committee” shall be construed in accordance with Article 111;
“Criminal Procedure Rules”
shall be construed in accordance with Article 111(1) and 112;
“criminal proceedings” means proceedings before the
court for the determination of a case against a defendant;
“Crown Advocate”
means an advocate appointed under Article 1 of the Crown Advocates
(Jersey) Law 1987[9];
“defence” means the
defendant or a person acting as his or her legal representative;
“defendant” means a
person –
(a) charged
with an offence; or
(b) convicted
of an offence and awaiting sentence;
“délégué”
has the same meaning as in the Probation Law;
“Greffier Substitute”
means an officer of the Judicial Greffe designated in accordance with Article 6
of the Departments of the Judiciary and the Legislature (Jersey) Law 1965[10];
“incapacity” shall
be construed in accordance with Article 55 of the Mental Health Law;
“indictment” means
the document referred to in Article 43(3) which formally specifies the
offence with which a person is charged and sets out the particulars of the
offence;
“juror” mean a
person selected to serve on a jury in accordance with Article 66;
“jury” shall be
construed in accordance with Article 66;
“jury list” shall be
construed in accordance with Article 64;
“Magistrate’s Court”
includes the Youth Court;
“Mental Health Law”
means the Mental Health (Jersey) Law 2016[11];
“offence” includes
an alleged offence;
“overriding objective”
shall be construed in accordance with Article 2;
“panel list” shall
be construed in accordance with Article 64;
“participant” and “party” in relation to criminal proceedings
means the prosecution, defence and any such other person as the court may
direct, or who otherwise appears to the court to participate in the conduct of
the proceedings;
“police officer”
includes an officer of the Impôts within the meaning of the Customs and
Excise (Jersey) Law 1999[12];
“practice directions”
shall be construed in accordance with Article 113;
“prescribed” means prescribed
by Criminal Procedure Rules;
“proceedings” means criminal proceedings;
“programme service”
has the same meaning as in the Broadcasting Act;
“Probation Law”
means the Loi (1937) sur l’atténuation des peines
et sur la mise en liberté surveillée[13];
“probation order”
means an order under Article 2 of the Probation Law;
“publication” includes any speech, writing,
relevant programme or other communication in whatever form, which is addressed
to the public at large or any section of the public (and for this purpose every
relevant programme is to be taken to be so addressed), but does not include an
indictment or other document prepared for use in particular legal proceedings;
“relevant programme”
means a programme included in a programme service, within the meaning of the
Broadcasting Act;
“rules” means
Criminal Procedure Rules, and “rule” shall be construed
accordingly;
“Solemn Affirmations Law”
means the Solemn Affirmations (Jersey) Law 1963[14];
“trial” means a
hearing to determine criminal proceedings and includes a retrial or a hearing,
if required under Article 78, to determine facts disputed;
“witness” in
relation to criminal proceedings, means any person called, or proposed to be
called, to give evidence in the proceedings;
“young person” means
a person who has attained the age of 15 years and has not attained the age
of 18 years;
“Young Offenders Law”
means the Criminal Justice (Young Offenders) (Jersey) Law 2014[15];
“Youth Court Panel”
shall be construed in accordance with paragraph 1 of the Schedule to the
Young Offenders Law.
(2) For
the purposes of this Law –
(a) “prosecution”
means –
(i) the
Attorney General,
(ii) a
prosecutor, or
(iii) except
in relation to proceedings before the Royal Court, or where a reference is made
to “prosecution” in Parts 10 and 11, a Centenier;
(b) “prosecutor” –
(i) means an advocate
employed in the Law Officers’ Department authorized by the Attorney
General to undertake criminal proceedings on his or her behalf in the
Magistrate’s Court or Royal Court; or
(ii) means a
solicitor, or a person admitted –
(A) to the degree of the Utter
Bar of one of the Inns of Court of England and Wales,
(B) as a solicitor of the Senior
Courts of England and Wales,
(C) as a member of the Faculty of Advocates or as a Solicitor in
Scotland,
(D) at the Bar of Northern
Ireland or as a Solicitor of the Court of Judicature of Northern Ireland, or
(E) at the Bar of Guernsey,
employed in the Law Officers’ Department and authorized by the
Attorney General to undertake criminal proceedings on his or her behalf in the
Magistrate’s Court, and
(iii) includes a Crown
Advocate.
(3) References
in this Law to –
(a) “functions”
in relation to a person shall be construed as if they were references to any powers
or duties conferred on a person by or under an enactment, including this Law;
(b) “material”
are to material of all kinds, and in particular include references
to –
(i) information, and
(ii) objects of all
descriptions.
(4) The
expression “enter a plea” in relation to a defendant means where he
or she pleads “guilty” or “not guilty” to committing an
offence.
(5) Where
this Law requires something to be done or to occur within 48 hours, in
determining when the period of 48 hours expires, there shall be
disregarded Christmas Day, Good Friday and any Sunday.
(6) Where
bail is grantable under any provision of this Law, the provisions of the Bail
Law shall apply –
(a) unless
express provision is made to the contrary;
(b) unless
alternative or different provision is made by or under this Law; or
(c) subject
to any modifications to those provisions made by or under this Law.
(7) In
relation to a defendant within the meaning of the Mental Health Law, the
provisions of this Law shall, subject to the provisions of Parts 8 and 9
of the Mental Health Law, apply in respect of such a defendant in criminal
proceedings.
(8) Nothing
in this Law shall be taken to override the inherent jurisdiction of the Royal
Court in relation to criminal proceedings.
(9) The
States may by Regulations amend this Part.
part 2
the OVERRIDING objective
2 The
overriding objective of the Law
The overriding objective of this Law is to ensure that cases in
criminal proceedings are dealt with justly.
3 Implementation
of the overriding objective
(1) For
the purposes of satisfying the overriding objective, dealing with cases in
criminal proceedings “justly” includes –
(a) acquitting
the innocent and convicting the guilty;
(b) dealing
fairly with both the prosecution and the defence;
(c) recognizing
the rights of a defendant, particularly those rights granted under Article 6
of the European Convention on Human Rights (right to a fair trial);
(d) respecting
the interests of witnesses, victims and jurors and keeping them informed of the
progress of the case;
(e) dealing
with the case efficiently and expeditiously; and
(f) ensuring
that appropriate information is available to the court when bail or sentence is
being considered.
(2) Dealing
with a case justly also includes dealing with it in ways that take into
account –
(a) the
gravity of the alleged offence;
(b) the
complexity of what is in issue;
(c) the
severity of the consequences for the defendant and for others that are
affected;
(d) whether
the costs of the proceedings are proportionate having regard to the seriousness
of the offence; and
(e) the
needs of other cases.
4 Duties
of the participants in criminal proceedings
(1) A
participant in criminal proceedings must –
(a) prepare
and conduct the case in accordance with the overriding objective;
(b) comply
with the relevant procedures; and
(c) as
soon as is reasonably practicable, inform the court and all parties to the
proceedings if there is a significant failure (whether or not the
participant’s) to take a procedural step required by the relevant
procedures.
(2) For
the purpose of paragraph (1) –
(a) relevant
procedures are the procedures prescribed by this Law, Criminal Procedure Rules or
practice directions; and
(b) a
failure is significant if it might hinder the court in furthering the
overriding objective.
5 The
application by the court of the overriding objective
The court must act to ensure the implementation of the overriding objective
when it –
(a) exercises
a power given to it by an enactment (including this Law);
(b) applies
Criminal Procedure Rules;
(c) applies
a practice direction; or
(d) interprets
legislation (including this Law), Criminal Procedure Rules or practice directions.
6 Regulations amending Part 2
The States may by
Regulations amend this Part.
part 3
the active management of criminal proceedings
7 The
duty of the court
(1) The
court must further the overriding objective by actively managing cases in
criminal proceedings.
(2) The
active management of cases in criminal proceedings includes –
(a) the
early identification of the key issues;
(b) the
early identification of the needs of witnesses;
(c) achieving
certainty as to what must be done, by whom, and when, in particular by the
early setting of a timetable for the progress of the case;
(d) monitoring
the progress of the case and compliance with any directions given by the court;
(e) ensuring
that evidence, whether disputed or not, is presented in the shortest and
clearest way;
(f) discouraging
delay, dealing with as many aspects of the case as possible on the same
occasion, and avoiding unnecessary hearings;
(g) encouraging
the participants to co-operate in the progression of the case; and
(h) making
use of technology.
8 The
duty of the parties
(1) Each
party must –
(a) actively
assist the court in fulfilling its duty under Article 7; and
(b) apply
for a direction if needed to further the overriding objective.
(2) Active
assistance for the purposes of this Article includes –
(a) communication
between the prosecution and the defence at the first available opportunity, and
in any event no later than the beginning of the day of the first hearing;
(b) ongoing
communication between the parties and with the court until the conclusion of
the case;
(c) by
such communication establishing, among other things –
(i) whether the
defendant is likely to plead guilty or not guilty,
(ii) what is agreed
and what is likely to be disputed,
(iii) what information, or
other material, is required by one party of another, and why, and
(iv) what is to be done, by
whom, and when (without, or if necessary with, a direction); and
(d) reporting
on that communication to the court –
(i) at the first
hearing, and
(ii) after that, as
directed by the court.
(3) For
the purposes of paragraph (2)(a), the expression “first available
opportunity” includes as soon as a person is –
(a) charged;
(b) summoned;
or
(c) notified
by the Attorney General that criminal proceedings have, under Article 14,
been initiated in respect of that person.
9 The
court’s case management powers
(1) In
fulfilling its duty under Article 7 the court may give any direction and
take any step actively to manage a case unless that direction or step would be
inconsistent with any rule made under this Law or provision of this Law or
other enactment.
(2) In
particular, the court may –
(a) give a direction on its
own initiative or on application by a party;
(b) ask or allow a party to
propose a direction;
(c) for the purpose of giving directions, receive applications and
representations by letter, by telephone or by any other means of electronic
communication, and conduct a hearing by such means;
(d) give
a direction –
(i) at a hearing, in
public or in private, or
(ii) without a
hearing;
(e) fix, postpone, bring
forward, extend, cancel or adjourn a hearing;
(f) shorten or extend
(even after it has expired) a time limit fixed by a direction (including a practice
direction) or Criminal Procedure Rules;
(g) require that issues in
the case should be –
(i) identified in
writing, and
(ii) determined
separately;
(h) decide
in what order the issues will be determined; and
(i) specify the consequences of failing to
comply with a direction.
(3) The
Magistrate’s Court may give a direction that will apply in the Royal Court
if the case is to continue there.
(4) The
Royal Court may give a direction that will apply in the Magistrate’s Court
if the case is to continue there.
(5) Any
power to give a direction includes a power to vary or revoke that direction.
(6) Unless
the Royal Court directs otherwise, the Magistrate’s Court may vary or
revoke a direction given by the Royal Court under paragraph (4).
(7) The
Royal Court may vary or revoke a direction given by the Magistrate’s
Court under paragraph (3).
(8) If
a party fails to comply with a direction or rule, the court may –
(a) fix, postpone, bring forward, extend, cancel or adjourn a hearing;
(b) exercise its powers to make an order as to the payment of costs;
and
(c) impose such other sanction as may be appropriate, including such
sanction as may be specified under any enactment including this Law.
10 Hearings and adjournments
(1) Where
the Magistrate’s Court adjourns a hearing in the exercise of case
management powers, or under any other provisions of this Law regardless of
whether or not the defendant has legal representation, that hearing shall be
adjourned for a period not exceeding 30 days.
(2) Where
the Royal Court adjourns a hearing in the exercise of case management powers or
under any other provisions of this Law and the defendant has no legal
representation, that hearing shall be adjourned for a period not
exceeding –
(a) 42 days
in respect of a defendant in custody; and
(b) 60 days
in respect of a defendant on bail.
(3) Subject
to Articles 87 and 88, the court may, in the exercise of case management
powers, direct that any hearing may be held in the absence of a defendant
provided that absence does not conflict with the overriding objective.
(4) The
court may grant a defendant bail for the period of any adjournment.
(5) An
order by the court for proceedings to be “left on file” as referred
to in Article 81(2) shall not be taken to be an adjournment for the
purposes of this Article.
11 Regulations
amending Part 3
The States may by
Regulations amend this Part.
part 4
Role of the Attorney general
12 Role
of the Attorney General in prosecution of criminal proceedings
Without prejudice to the powers reserved to a Centenier under Article 3(2)
of the Honorary Police (Jersey) Law 1974[16], the prosecution of criminal
proceedings may only be conducted by or on behalf of the Attorney General.
13 Consent
of the Attorney General before commencing criminal proceedings
(1) This
Article applies if a provision of an enactment or rule of customary law
requires the consent of the Attorney General before criminal proceedings may be
initiated.
(2) The
Attorney General’s consent must be in writing and shall, in so far as is
practicable, be given before –
(a) a
person is charged with an offence;
(b) a
person is summoned to appear before the Magistrate’s Court under Article 19;
or
(c) the
initiation of proceedings in the Royal Court under Article 14.
(3) If
it is not practicable for consent to be given in accordance with paragraph (2),
it must in any event be given before the person’s first appearance before
the court.
(4) If,
notwithstanding paragraph (3), consent has not been given by the time of
the person’s first appearance, or it appears to the court that the
consent has been defectively given, the court may nevertheless authorize the
case to proceed pending receipt of the Attorney General’s consent or
properly given consent, as the case may be.
(5) The
Attorney General may delegate the giving of his or her consent to such
prosecutor as the Attorney General may, from time to time, designate in
writing.
(6) The
States may, by Regulations, amend any enactment (including this Law) for the
purpose of removing any provision requiring the consent of the Attorney General
before criminal proceedings may be initiated.
14 Attorney
General’s power to initiate proceedings directly in the Royal Court
(1) The
Attorney General may, if he or she considers it justified, directly initiate
criminal proceedings in the Royal Court in respect of a person who is to be
indicted and Article 43 applies for the purpose of initiating proceedings.
(2) Paragraph (1)
applies notwithstanding any other provisions of this Law or any other enactment
or rule of customary law which require the initiation of criminal proceedings
in the Magistrate’s Court.
(3) The
Attorney General shall summons the person referred to in paragraph (1) to
appear before the Royal Court at the time, and on the date notified in the
summons, to answer the indictment referred to in Article 43.
(4) Such
summons shall contain a statement setting out the following
particulars –
(a) the specific offence
with which the person is charged;
(b) a short description of
the offence in ordinary language, avoiding as far as possible the use of
technical terms and without necessarily stating all the essential elements of
the offence; and
(c) if the offence charged
is one created under an enactment, a reference to the provision of the
enactment creating the offence.
(5) If
it appears to the Attorney General that the person will fail to comply with the
summons, the Attorney General may apply to the Bailiff for an order to arrest
that person.
(6) The
Bailiff may, upon proof of service of the summons, order the person to be arrested
and brought before the Royal Court to answer the indictment.
(7) Unless
the Bailiff grants the person bail under Article 77(2), an order under paragraph (6)
authorizes every police officer or the Viscount to arrest and detain the person
to whom the order relates and to bring him or her before the Royal Court within
48 hours of his or her arrest.
Part 5
functions and jurisdiction of the
magistrate
15 Jurisdiction of Magistrate
(1) The
Magistrate may exercise the powers given under this Article subject to –
(a) the
provisions of Parts 2, 3, 6, 10, 11 and 12;
(b) the
maximum penalties which he or she may impose under Article 16; and
(c) the
provisions of the Young Offenders Law.
(2) The
Magistrate may sit at any time and in any place, and shall have the power
to –
(a) hear
and determine all criminal proceedings, including proceedings to determine
matters ancillary to such criminal proceedings; and
(b) determine
whether to remand a defendant into custody or release him or her from the
custody of the Magistrate’s Court on bail.
16 Maximum
penalties which may be imposed by Magistrate
(1) Subject
to paragraph (2), the maximum penalties which may be imposed by the
Magistrate are –
(a) a fine of £10,000;
(b) imprisonment for a term
of 12 months; or
(c) both a fine of £10,000
and imprisonment for a term of 12 months.
(2) If
the Magistrate passes a sentence of imprisonment on a defendant, the Magistrate
may order that the sentence shall commence at the expiration of any other term
of imprisonment to which that defendant has been previously sentenced.
(3) If a
defendant is convicted of more than one offence, the aggregate of the fines or
terms of imprisonment imposed by the Magistrate in respect of those offences
shall not exceed the maximum fine or term of imprisonment which the Magistrate
is empowered by this Article to impose.
(4) The
States may, by Regulations, amend the penalties listed in paragraph (1).
Part 6
proceedings in the Magistrate’s
court
17 Application
of Part 6
This Part applies in respect
of criminal proceedings before the Magistrate’s Court and appeals to the
Royal Court against a decision of the Magistrate’s Court.
18 Interpretation of Part 6
(1) In
this Part –
“appellant” means a defendant who has a right of appeal
to the Royal Court under Article 33;
“designated police station” shall be construed in
accordance with Code C, A Code of Practice for the Detention, Treatment
and Questioning of Persons by Police Officers, set out in the Schedule to the
Police Procedures and Criminal Evidence (Codes of Practice) (Jersey) Order 2004[17];
“prison” has the meaning given in Article 1(1) of
the Prison (Jersey) Law 1957[18];
“Royal Court” means the Inferior Number of the Royal
Court.
(2) In Articles 31,
33 and 34 “order” means –
(a) a community service
order;
(b) a probation order; or
(c) an order for the
payment of costs.
19 Summons
(1) This
Article applies to a person who is to be charged with an offence and liable to
arrest.
(2) A
person to whom this Article applies may, instead of being arrested, be summoned
by the Attorney General or, with his or her approval, a prosecutor or a
Centenier, to appear before the Magistrate’s Court at the time, and on
the date notified in the summons.
(3) Such
summons shall contain a statement setting out the following –
(a) the
specific offence with which the person is to be charged including such
particulars as may be necessary for giving reasonable information as to the nature
of the charge;
(b) a
short description of the offence in ordinary language, avoiding as far as
possible the use of technical terms and without necessarily stating all the essential
elements of the offence; and
(c) if
the offence to be charged is one created under an enactment, a reference to the
provision of the enactment creating the offence.
20 Failure
to comply with summons
(1) If
a person summoned, under Article 19, to appear before the
Magistrate’s Court fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with the summons,
the Court may, upon proof of the service of the summons, order the
person’s arrest.
(2) An
order under paragraph (1) authorizes every police officer or the Viscount to
arrest and detain the person to whom the order relates and to bring that person
before the Magistrate’s Court.
(3) Unless
the Magistrate grants the person bail under Article 77(2), a person arrested
and detained under this Article, shall be brought before the Magistrate’s
Court within 48 hours of his or her arrest.
(4) Subject
to Article 10(3), the Magistrate may determine a case in the absence of a
person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with his or her summons.
21 Offence
of failing to comply with summons
(1) A
person summoned under Article 19 to appear before the Magistrate’s
Court who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with that summons is guilty
of an offence.
(2) It
shall be for the person to prove that he or she had a reasonable excuse for his
or her failure to comply with the summons.
(3) A
person guilty of an offence under this Article shall be convicted summarily and
liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months and to a fine.
22 Error
in summons
(1) No
objection shall be made to a summons issued under Article 19 on the ground
that –
(a) the
summons is defective in substance or form; or
(b) there
is a variation between the summons and the evidence adduced by or on behalf of
the prosecution.
(2) But,
if it appears to the Magistrate that –
(a) there
is a variation between the summons and the evidence adduced; and
(b) the
variation has misled the person summoned,
the Magistrate shall exercise such case management powers as he or
she sees fit.
23 Procedure on first appearance
(1) When
a defendant first appears before the Magistrate’s Court –
(a) the
defendant shall be identified as the person charged with the offence;
(b) the
particulars of the offence with which the defendant is charged, shall be read
out by the Centenier, or with the Centenier’s agreement, a prosecutor;
and
(c) subject
to paragraph (3), the defendant shall be asked to enter a plea.
(2) If
the defendant does not enter a plea, whether at a first appearance or at any
subsequent stage of the proceedings, the defendant shall be taken to have
pleaded “not guilty”.
(3) The
Magistrate may direct that the defendant need not enter a plea.
24 Amendment
of details of offence and further or alternative offences
(1) This
Article applies once the particulars of the offence have been read out.
(2) Immediately
thereafter or at any subsequent stage of the proceedings, the prosecution
may –
(a) amend
the particulars of the offence;
(b) substitute
the offence; or
(c) add
a new or an alternative offence.
(3) The
particulars of the amended, substituted, additional or alternative offence, as
the case may be, shall be read out and the defendant asked to enter a plea in
respect of that offence.
25 Magistrate’s determination as to sentencing venue –
guilty plea
(1) Where
a defendant has entered a guilty plea, the Magistrate must, in accordance with
this Article, decide whether the case should proceed for sentencing in the
Magistrate’s Court or the Royal Court.
(2) The
Magistrate’s Court shall record the defendant as convicted of the offence
in respect of which he or she has entered a guilty plea.
(3) Subject
to paragraph (4), if it appears to the Magistrate that –
(a) the
gravity of the offence would require the imposition of a penalty in excess of
any penalty imposable under Article 16, the Magistrate shall send the
defendant to the Royal Court for sentencing;
(b) the
gravity of the offence would not require the imposition of a penalty in excess
of any imposable under Article 16, the Magistrate shall determine that the
case should proceed for sentencing in the Magistrate’s court; or
(c) notwithstanding that the gravity of the offence –
(i) would not require
the imposition of a penalty in excess of any imposable under Article 16, but
(ii) it would
nevertheless be in the interests of justice to do so,
the Magistrate shall send the defendant to the Royal Court for
sentencing.
(4) Before
making a decision under paragraph (3), the Magistrate must –
(a) hear any
representations by or on behalf of the prosecutor and defendant; and
(b) have
regard to all the circumstances of the case including any matters as may appear
to be relevant and the defendant’s previous convictions, if any.
26 Magistrate’s
determination as to trial venue – not guilty plea
(1) Where
a defendant has entered a not guilty plea, the Magistrate must, in accordance
with this Article, decide whether the case should proceed for trial in the
Magistrate’s Court or the Royal Court.
(2) Subject
to paragraph (3), if it appears to the Magistrate that –
(a) the
gravity of the offence, if the defendant were to be found guilty, would require
the imposition of a penalty in excess of any penalty imposable under Article 16,
the Magistrate shall send the defendant to the Royal Court for trial;
(b) the
gravity of the offence, if the defendant were to be found guilty, would not
require the imposition of a penalty in excess of any imposable under Article 16,
the Magistrate shall determine that the case should proceed for trial in the
Magistrate’s court; or
(c) notwithstanding that the gravity of the offence, if the
defendant were to be found guilty –
(i) would not require
the imposition of a penalty in excess of any imposable under Article 16,
but
(ii) it would
nevertheless be in the interests of justice to do so,
the
Magistrate shall send the defendant to the Royal Court for trial.
(3) Before
making a decision under paragraph (2), the Magistrate must –
(a) hear
any representations by or on behalf of the prosecutor and defendant;
(b) have
regard to all the circumstances of the case including any matters as may appear
to be relevant.
(4) If,
following a determination under paragraph (2)(b), information emerges to
show that the gravity of the offence, if the defendant were to be found guilty,
would require the imposition of a penalty in excess of any penalty imposable
under Article 16, the Magistrate shall send the defendant to the Royal
Court for trial instead.
27 Magistrate’s
determination as to sentencing venue following trial
(1) If,
following a defendant’s trial, the Magistrate finds the defendant guilty
and, subject to paragraph (2), it appears that –
(a) the gravity of the offence would require the
imposition of a penalty in excess of any penalty imposable under Article 16,
the Magistrate shall send the defendant to the Royal Court for sentencing; or
(b) notwithstanding that the gravity of the offence –
(i) would not require
the imposition of a penalty in excess of any imposable under Article 16, but
(ii) it would
nevertheless be in the interests of justice to do so,
the Magistrate shall send the defendant to the Royal Court for
sentencing.
(2) Before
making a decision under paragraph (1), the Magistrate must –
(a) hear any
representations by or on behalf of the prosecutor and defendant; and
(b) have regard to all the
circumstances of the case including any matters as may appear to be relevant
including the defendant’s previous convictions, if any.
28 Magistrate’s directions in
respect of cases sent to the Royal Court
(1) If
the Magistrate decides to send a defendant to the Royal Court for sentencing
under Article 25 or 27, or trial under Article 26, the Magistrate
shall adjourn the case and –
(a) if
it is practicable to do so, direct that a date is set for the first hearing of
that case before the Royal Court; or
(b) make
such other direction in the exercise of case management powers as are required.
(2) This
paragraph applies where, at any time up to (but not including) the date set for
the first hearing of the defendant’s case before the Royal Court, it
appears to the Magistrate that information has emerged to show that it would be
appropriate, after all, for the defendant to be sentenced or tried (as the case
may be) in the Magistrate’s Court.
(3) Where
paragraph (2) applies, the Magistrate may direct that the
defendant’s case is remitted to the Magistrate’s Court for
sentencing or trial (as the case may be).
29 Magistrate’s
determination as to sentencing or trial venue – unconnected offences
(1) This
Article applies where a defendant is charged with more than one offence and the
offences are not connected with each other.
(2) The
Magistrate may direct that any unconnected offences should be considered at the
same hearing for the purposes of making a decision under any of Articles 25
to 27.
(3) If –
(a) the
Magistrate decides to send a defendant to the Royal Court for sentencing or
trial in relation to one offence; and
(b) notwithstanding
that it appears to the Magistrate that the gravity of another unconnected
offence is such as would not require the imposition of a penalty in excess of
any maximum penalty imposable under Article 16, it would be in the
interests of justice to do so,
the Magistrate may direct that the defendant is also sent to the Royal
Court for sentencing or trial in relation to that other unconnected offence.
(4) In
this Article and Article 30, in relation to offences, references to
“connected” means offences which are connected by reason of being
founded on the same facts, or form or are part of a series of offences of the
same or similar character, and references to “unconnected” in
relation to offences shall be construed accordingly.
30 Magistrate’s
determination as to sentencing or trial venue – multiple defendants,
including child or young person
(1) This
Article applies where the Magistrate is to make a decision under any of Articles 25
to 27 in respect of more than one defendant charged with offences which appear
to be connected.
(2) If
the Magistrate considers the offences to be sufficiently connected, a decision
taken under any of Articles 25 to 27 shall be taken having regard to the
general principle that it is desirable for defendants charged with connected
offences to be tried or sentenced together in the Magistrate’s Court or
Royal Court, as the case may be.
(3) This
paragraph applies where, pursuant to Article 26(1)(a) or (b) of the Young
Offenders Law, a child or young person appears before the Magistrate’s
Court and –
(a) pleads
not guilty to committing a connected offence; and
(b) another
defendant (who has attained the age of 18), with whom the child or young
person is jointly charged with committing a connected offence, is to be sent to
the Royal Court for sentencing or trial, as the case may be.
(4) Where
paragraph (3) applies, the Magistrate shall direct that the child or young
person is tried in the Youth Court unless –
(a) it
appears to the Magistrate that if the child or young person were to be found
guilty, the gravity of the offence would require the imposition of an order or sentence
in excess of any order or sentence imposable by the Youth Court; or
(b) it
is in the interests of justice that the child or young person and the other
defendant are jointly sentenced or tried, as the case may be,
in which case the Magistrate shall send the child or young person to
the Royal Court for trial.
31 Magistrate’s
power to rectify mistakes
(1) Subject
to paragraph (3), the Magistrate may, within 28 days of passing a
sentence or making an order in respect of a defendant, amend or rescind that
sentence or order, if it appears to the Magistrate that it would further the
overriding objective to do so.
(2) The
power of the Magistrate under paragraph (1) includes the power –
(a) to replace a sentence
or order that appears to the Magistrate to be invalid with a sentence or order
that the Magistrate has the power to impose or make; or
(b) provided no injustice
would be caused, to correct errors which have resulted in a defendant having
pleaded guilty to, or been convicted of, an incorrectly charged offence.
(3) The
Magistrate may, in exceptional circumstances, amend or rescind a sentence or
order under paragraph (1) after the 28 day period has expired.
(4) If
the Magistrate amends a sentence or order, the amended sentence or order takes
effect from the time the original sentence or order took effect unless the
Magistrate otherwise directs.
32 Proceedings
in Royal Court remitted to Magistrate’s Court
(1) This
Article applies where, under Article 47, the Royal Court remits a case to
the Magistrate’s Court.
(2) The
Magistrate’s Court shall proceed to sentence or try the defendant as if
the defendant had never been sent to the Royal Court for sentencing or trial in
the first instance.
33 Right
of appeal
(1) A defendant
convicted by the Magistrate’s Court may appeal to the Royal Court in the
circumstances set out in paragraph (2).
(2) If
the defendant –
(a) pleaded
guilty or admitted the facts, he or she may appeal against the sentence or
order;
(b) pleaded not guilty, he or she may appeal against
the conviction, sentence or order; or
(c) pleaded not guilty and was sent to the
Royal Court for sentencing under Article 27, he or she may appeal against
the conviction.
34 Notice
of appeal
(1) An
appeal under Article 33 shall be commenced by the appellant giving notice
of appeal to the Judicial Greffier not more than 7 days after the day on
which the appellant was convicted, sentenced or the order was made.
(2) A
notice of appeal shall be in writing and shall state the general grounds of
appeal.
(3) Where
it appears to the Royal Court, on application made in accordance with paragraph (4),
that an appellant has failed to give the notice of appeal within the period of 7 days
prescribed by paragraph (1), the Royal Court may, if it thinks fit, direct
that –
(a) any
such notice of appeal given by the appellant after the expiration of the said 7 day
period shall be treated as if given within that period; or
(b) any
such notice of appeal may be given by the appellant within such further period
as may be specified in the direction and shall be treated as if given within
the said 7 day period.
(4) An
application for a direction under paragraph (3) shall be made in writing
to the Judicial Greffier.
(5) In
determining when the 7 day expires, there shall be disregarded Christmas
Day, Good Friday and any Bank Holiday.
35 Abandonment
of appeal
(1) An
appellant may abandon an appeal under Article 33 by giving notice in
writing to the Judicial Greffier, not later than the 3rd working day before the
day fixed for the hearing of the appeal.
(2) An
appellant who has not given notice by the day mentioned in paragraph (1) may
apply at any time up to, and including the day before the day fixed for the
hearing of the appeal, to the Royal Court for leave to abandon his or her
appeal.
(3) Where
notice to abandon an appeal has been given under paragraph (1) –
(a) subject
to anything already suffered or done by the appellant under the decision from
which the appeal is made, such decision shall be enforceable forthwith by due
process of law;
(b) the
Magistrate’s Court may, on the application of the prosecutor, order the
appellant to pay to the prosecutor such costs as appear to the
Magistrate’s Court to be just and reasonable in respect of expenses properly
incurred by the prosecutor in connection with the appeal before notice of the
abandonment was given.
(4) Criminal
Procedure Rules may make provision as to the hearing of an application under paragraph (3)(b).
36 Determination
of appeals
(1) On
any appeal under Article 33, the Royal Court may –
(a) confirm,
reverse or vary the decision of the Magistrate’s Court;
(b) remit
the matter to the Magistrate’s Court with its opinion;
(c) make
such other order as it thinks just, and may by such order exercise any power
which the Magistrate’s Court might have exercised.
(2) Any
order made under paragraph (1)(c) shall have the like effect and may be
enforced in like manner as if it had been made by the Magistrate’s Court.
(3) The
powers of the Royal Court under paragraph (1) shall be construed as
including power to impose any penalty, whether more or less severe than that imposed
by the Magistrate or which the Magistrate could have imposed under Article 16.
(4) If,
at any stage of the proceedings, the Royal Court is of opinion that the appeal
is frivolous or vexatious or brought for the purpose of delay, it may forthwith
dismiss the appeal.
(5) The
Royal Court may –
(a) direct
that witnesses shall be heard before it at the hearing of any appeal under Article 33
in relation to any matter or thing relevant to the appeal; or
(b) require
the production of a transcript of the trial.
(6) On
any appeal under Article 33 –
(a) if the appeal is
successful, the Royal Court may order the payment out of public funds of such
sums as appear to the Court reasonably sufficient to compensate the appellant
for any expenses properly incurred –
(i) in the
prosecution of the appeal, and
(ii) in the
proceedings in the Magistrate’s Court; or
(b) if the appeal is unsuccessful, the Royal Court may order the
appellant to pay the whole or any part of the costs of the appeal.
37 Application
to Magistrate to state a case
(1) Subject
to paragraph (2), any party who is aggrieved by the conviction, order,
determination or other proceeding of the Magistrate’s Court may question
the proceeding on the ground that it is wrong in law or is in excess of
jurisdiction, by applying to the Magistrate to state a case for the opinion of
the Royal Court on the question of law or jurisdiction involved.
(2) A party
shall not make an application under this Article in respect of a decision which
by virtue of any enactment is final.
(3) An
application under paragraph (1) shall be made not later than 7 days
after the day on which the decision of the Magistrate’s Court was given.
(4) If
a defendant has a right of appeal under Article 33 but makes an
application under this Article, he or she shall no longer have a right of appeal
under Article 33.
(5) If
the Magistrate is of opinion that an application under this Article is
frivolous, the Magistrate may refuse to state a case and, if the applicant so
requires, shall give the applicant a certificate stating that the application
has been refused.
(6) The
Magistrate shall not refuse to state a case if the application is made by or
under the direction of the Attorney General.
(7) Where
the Magistrate refuses to state a case, the Royal Court may, on the application
of the party who applied for the case to be stated, make an order requiring the
Magistrate to state a case and it shall be the duty of the Magistrate to comply
with the order.
(8) For
the purposes of an application under this Article, “order”
means” –
(a) any
order of the Magistrate in the exercise of case management powers;
(b) a
community service order;
(c) a
probation order;
(d) an
order for the payment of costs; or
(e) an
order made under any enactment in respect of which the Magistrate has no
discretion as to the making of the order or its terms.
38 Royal
Court determination of a case stated
(1) Where
the Magistrate states a case under Article 37, the Royal Court shall hear
and determine the question or questions of law arising on the case and may –
(a) reverse,
affirm or amend the determination in respect of which the case has been stated;
(b) remit
the matter to the Magistrate’s Court, with its opinion thereon; or
(c) make
such other order in relation to the matter, including such order as to costs,
as may seem fit.
(2) The
Royal Court shall also have power, if it thinks fit, to cause the case to be remitted
to the Magistrate’s Court for amendment upon which the case shall be
amended accordingly, and judgment delivered.
(3) Any
conviction, order, determination or other proceeding of the Magistrate’s
Court varied by the Royal Court under this Article, and any judgment or order
of the Royal Court under this Article, may be enforced as if it were a decision
of the Magistrate’s Court.
39 Bail on appeal or case stated
(1) This
Article applies where a defendant has given notice of appeal under Article 34
or has applied for a case to be stated under Article 37.
(2) Where
this Article applies, the defendant may be granted bail but the right of a
defendant to be granted bail under Article 7(2) of the Bail Law shall not
apply.
(3) A
defendant granted bail under this Article must immediately surrender himself or
herself to the custody of a police officer or the Viscount, if he or she subsequently
wishes to abandon his or her –
(a) appeal in accordance
with Article 35;
(b) appeal after the appeal
proceedings have commenced in the Royal Court; or
(c) application to the
Magistrate to state a case.
(4) A
defendant who, without reasonable excuse, fails to surrender himself or herself
as required under paragraph (3) shall –
(a) be
guilty of an offence and shall be convicted summarily and liable to
imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months and to a fine; and
(b) be
required to pay the costs of the prosecution.
(5) The
Magistrate or Royal Court, as the case may be, may order the arrest of a
defendant who, without reasonable excuse, fails to surrender himself or herself
as required under paragraph (3).
(6) An
order under paragraph (5) authorizes every police officer or the Viscount
to arrest and detain the defendant to whom the order relates, and to place him
or her in custody at the designated police station pending the
defendant’s transfer to prison.
(7) Article 77
shall not apply for the purposes of an order under paragraph (5).
40 Operation
of certain orders pending appeal or case stated
Where notice of appeal is given under Article 34, or an
application for a case to be stated is made under Article 37, in respect
of a decision which includes either of the following –
(a) an order
the effect of which is to suspend or withdraw a licence or other permit, the
Magistrate may, unless otherwise provided by the enactment under which the
licence or permit was granted, direct that the order be stayed pending the
disposal of the appeal or application;
(b) an order
for the confiscation of goods, the goods shall be confiscated pending the
disposal of the appeal or application.
41 Miscellaneous
provisions
(1) Any
appeal or application under this Part may be heard and determined by the Royal
Court either in term or in vacation.
(2) Any
judgment or order of the Royal Court under this Part shall be final and conclusive.
(3) Costs
ordered to be paid under this Part to the prosecution shall be enforced as a
civil debt without further order of the Court.
Part 7
proceedings in the royal court
42 Application
of Part 7
This Part applies in
respect of criminal proceedings before the Royal Court.
43 Notice
of proceedings and lodging of indictment
(1) In
the case of a defendant who has been sent by the Magistrate’s Court to
the Royal Court for sentencing or trial, as the case may be, that defendant
shall first appear before the Royal Court –
(a) on
the date directed by the Magistrate under Article 28(1)(a); or
(b) on
such date as may otherwise be directed by the Royal Court.
(2) Where
paragraph (1)(b) applies, the Royal Court shall give the parties 7 days,
or more, notice of the hearing date.
(3) The
Attorney General must, in relation to a defendant –
(a) who
has been sent by the Magistrate’s Court to the Royal Court for sentencing
or trial, as the case may be; or
(b) in
respect of whom the Attorney General has decided to initiate criminal proceedings
in the Royal Court under Article 14,
prepare an indictment in the prescribed form, sign and lodge it with
the Judicial Greffier and serve a copy of it upon the defendant.
(4) Where
paragraph (3)(a) applies and subject to paragraph (5), the indictment
must be lodged and served 48 hours, or more, before the date directed for
the defendant’s first appearance before the Royal Court.
(5) The
period referred to in paragraph (4) shall not apply if the Attorney
General notifies the Royal Court as soon as practicable before the date
directed for the defendant’s first appearance that the indictment is not
ready for lodging.
(6) Where
paragraph (5) applies, the Royal Court may, for the purposes of securing
the lodging of the indictment, make such order or directions it sees fit.
(7) Where
paragraph (3)(b) applies, the time for lodging the indictment shall be
prescribed.
44 Failure
to attend first appearance
(1) Subject
to paragraph (3), the Royal Court may order the arrest of a defendant who,
without reasonable excuse, fails to attend before the Court for his or her first
appearance in accordance with any directions given under Article 28(1)(a)
or 43(1)(b), or summons under Article 14(3).
(2) An
order under paragraph (1) authorizes every police officer or the Viscount
to arrest and detain the defendant to whom the order relates and to bring him
or her before the Royal Court.
(3) Unless
the Royal Court grants the defendant bail under Article 77(2), a defendant
arrested and detained under this Article, shall be brought before the Royal Court
not later than 48 hours commencing with the time of his or her arrest.
(4) A
defendant who, without reasonable excuse, fails to attend before the Royal
Court for his or her first appearance is guilty of an offence.
(5) It
shall be for the defendant to prove that he or she had a reasonable excuse for
his or her failure to attend the Royal Court.
(6) A
defendant guilty of an offence under this Article shall be convicted summarily
and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months and to a
fine.
45 Procedure on first appearance
(1) Where
a defendant has been sent by the Magistrate’s Court to the Royal Court
for trial or appears before that Court pursuant to Article 14, paragraphs (2)
and (3) shall apply.
(2) When
a defendant mentioned in paragraph (1) first appears before the Royal Court –
(a) the
defendant shall be identified as the person charged with the offence;
(b) the
contents of the indictment shall be read out; and
(c) subject
to paragraph (4), the defendant shall be asked to enter a plea.
(3) If
the defendant does not enter a plea, whether at a first appearance or at any
subsequent stage of the proceedings, the defendant shall be taken to have
pleaded “not guilty”.
(4) The
Bailiff may direct that the defendant need not enter a plea.
(5) Where
a defendant has been sent by the Magistrate’s Court to the Royal Court
for sentencing, when he or she first appears before the Royal Court –
(a) the
defendant shall be identified as the person charged with the offence; and
(b) the
contents of the indictment shall be read out.
(6) Where
a defendant has, under paragraph (2)(c), pleaded guilty to the offence, or
is a defendant who has been sent to the Royal Court for sentencing, the Royal
Court may, after enquiring into the circumstances of the case and hearing representations
from the parties including, if necessary, representations under Article 78
to determine facts in dispute, sentence the defendant at that hearing.
(7) If –
(a) there
is more than one offence specified in the indictment and the defendant pleads not
guilty in respect of any other offence, the Royal Court may adjourn the hearing
for sentencing of the defendant in respect of the guilty plea until the
defendant’s trial in respect of the other offence is concluded; or
(b) in
furtherance of the overriding objective Article 3(1)(f) is relevant, the
Royal Court may adjourn the hearing for the sentencing of the defendant at a
later date.
46 Power
to amend indictment
(1) Where,
before trial or sentencing, or at any stage of a trial, it appears to the Royal
Court on the application of the prosecution, that the indictment requires
amendment for any reason or is otherwise defective, the Court shall make such
order for the amendment of the indictment as the Court thinks necessary to meet
the circumstances of the case, unless, having regard to the merits of the case,
the required amendments cannot be made without injustice.
(2) An
order amending an indictment under paragraph (1) may –
(a) amend
the particulars of an offence;
(b) substitute
an offence;
(c) add
a new or an alternative offence; or
(d) remove
an offence.
(3) Where
an order is made under this Article, the particulars of the amended,
substituted, additional or alternative offence, as the case may be, shall be
read out and the defendant asked to enter a plea in respect of an offence
referred to in the indictment as amended.
47 Power
to remit case to the Magistrate’s Court
(1) The
Royal Court may, if the circumstances of the case justify it, remit a case to
the Magistrate’s Court for the sentencing or trial of a defendant, as the
case may be.
(2) Circumstances
which may justify the remitting of a case to the Magistrate’s Court include
where –
(a) the
nature or gravity of the offence has changed or reduced to the extent that the Magistrate
would be able to impose any penalty under Article 16; or
(b) it
is not in the interests of justice that a child or young person who has been sent
to the Royal Court under Article 30(4)(b), should be jointly sentenced or
tried, as the case may be, with another defendant who is not a child or young
person.
48 Mode
of trial
(1) Subject
to the provisions of this Article, a defendant may be tried either by the Royal
Court sitting with a jury, or by the Inferior Number of the Royal Court sitting
without a jury.
(2) A
defendant whose indictment only charges an offence which is an offence under
customary law, may elect to be tried –
(a) by the Royal Court
sitting with a jury; or
(b) by the Inferior Number
of the Royal Court sitting without a jury.
(3) This
paragraph applies where –
(a) no election is made
under paragraph (2); or
(b) a defendant’s
indictment charges 2 or more offences at least one of which is an offence under
customary law and the other an offence under an enactment.
(4) Where
paragraph (3) applies, the Royal Court shall decide, having regard to the
nature and gravity of the offence and after hearing any submissions from the
defence and the prosecution, the method by which the defendant shall be tried.
(5) Unless
an enactment expressly provides otherwise, a defendant whose indictment only charges
an offence which is an offence under an enactment shall be tried by the
Inferior Number of the Royal Court sitting without a jury.
(6) For
the purposes of this Article, an “offence under an enactment”
includes an offence under an enactment of the United Kingdom which extends or
applies to Jersey.
49 Sittings
and composition of the Royal Court for trial with a jury
(1) This
Article applies where a defendant is to be tried by the Royal Court sitting
with a jury.
(2) In
a trial under this Article the Royal Court shall be composed only of the
Bailiff sitting with 12 jurors selected in accordance with Article 66.
(3) The
Royal Court shall convene –
(a) when
necessary so as to conduct one or more trials under this Article; and
(b) for
as long as is necessary to conclude such trials.
(4) Where,
at the conclusion of a trial, the defendant is found guilty, the Royal Court
shall for the purposes of sentencing that defendant, sit as the Inferior Number
or as the Superior Number, depending upon the penalty that the Court may decide
to impose.
50 Sentencing
where facts in dispute
(1) This
Article applies where a defendant found guilty is to be sentenced, and the defence
disputes the facts upon which the defendant was found guilty.
(2) Where
this Article applies, the trial court –
(a) shall,
if invited by the defence or prosecution to do so; or
(b) may,
of its own motion,
communicate its view of the facts to the sentencing court.
(3) Where,
under paragraph (2), the trial court has communicated its view of the
facts to the sentencing court, the sentencing court may sentence the defendant
on the basis of the facts so communicated.
(4) In
this Article –
(a) “trial
court” means –
(i) where the
defendant was tried by the Royal Court sitting with a jury, the Bailiff, or
(ii) where the
defendant was tried by the Inferior Number of the Royal Court sitting without a
jury, the Bailiff and Jurats;
(b) “sentencing
court” means the Royal Court sitting as the Inferior Number or Superior
number, as the case requires.
51 Verdict
where Royal Court sitting as Inferior Number with Bailiff and single Jurat
(1) This
Article applies where Article 15A(2) of the Royal Court (Jersey) Law 1948[19] applies.
(2) Where
the Bailiff and the Jurat disagree upon a verdict, the Bailiff shall determine
the verdict.
PART 8
PREPARATORY HEARINGS AND RULINGS in the royal court
Preparatory hearings
52 Application of
Part 8
This Part applies in relation to proceedings for an offence if a defendant
is sent for trial by the Magistrate’s Court to the Royal Court or where proceedings
are directly initiated before the Royal Court under Article 14.
53 Power to order
preparatory hearing
(1) Where
it appears to the Bailiff that a case is so complex or is a case the trial of
which is likely to be so long that substantial benefits are likely to accrue
from a hearing before the trial and for any of the purposes listed in paragraph (2),
he or she may order that a hearing (in this Part referred to as a “preparatory
hearing”) shall be held.
(2) The
purposes are those of –
(a) identifying
issues which are likely to be material to the verdict of the Royal Court or
jury;
(b) assisting
comprehension of those issues;
(c) expediting
the proceedings before the Royal Court or jury;
(d) assisting
the management of the trial.
(3) The
Bailiff may make an order under paragraph (1) on the application of the
prosecution, the defence, or of his or her own motion.
54 Start of trial
If the Bailiff orders a preparatory hearing the trial shall start with
that hearing and the contents of the indictment shall be read out to the
defendant at the start of that hearing, unless it has taken place before then.
55 The preparatory
hearing
(1) At
the preparatory hearing the Bailiff may exercise any of the powers specified in
this Article.
(2) The
Bailiff may adjourn a preparatory hearing from time to time.
(3) The
Bailiff may make a ruling as to –
(a) any
question as to the admissibility of evidence;
(b) any
other question of law relating to the case; or
(c) any
question as to the joinder or severance of the offences in the indictment.
(4) The
Bailiff may order the prosecution –
(a) to
give the Royal Court and each defendant a written statement (a “case
statement”) of the matters falling within paragraph (5);
(b) to
prepare the prosecution evidence and any explanatory material in a form that
appears to the Bailiff to be likely to aid comprehension by the Royal Court or
jury and to give it in that form to that court and to each defendant;
(c) to
give the Royal Court and each defendant written notice of documents the truth
of the contents of which ought, in the prosecution’s view, to be admitted
and of any other matters which in the prosecution’s view ought to be
agreed;
(d) to
make any amendments of any case statement given in pursuance of an order under
sub-paragraph (a) that appear to the Bailiff to be appropriate, having
regard to objections made by any defendant.
(5) The
matters referred to in paragraph (4)(a) are –
(a) the
principal facts of the case for the prosecution;
(b) the
witnesses who will speak to those facts;
(c) any
exhibits relevant to those facts;
(d) any
proposition of law on which the prosecution proposes to rely;
(e) the
consequences in relation to any of the charges or counts in the indictment that
appear to the prosecution to flow from the matters falling within sub-paragraphs (a)
to (d).
(6) Where
the Bailiff has ordered the prosecution to give a case statement and the
prosecution has complied with the order, the Bailiff may order each defendant –
(a) to
give the Royal Court and the prosecution a written statement setting out in
general terms the nature of the defendant’s defence and indicating the
principal matters on which he or she takes issue with the prosecution;
(b) to
give the Royal Court and the prosecution written notice of any objections that
the defendant has to the case statement;
(c) to
give the Royal Court and the prosecution written notice of any point of law,
including any point as to the admissibility of evidence, which the defendant
wishes to take, and any authority on which the defendant intends to rely for
that purpose.
(7) Where
the Bailiff has ordered the prosecution to give notice under paragraph (4)(c)
and the prosecution has complied with the order, the Bailiff may order each
defendant to give the Royal Court and the prosecution a written notice
stating –
(a) the
extent to which he or she agrees with the prosecution as to documents and other
matters to which the notice under paragraph (4)(c) relates; and
(b) the
reason for any disagreement.
(8) The
Bailiff, on making an order under paragraph (6) or (7), shall warn
each defendant of the possible consequences under Article 57 of not
complying with it.
(9) If
it appears to the Bailiff that reasons given in pursuance of paragraph (7)
are inadequate, the Bailiff shall so inform the person giving them and may
require the person to give further or better reasons.
(10) An order
under this Article may specify the time within which any requirement contained
in it is to be complied with.
(11) An order
or ruling made under this Article shall have effect throughout the trial,
unless it appears to the Bailiff, on application made to the Bailiff, that the
interests of justice require the Bailiff to vary or discharge it.
56 Orders before
preparatory hearing
(1) This
Article applies where the Bailiff orders a preparatory hearing and he or she decides
that any order which could be made under Article 55(4), (6) and (7) at the
hearing, should be made before the hearing.
(2) In
that case, the Bailiff may make that order before the hearing, or at the
hearing, and Article 55(4) to (11) shall apply accordingly.
Later stages
57 Later stages of
trial
(1) Any
party may depart from the case he or she disclosed in pursuance of a requirement
imposed under Article 55.
(2) Where
a party departs from the case he or she disclosed in pursuance of a requirement
imposed under Article 55, or a party fails to comply with that
requirement, the Bailiff or, with the leave of the Bailiff, any other party may
make any comment that appears to the Bailiff or the other party to be
appropriate, and the Royal Court or jury may draw any inference that appears
proper.
(3) In
deciding whether to give leave the Bailiff shall have regard to the extent of the
departure or failure and to whether there is any justification for it.
(4) Except
as provided by this Article no part of a statement given under Article 55(6)(a)
or of any other information relating to the case for a defendant which was
given in pursuance of a requirement imposed under Article 55, may be
disclosed at a later stage in the trial without the consent of the defendant
concerned.
58 Appeals to Court
of Appeal
(1) An
appeal shall lie to the Court of Appeal from any ruling of the Bailiff under Article 55(3),
but only with the leave of the Bailiff or of the Court of Appeal.
(2) The
Bailiff may continue a preparatory hearing notwithstanding that leave to appeal
has been granted under paragraph (1), but the trial shall not otherwise
proceed further until after the appeal has been determined or abandoned.
(3) On
the hearing of the appeal the Court of Appeal may confirm, reverse or vary the
decision appealed against.
(4) The
power to make rules of court under the Court
of Appeal (Jersey) Law 1961[20] shall include a power to
specify the time within which an appeal under this Part to the Court of Appeal
shall be made and to regulate generally the practice and procedure relating to
any such appeal.
Rulings
59 Meaning of
pre-trial hearing
(1) For
the purposes of this Part a hearing is a pre-trial hearing if it relates to a
trial for an offence in the Royal Court and it takes place after the defendant
has been sent for trial by the Magistrate’s Court to the Royal Court under
Part 6, or after the proceedings for the offence have been initiated in
the Royal Court, under Article 14, and before the start of the trial.
(2) For
the purposes of this Article the start of a trial occurs when –
(a) a
jury is sworn to consider the issue of guilt;
(b) the
Royal Court, sitting with Jurats, sits to determine the issue of guilt; or
(c) if
the Royal Court accepts a plea of guilty before it begins to determine the
issue of guilt, when that plea is accepted, but subject to Article 54.
60 Power to make rulings
(1) The
Bailiff may make, at a pre-trial hearing, a ruling as to any question as to the
admissibility of evidence and any other question of law relating to the case
concerned.
(2) A
ruling may be made under this Article on an application by a party to the case
or of the Bailiff’s own motion.
(3) Subject
to paragraph (4), a ruling made under this Article has binding effect from
the time it is made until the case against each defendant is disposed of, and
the case against a defendant is disposed of if he or she is acquitted or
convicted or the prosecution decides not to proceed with the case against the
defendant.
(4) The
Bailiff may discharge, vary or further vary a ruling made under this Article if
it appears to the Bailiff that it is in the interests of justice to do so, and
the Bailiff may act under this paragraph on an application by a party to the
case or of his or her own motion.
(5) No
application may be made under paragraph (4) unless there has been a
material change of circumstances since the ruling was made or, if a previous
application has been made, since the last application was made.
Reporting restrictions
61 Restrictions
on reporting preparatory hearings or rulings
(1) Except as provided by this Article no publication
shall include a report of proceedings falling within paragraph (2), or
matters falling within paragraph (3) and no report of those proceedings or
matters shall be included in a relevant programme for reception in Jersey.
(2) The following proceedings fall within this
paragraph –
(a) a preparatory hearing;
(b) an application for leave to appeal in
relation to that hearing; and
(c) an appeal in relation to that hearing.
(3) The following matters fall within this
paragraph –
(a) a ruling made under Article 60;
(b) proceedings on an application for a ruling
to be made under Article 60;
(c) an order that a ruling made under Article 60
be discharged or varied;
(d) proceedings on an application for a ruling
made under Article 60 to be discharged or varied.
(4) The Bailiff, in dealing with a preparatory
hearing, may order that paragraph (1) shall not apply, or shall not apply
to a specified extent, to a report of the preparatory hearing or an application
to the Bailiff for leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal under Article 58(1)
in relation to the preparatory hearing.
(5) The Bailiff, in dealing with any matter
falling within paragraph (3), may order that paragraph (1) shall not
apply, or shall not apply to a specified extent, to a report of the matter.
(6) The Court of Appeal may order that paragraph (1)
shall not apply, or shall not apply to a specified extent, to a report of an
appeal to the Court of Appeal under Article 58(1) in relation to a
preparatory hearing or an application to that Court for leave to appeal to it
under Article 58(1) in relation to a preparatory hearing.
(7) Where there is only one defendant and he or
she objects to the making of an order under paragraph (4), (5) or (6) the
Bailiff or the Court of Appeal (as the case may be) shall make the order if
satisfied after hearing the representations of the defendant that it is in the
interests of justice to do so and if the order is made it shall not apply to
the extent that a report deals with that objection or those representations.
(8) Where there are 2 or more defendants and one
or more of them objects to the making of an order under paragraph (4), (5)
or (6) the Bailiff or the Court of Appeal (as the case may be) shall make the
order if satisfied after hearing the representations of each of the defendants
that it is in the interests of justice to do so and if the order is made it
shall not apply to the extent that a report deals with that objection or those
representations.
(9) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the
following at the conclusion of the trial of the last of the defendants to be
tried –
(a) the inclusion in a publication of a report
of a preparatory hearing or any matter falling within paragraph (3); or
(b) the inclusion in a publication of a report
of an appeal in relation to a preparatory hearing or of an application for
leave to appeal in relation to that hearing.
(10) In relation to proceedings falling within paragraph (2),
paragraph (1) shall not apply to a report which only contains one or more
of the following matters –
(a) the identity of the court and the name of
the person presiding;
(b) the name and age of a defendant of full age;
(c) the offence or offences, or a summary of
them, with which a defendant is charged;
(d) the name of any advocate in the proceedings;
(e) where the proceedings are adjourned, the
date and place to which they are adjourned;
(f) whether the defendant was granted bail;
(g) whether the defendant was granted legal aid.
(11) Nothing in this Article affects any prohibition or
restriction imposed by virtue of any other enactment on the inclusion of any
matter in a publication.
62 Offences in
connection with reporting preparatory hearings or rulings
(1) If a report is included in a publication in
contravention of Article 61, each of the following persons shall be guilty
of an offence –
(a) where the publication is a newspaper or
periodical, any proprietor, editor or publisher of the newspaper or periodical;
(b) where the publication is a relevant
programme, any body corporate which is engaged in providing the service in
which the programme is included and any person having functions in relation to
the programme corresponding to those of an editor of a newspaper;
(c) in the case of any other publication, the
person who publishes it.
(2) A person guilty of an offence under this
Article shall be liable to a fine.
(3) Proceedings for an offence under this
Article shall not be commenced without the consent of the Attorney General.
Part 9
juries
63 Eligibility
for jury service
(1) Subject
to the provisions of this Part, every person shall be eligible to serve as a
juror and be liable, accordingly, to attend for jury service when summoned, if –
(a) he
or she has attained the age of 18 and has not attained the age of 72;
(b) he
or she is entitled to have his or her name included on the electoral register
in accordance with Article 5 of the Public Elections (Jersey) Law 2002[21]; and
(c) he
or she is not exempt from, or disqualified for jury service.
(2) A
person is exempt from jury service if he or she is –
(a) the
Attorney General or Solicitor General;
(b) the
Bailiff or Deputy Bailiff;
(c) a
Commissioner;
(d) the
Judicial Greffier, Deputy Judicial Greffier or a Greffier Substitute;
(e) a Jurat;
(f) the
Magistrate or Assistant Magistrate;
(g) the
Viscount or Deputy Viscount;
(h) a
member of the Youth Court Panel;
(i) an
advocate, solicitor, prosecutor or Centenier;
(j) an
officer of the Bailiff’s Department or Law Officers Department appointed,
as referred to in Article 1(1) of the Departments of the Judiciary and the
Legislature (Jersey) Law 1965[22] (the “1965 Law”),
to ensure the service of those Departments; or
(k) a
police officer in the States of Jersey Police Force.
(3) A
person is disqualified for jury service if he or she –
(a) is detained,
or liable to be detained, under the Mental Health Law;
(b) is subject
to guardianship under Part 4 of the Mental Health Law;
(c) lacks
capacity, within the meaning of the Capacity and Self- Determination (Jersey)
Law 2016[23], to serve as a juror;
(d) has
at any time, in Jersey or elsewhere, been sentenced to imprisonment for one
month or more;
(e) has,
within 10 years immediately before being summoned for jury service, been convicted –
(i) of any offence, and –
(A) sentenced
to imprisonment (including a sentence by virtue of Article 4 of the Young
Offenders Law),
(B) been
subject to a probation order with a condition imposed under Article 3 of
the Probation Law, or
(C) been
subject to an order imposed under Article 2 of the Community Service
Orders Law, or
(ii) of an offence
under the law of a jurisdiction other than Jersey, and sentenced to a penalty
equivalent to any of those listed in clause (i);
(f) is
bound over by virtue of an order under Article 2 of the Probation Law and
who remains subject to such an order;
(g) is,
in Jersey or elsewhere –
(i) awaiting trial
for any offence punishable with imprisonment,
(ii) in contempt of
court, or
(iii) liable to arrest.
(4) The
States may, by Regulations, amend the list of persons exempt from, or
disqualified for, jury service set out in paragraphs (2) and (3).
(5) In paragraph (2)(j)
“Bailiff’s Department” and “Law Officers
Department” have the meaning given in Article 1(1)(a) and (b) of the
1965 Law.
64 Jury
and panel lists
(1) Regulations
under this Article shall make provision for, or in connection with, the
following requirements –
(a) for
the Viscount to compile a list of persons who are eligible to serve as jurors
(“jury list”);
(b) for
the parishes or any other administration of the States to provide the Viscount
with such information, and in such form, as may be prescribed to enable the
compilation of the jury list;
(c) for
the Viscount, upon notification by the Judicial Greffier in such manner as may
be prescribed, to prepare a list of persons (“panel list”) who may
be called upon to serve as jurors.
(2) When
the Viscount receives notification that a panel list is required, the Viscount
shall, from the jury list, select at random such numbers of persons as appear to
the Viscount to be necessary for the purposes of securing that a sufficient
number of persons will be available to serve on a jury for a trial on a given
date or trials throughout a given period.
(3) The
Viscount may, if he or she considers it expedient, form a supplementary panel list
compiled in accordance with paragraph (2).
(4) When
the panel list has been compiled, it shall be signed by the Viscount who shall then
individually summon the persons named on that list to attend for jury service.
(5) A
summons requiring a person to attend for jury service shall be –
(a) signed
by the Viscount;
(b) in
the prescribed form and contain such information as may be prescribed; and
(c) served
upon the person in such manner as may be prescribed.
65 Viscount’s
power to exempt from jury service
(1) The
Viscount may, of his or her own motion or on the written application of a person
summoned to attend for jury service, exempt the person from his or her duty to
attend –
(a) if
the Viscount considers the person to be exempted from or disqualified for jury
service under Article 63 or under any other enactment; or
(b) for
any other reason which the Viscount considers sufficient to justify such
exemption.
(2) The
Viscount shall notify the Judicial Greffier of every application received and decision
he or she has made under paragraph (1) together with the reasons given for
the decision.
(3) A
person aggrieved by a decision of the Viscount following a written application
under paragraph (1) may renew that application to the Royal Court.
(4) Criminal
Procedure Rules may make provision as to procedure for an application under paragraph (3)
and for the determination of that application.
(5) A
person who, with the intention of obtaining an exemption under this Article,
makes a false declaration or representation in a written application under paragraph (1),
is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine.
66 Selection
of persons for jury service
(1) A
jury shall be constituted of 12 persons.
(2) The
persons who constitute the jury shall be selected in accordance with this Article
and Articles 68 and 69.
(3) Except
as provided under paragraph (4), on the day upon which a person has been
summoned to attend for jury service, the names of not less than 12 persons
appearing on the panel list shall, in open court, be read out by the Judicial
Greffier in the order in which the names appear on the list.
(4) A
person whose name appears on the panel list shall not be read out –
(a) if
that person has, since the compilation of that list, been exempted from jury
service under Article 65; or
(b) if
it appears to the Bailiff that it would be in the interests of justice not to
identify that person.
(5) This
paragraph applies where a trial is expected to last for more than 5 days.
(6) Where
paragraph (5) applies, once 12 persons have been selected to serve as
jurors, the names of 2 further persons shall, subject to paragraph (4),
be read from the list in the order in which their names appear on the list.
(7) The
2 further persons referred to in paragraph (6) shall, subject to Articles 68
and 69, be the jury’s reserve jurors.
(8) A
reserve juror must be called to serve on the jury if, at any time up to the
point that the Bailiff concludes his or her summing up of the case, the number
of jurors is reduced.
(9) The
Bailiff –
(a) may discharge a reserve
juror from jury service if he or she is not required to serve on the jury
immediately before the commencement of the Bailiff’s summing up of the
case; or
(b) must,
when the jury retires to consider its verdict, discharge a reserve juror from
jury service.
67 Offence of failing to attend or serve as a juror
(1) A
person is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine if, without reasonable
excuse, that person –
(a) fails
to attend for jury service when summoned under Article 64(4);
(b) having
attended for jury service, is not available when selected to serve as a juror;
or
(c) having
been selected to serve as a juror, withdraws from jury service without the
permission of the Bailiff.
(2) It
shall be for the person to prove that he or she had a reasonable excuse under paragraph (1).
68 Non-selection
of person for jury service - family relationship
(1) This
Article applies where it appears to the Bailiff that a father or mother and a
son or daughter; 2 persons married to each other; 2 civil partners in
a civil partnership; 2 brothers; 2 sisters; or a brother and a sister
are both on the panel list.
(2) A
person who is related to another person by reason of the relationship described
in paragraph (1) (“related person”) and whose name appears on
the list after the other related person on the list, cannot serve on the same jury
and the Bailiff shall discharge him or her from the requirement to attend for jury
service on that occasion.
69 Non-selection
of person for jury service by reason of successful challenge
(1) The
defence or prosecution may, for good reason, challenge any person whose name is
read from the list and that challenge must be made after the person’s
name has been read out and before he or she is sworn to serve on a jury.
(2) A
challenge shall not be accepted by the Bailiff other than for a legitimate reason,
that is to say –
(a) a risk
of material prejudice to the trial;
(b) manifest
unsuitability; or
(c) in
the interests of justice.
(3) The
fact that a person summoned to serve on a jury is not qualified to serve as a
juror, or is otherwise not permitted to serve, shall be a ground of challenge
for good reason.
(4) The
Bailiff may, of his or her own motion, discharge a person from the requirement
to attend for jury service on one or more of the grounds referred to in paragraphs (2)
and (3).
(5) If,
when all the names on the panel list have been read out, the number of
unchallenged or undischarged persons remaining is insufficient to constitute a
jury, the trial shall be postponed until –
(a) the
persons whose names appear on any supplementary panel list, formed under Article 64(3);
or
(b) the
Viscount forms a new panel list and the persons on that list,
are summoned to constitute a jury in accordance with Article 66.
70 Swearing
of jurors
(1) Each
juror and reserve juror selected under Article 66 –
(a) must
take an oath or make a solemn affirmation; and
(b) becomes
a full jury member until discharged.
(2) For
the purposes of this Article, the States may, by Regulations, prescribe the
form of oath which may be taken by a juror.
(3) The
solemn affirmation shall be in the appropriate form set out in the Schedule to
the Solemn Affirmations Law.
71 Reduction
in number of jurors
(1) This
paragraph applies if, during a trial, a member of the jury –
(a) dies;
(b) becomes
ill or is otherwise indisposed preventing him or her from continuing as a juror;
or
(c) is
discharged by the Court for any other legitimate reason.
(2) Where
paragraph (1) applies, provided the number of jurors is not reduced
below 10, the jury shall be deemed to be duly constituted and the
proceedings shall continue and a verdict may be delivered accordingly.
(3) If
there is an insufficient number of reserve jurors to constitute a jury of not
less than 10 jurors, the Bailiff shall discharge the jury from the proceedings
and from the custody of the Viscount (as referred to in Article 72(1)(a)).
(4) Where
paragraph (3) applies, the Attorney General shall, not more than
7 days after the day the jury is discharged, notify the defendant and the
Bailiff whether or not there is to be a retrial of the proceedings.
(5) In
determining when the 7 day expires, there shall be disregarded Christmas
Day, Good Friday and any Bank Holiday.
(6) The
Bailiff shall adjourn the case pending receipt of the Attorney General’s
notification, and may remand the defendant in custody or on bail.
72 Conduct
of jury
(1) Except
where paragraph (4) applies, from the time when the jury is sworn, until
the time the jury delivers its verdict –
(a) the
jury shall remain in the custody of the Viscount throughout the course of the
trial; and
(b) the
jurors are only permitted to communicate with –
(i) each other, or
(ii) a member of the
staff of the Royal Court or Viscount.
(2) The
Viscount shall ensure that the jury does not otherwise communicate with any other
person outside the jury room.
(3) A
juror who communicates with another person in contravention of paragraph (1)(b),
is guilty of an offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding
2 years and to a fine.
(4) The
Bailiff may, if he or she thinks fit, permit the jurors, at any time either
before or after they have retired to consider their verdict, to leave the
custody of the Viscount and to separate, and in such a case the prohibition
against communicating with anyone shall only apply to communications concerning
the case.
(5) At
the conclusion of the trial the jurors, escorted by the Viscount, shall retire
to the jury room to consider their verdict.
(6) The
jurors shall select from one of their number a juror who shall chair the
jury’s deliberations and deliver the jury’s verdict.
(7) Exhibits
or other material relevant to the trial, may be made available to the jury in
such manner as may be prescribed.
(8) The
costs incurred by placing the jury in the custody of the Viscount shall be paid
out of the annual income of the States.
73 Surrender of communication devices
(1) The
Bailiff may order the members of the jury to surrender, for a period, any form
of device which is capable of transmitting or receiving, in any manner, communications
in any form.
(2) An
order may be made only if the Bailiff considers that –
(a) the order is necessary
or expedient in the interests of justice; and
(b) the terms of the order
are a proportionate means of safeguarding those interests.
(3) An
order may only specify a period during which the members of the jury
are –
(a) in the building in
which the trial is being heard;
(b) in other accommodation
provided at the Bailiff’s request;
(c) visiting a place in
accordance with arrangements made by the court; or
(d) travelling to or from a
place mentioned in sub-paragraph (b) or (c).
(4) An
order may be made subject to exceptions.
(5) It
is a contempt of court for a member of a jury to fail to surrender any form of
device in accordance with an order under this Article.
74 Offence:
research by jurors
(1) A
juror who, during the period of a trial, researches a case –
(a) by
intentionally searching for information on an electronic database, including by
means of the internet; and
(b) when
doing so, knows or ought reasonably to know that the information is, or may be
relevant to the case which is being tried,
is guilty of an offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not
exceeding 2 years and to a fine.
(2) Information
relevant to the case includes information about –
(a) a
person involved in events relevant to the case;
(b) the
judge presiding at the trial;
(c) any
other person involved in the trial, whether as a lawyer, a witness or
otherwise;
(d) the
law relating to the case;
(e) the
law of evidence; and
(f) court
procedure.
(3) In
this paragraph, the expression “the period of a trial” is the
period –
(a) beginning
when the juror is sworn to try the case; and
(b) ending
when the Bailiff discharges the jury or, if earlier, when he or she discharges
the juror.
75 Verdicts
(1) If
a verdict cannot be delivered on the same day as the jury retires to consider
its verdict, the proceedings shall be adjourned to the following day, and from
day to day if necessary, until the verdict has been delivered.
(2) The
jury must deliver a unanimous verdict unless the Bailiff directs that the jury
may deliver a majority verdict.
(3) A
majority verdict is delivered if a jury is constituted of –
(a) 12 jurors and at
least 10 of them agree on the verdict; or
(b) less than 12 jurors
and at least 9 of them agree on the verdict.
(4) The
Judicial Greffier must ask the juror selected under
Article 72(6) –
(a) when
the jury is ready to deliver its verdict, whether the defendant is guilty or
not guilty of the offence (or each offence, if more than one) charged in the
indictment;
(b) when
the verdict has been delivered in respect of the offence (or each
offence) –
(i) if the Bailiff
has invited the Judicial Greffier to do so, whether the jury is ready to
deliver a verdict in respect of an alternative or lesser offence than that
charged in the indictment,
(ii) whether the
jury’s verdict was agreed unanimously or by a majority, and
(iii) in the case of a
majority guilty verdict, how many jurors were in favour of convicting and how
many jurors were in favour of acquitting the defendant.
(5) In
the case of a guilty verdict the defendant shall stand convicted of the offence
and sentenced accordingly.
(6) In
the case of a not guilty verdict the defendant shall be acquitted of the
offence and, provided the defendant is not convicted of another offence charged
in the indictment, he or she shall be discharged from the proceedings.
(7) The
Judicial Greffier shall make a record of every verdict.
(8) If,
following such period of time for deliberation as the Bailiff thinks reasonable
having regard to the nature and complexity of the case, the jury is unable to
deliver a verdict upon which the majority of jurors are agreed, the Bailiff
shall discharge –
(a) the
jury from the proceedings and from the custody of the Viscount; and
(b) the
defendant from the proceedings provided he or she is not convicted of another
offence charged in the indictment.
(9) The
Bailiff may, upon formally discharging the defendant from the proceedings, make
such other orders or directions as may be required in relation to the
discharged proceedings, or in relation to any other criminal proceedings
pending before the Royal Court in respect of that defendant.
(10) No
judgment after the verdict shall be liable to be set aside by reason of a
failure to comply with the requirements of this Law as regards the summoning or
empanelling of jurors or the incapacity of a person to serve as a juror.
Part 10
miscellaneous procedures in
magistrate’s court and Royal court
Application
76 Application
and general interpretation of Part 10
(1) This
Part applies to criminal proceedings before the Magistrate’s Court and the
Royal Court.
(2) In
this Part –
“defence case statement” shall be construed in
accordance with Article 84;
“witness notice” shall be construed in accordance with Article 85.
Arrest order with bail
77 Arrest
order with bail
(1) This
Article applies where the court, in the exercise of powers under this Law or
under any other enactment, orders the arrest of a person.
(2) Where
this Article applies, the court may grant the person bail by endorsing the order
with a direction in accordance with paragraph (3).
(3) A
direction endorsed on an order under paragraph (2), may state that the
person arrested is to be released on bail –
(a) subject
to a duty to appear before the court at the time and on the date notified by
the court; or
(b) on condition
that the person provides a security for his or her appearance before the court at
the time and on the date notified by the court.
(4) The
security referred to in paragraph (3)(b) –
(a) shall
be of such an amount as the court directs to be specified in the endorsement;
(b) must
be deposited with the Viscount before the person is released on bail; and
(c) may
be provided by the person, or on his or her behalf.
(5) If
a person granted bail subject to a security under this Article fails, without
reasonable excuse, to appear before the court as notified under paragraph (3)(a),
the security shall be forfeited in accordance with Article 13 of the Bail
Law.
(6) A
person granted bail under this Article who, without reasonable excuse, fails to
appear before the court as notified under paragraph (3)(a), shall be
guilty of an offence and Article 20 of the Bail Law shall apply for the
purposes of that offence.
Determination of disputed facts where
guilty plea entered
78 Guilty
plea - procedure to determine facts disputed
(1) This
Article applies where a defendant pleads guilty but disputes the facts of the
offence alleged by the prosecution.
(2) Where
agreement as to the facts disputed is not reached between the defendant and the
prosecution, unless the court directs otherwise, the following procedure shall
be followed –
(a) the
defendant’s basis of his or her plea must be set out in writing, identifying
what is in dispute and must be signed by the defendant;
(b) the
court may invite the parties to make representations about whether the dispute
is material to sentence; and
(c) if
the court decides that it is a material dispute, the court shall invite such
further representations or evidence as it may require.
(3) Where
agreement as to the facts disputed is reached between the defendant and the
prosecution, the court may, notwithstanding such agreement, of its own motion
require that evidence relevant to the facts disputed shall be heard.
(4) In
proceedings before the Royal Court, representations or evidence under this
Article shall be given before the Inferior Number.
Withdrawal of guilty plea, discontinuance
or continuation of proceedings
79 Withdrawal
of guilty plea
(1) A
defendant who has entered a guilty plea may at any time, with leave of the
court, withdraw that plea.
(2) Where
the court grants a defendant leave to withdraw his or her guilty plea, the
court shall give directions as to the future conduct of the proceedings.
80 Discontinuance
of proceedings
(1) In
this Article –
“preliminary stage” in relation to proceedings for an
offence does not include any stage of the proceedings after the Magistrate’s
Court or Royal Court has begun to hear evidence for the prosecution;
“authorized prosecutor” means a prosecutor who is
authorized in writing by the Attorney General to give a notice under paragraph (2).
(2) The
Attorney General or an authorized prosecutor may, at any time during the
preliminary stages of the proceedings, give notice that he or she does not want
the proceedings to continue in relation to an offence specified in the notice
(“specified offence”).
(3) The
proceedings in respect of the specified offence shall be discontinued with
effect from the giving of that notice to the Magistrate’s Court or Judicial
Greffier, as the case may be, and a record shall be made to that effect.
(4) The
Attorney General or authorized prosecutor shall, in any notice given under paragraph (2) –
(a) state
whether the reason for discontinuing the proceedings –
(i) is that it would
not be in the public interest to proceed with the prosecution of the defendant
for the specified offence, or
(ii) is that there is
insufficient evidence to support the prosecution of the defendant for the
specified offence; and
(b) inform
the defendant of his or her right to apply for the proceedings in respect of
the specified offence to continue.
(5) A
defendant who, under paragraph (4)(b), wants the proceedings to continue,
must serve the Magistrate’s Court or Royal Court (as the case may be) with
a notice to that effect not more than 14 days after the notice given under
paragraph (2).
(6) If
the defendant serves a notice under paragraph (5) –
(a) the
Magistrate or Judicial Greffier must notify the Attorney General or authorized
prosecutor; and
(b) the
proceedings shall continue as if no notice had been given under paragraph (2).
(7) The
discontinuance of any proceedings under this Article shall not prevent the
Attorney General from instituting fresh proceedings in respect of the same
offence, provided that where the reason for discontinuing the original
proceedings –
(a) was
under paragraph (4)(a)(i), the Attorney General is of the opinion that
there are exceptional circumstances justifying the institution of fresh
proceedings in respect of that offence; or
(b) was
under paragraph (4)(a)(ii) –
(i) further evidence
has come to light,
(ii) the original
decision to discontinue the proceedings was incorrect, or
(iii) the original decision
to discontinue the proceedings would have been different in the light of a
change in circumstances, or new information since the original decision was
made.
(8) Criminal
Procedure Rules may make provision as to the form, content and service of any
notices given under this Article.
81 Continuation
of previous proceedings
(1) The
Attorney General may, at any time, with leave of the court or Court of Appeal
progress previously halted criminal proceedings.
(2) The
reference to halted criminal proceedings is a reference to proceedings in
relation to offences which the court has, at the request of the prosecution,
ordered to be “left on file”.
(3) Where
leave is sought from a court other than the Court of Appeal, unless the court
which made the order halting the previous proceedings has expressly ordered
otherwise, nothing in this Article shall be taken to prevent the Attorney
General from applying for leave of a court other than the one which made the
order halting the previous proceedings.
Disclosure
82 Duty
of prosecution to disclose unused material
(1) Subject
to paragraph (3), the prosecution must –
(a) disclose
to the defendant any unused prosecution material which has not previously been
disclosed to the defendant and which might reasonably be considered capable of
undermining the case for the prosecution against the defendant, or of assisting
the case for the defendant; and
(b) give
to the defendant a written statement confirming –
(i) that all unused prosecution
material of a description mentioned sub-paragraph (a) has been disclosed
to the defendant, or
(ii) that the
prosecution holds no material of such a description.
(2) In this
Article, “unused prosecution material” is material which is in the
prosecution’s possession, and came into its possession in connection with
the case for the prosecution against the defendant.
(3) Unused
prosecution material must not be disclosed under this Article where, on an
application by the prosecution, it appears to the Magistrate or the Bailiff
that it is not in the public interest to disclose it, and he or she makes an
order to that effect.
(4) The
prosecution must disclose any unused prosecution material after the defendant
has first entered a not guilty plea and in accordance with any directions given
by the court as to service of that material.
(5) The
prosecution shall be under a continuing duty to disclose any unused prosecution
material, including material relevant to any matters set out in the
defendant’s defence case statement, until the trial of the
defendant’s case is concluded either by way of the defendant’s
acquittal or conviction, or the proceedings having otherwise been –
(a) discontinued
under Article 80; or
(b) halted
by the court.
83 Duty
to give defence case statement
(1) Where –
(a) the
prosecution has served on the defendant a copy of the set of documents
containing the evidence which is the basis of the charge; and
(b) the
unused prosecution material has been disclosed in accordance with Article 82(3),
the defendant must, subject to paragraph (3), give a defence case
statement to the court and the prosecution.
(2) The
defence case statement shall –
(a) be in
the prescribed form;
(b) be
signed by the defendant, or if he or she is unable to sign it personally, by
the defendant’s legal representative on his or her behalf;
(c) contain
the particulars set out in Article 84; and
(d) be served
in accordance with the court’s directions.
(3) If
the defendant has no legal representative the court may, on the application of
the defendant or of the court’s own motion, dispense with the requirement
to give a defence case statement.
(4) If
it appears to the Magistrate or Bailiff that the defendant has failed to comply
fully with this Article so that there is a possibility of comment being made or
inferences drawn under Article 86(2), he or she shall warn the defendant
accordingly.
(5) If
it appears to the Magistrate or Bailiff that the defendant has not given a
defence case statement in accordance with paragraph (1), or one which
complies with the requirements set out in paragraph (2), the Magistrate or
Bailiff (as the case may be) may order that –
(a) the
defendant’s legal representatives; or
(b) a
defendant in person (where he or she is unrepresented),
pay such of the prosecution’s costs as are attributable to the
defendant’s failure to comply with paragraph (1) or (2).
(6) A
determination under paragraph (5) shall be made as soon as practicable
after the date directed by the court, under paragraph (2)(d), for service
of the defence case statement has expired.
(7) Any
costs ordered to be paid under paragraph (5) shall be enforced as a civil
debt without further order of the court.
(8) The
defendant shall be under a continuing duty to disclose any material change to
any matters set out in the defendant’s defence case statement, or change
in the defence relied upon, until the trial of the defendant’s case is
concluded either by way of the defendant’s acquittal or conviction, or
the proceedings having otherwise been –
(a) discontinued
under Article 80; or
(b) halted
by the court.
84 Content
of defence case statement
(1) A
defence case statement is a written statement which –
(a) sets out the nature of
the defence, including any particular defences on which the defendant intends
to rely;
(b) indicates the matters
of fact on which the defendant takes issue with the prosecution;
(c) sets out, in the case
of each such matter of fact, why the defendant takes issue with the
prosecution;
(d) sets out particulars of
the matters of fact on which the defendant intends to rely for the purposes of
his or her defence; and
(e) indicates any point of
law (including any point as to the admissibility of evidence or an abuse of
process) which the defendant wishes to take, and any authority on which he or
she intends to rely for that purpose.
(2) A
defence case statement that discloses an alibi must give particulars of it,
including –
(a) the
name, address and date of birth of any witness the defendant believes is able
to give evidence in support of the alibi (that is, evidence that the defendant
was in a particular place or area and at a particular time which is not consistent
with the defendant having committed the alleged offence at a particular place
and time), or as many of those details as are known to the defendant when the
defence case statement is given; and
(b) any
information in the defendant’s possession which might be of material
assistance in identifying or finding any such witness in whose case any of the personal details
mentioned in paragraph (a) are not known to the defendant when the defence
case statement is given.
(3) Where
a defendant’s legal representative has signed the defence case statement
on the defendant’s behalf, the statement shall be treated as if signed by
the defendant.
(4) For
the purposes of fulfilling the continuing duty referred to in Article 83(8),
a defence case statement shall be amended in such form or manner as may be
prescribed.
85 Notification
of intention to call defence witnesses
(1) The
defendant must give to the court and the prosecution a notice indicating
whether he or she intends to call any persons (other than himself or herself),
including a person mentioned in Article 84(2), as witnesses at his or her
trial and, if so, such a notice (“witness notice”) shall include the
following particulars –
(a) the name, address and date
of birth of each such proposed witness, or as many of those details as are
known to the defendant when the notice is given; and
(b) any information in the
defendant’s possession which might be of material assistance in
identifying or finding any such proposed witness in whose case any of the personal
details mentioned in paragraph (a) are not known to the defendant when the
notice is given.
(2) The
particulars mentioned in paragraph (1) do not have to be given under this
Article to the extent that they have already been given under Article 84(2).
(3) The
defendant must give a witness notice under this Article within such period as
may be prescribed.
(4) If,
following the giving of a witness notice, the defendant –
(a) decides
to call a person (other than himself or herself) who is not included in that
notice as a proposed witness, or decides not to call a person who is so
included; or
(b) discovers
any information which, under paragraph (1), he or she would have had to
include in the notice if he or she had been aware of it when giving the notice,
the defendant must give an appropriately amended witness notice to
the court and the prosecution.
86 Non-compliant
defence case statement or witness notice
(1) This
Article applies where a defendant –
(a) fails
to give a defence case statement as required by Article 83(1);
(b) fails
to serve a defence case statement in accordance with directions given under Article 83(2)(d);
(c) fails
to serve a defence case statement containing the particulars required under Article 84;
(d) sets
out inconsistent defences in the defence case statement;
(e) at
his or her trial –
(i) puts forward a
defence which was not mentioned in his or her defence case statement or is
different from any defence set out in that statement,
(ii) relies on a
matter or any particular of any matter of fact which was not mentioned in his
or her defence case statement,
(iii) adduces evidence in
support of an alibi without having given particulars of the alibi in his or her
defence case statement, or
(iv) calls a witness to give
evidence in support of an alibi without having complied with Article 84(2)
as regards the witness in his or her defence case statement; or
(f) at
his or her trial calls a witness (other than himself or herself) not included,
or not adequately identified, in a witness notice.
(2) Where this Article applies –
(a) the court or any other
party may make such comment as appears appropriate;
(b) the Magistrate’s
Court or the Royal Court sitting with Jurats or a jury may draw such inferences
as appear proper in deciding whether the defendant is guilty of the offence
concerned.
(3) A
defendant shall not be convicted of an offence solely on an inference drawn
under paragraph (2)(b).
(4) Where
the defendant puts forward a defence which is different from any defence set
out in his or her defence case statement, in doing anything under paragraph (2)
or in deciding whether to do anything under it, the court shall have
regard –
(a) to
the extent of the difference in the defences; and
(b) to
whether there is any justification for it.
(5) Where
the defendant calls a witness whom he or she has failed to include, or to
identify adequately in a witness notice, in doing anything under paragraph (2)
or in deciding whether to do anything under it, the court shall have regard as
to whether there is any justification for the failure.
Attendance of defendant before a court
87 Power to hear the
defendant through television link
(1) In any criminal proceedings, the court may,
with the consent of the defendant, direct that the defendant shall be treated
as being present at the proceedings if, during the proceedings, either by way
of a live television link or by another means, he or she is able to see and
hear the court and he or she is able also to be seen and heard by the court.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), in any
hearing, other than the trial hearing itself, the court may, after hearing
representations from the parties and without requiring the consent of the
defendant, direct that the defendant shall be treated as being present in the court
if, during that hearing, either by way of a live television link or otherwise,
the defendant is able to see and hear the court and to be seen and heard by the
court.
88 Defendant’s
duty to attend trial and trial in defendant’s absence
(1) Unless the court excuses a defendant from
attending his or her trial, a defendant is otherwise required to be present at
court throughout his or her trial.
(2) The court may, subject to paragraph (3),
proceed to try the defendant in his or her absence if that defendant chooses
not to exercise his or her right to be present at his or her trial by
voluntarily absenting himself or herself from the court at the beginning of, or
during his or her trial.
(3) Before the court decides to proceed to try a
defendant in his or her absence, the court shall have due regard to the
interests of justice which shall include consideration of such of the following
factors as appear to the court to be relevant –
(a) the conduct of the defendant;
(b) the disadvantage to the defendant;
(c) the public interest that will
weigh in favour of commencing or continuing the trial taking account of the
inconvenience and hardship –
(i) to witnesses and especially to any
complainant, of a delay to the trial,
(ii) to witnesses who have attended court
and are ready to give evidence;
(d) the effect of any delay;
(e) whether the defendant is off the Island;
(f) whether the attendance of the
defendant could be secured at a later hearing;
(g) the likely outcome if the defendant is found
guilty,
as well as any other
factors which also appear to the court to be relevant.
(4) If a defendant is convicted in his or her
absence, the court shall endeavour to secure that he or she is present at any
sentencing hearing and, so far as is reasonably practicable, arrange for the
defendant to be legally represented at that hearing.
Reporting
of criminal proceedings
89 Contemporary reports of
criminal proceedings
(1) In criminal proceedings, the court may, where
it appears to the court to be necessary for avoiding a substantial risk of
prejudice to the administration of justice in those proceedings, or in any
other criminal proceedings pending or imminent, order that publication in
Jersey of the proceedings or of any part of the proceedings, be postponed for
any period that the court thinks necessary for that purpose.
(2) A court may make an order under paragraph (1)
of its own motion or on application by any of the parties and, where a court
makes an order under paragraph (1), it may give any directions that appear
to the court to be necessary for the purposes of the order.
(3) A person aggrieved by an order under paragraph (1)
may appeal in the case of an order made by the Magistrate’s Court, to the
Inferior Number of the Royal Court or in the case of an order made by the Youth
Court, to the Youth Appeal Court or in the case of an order made by the Royal
Court, to the Court of Appeal, and the decision of the court hearing that
appeal shall be final.
(4) On the hearing of an appeal under paragraph (3)
the court may do any of the following –
(a) stay any proceedings in any other court
until after the appeal is disposed of;
(b) confirm, reverse or vary the order
complained of; and
(c) make an order as to costs.
(5) Where a court has made an order under paragraph (1),
if a report is included in a publication or relevant programme in contravention
of that order the following shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a
fine –
(a) where the publication is a newspaper or
periodical, any proprietor, editor or publisher of the newspaper or periodical;
(b) where the publication is a relevant
programme, any body corporate which provides the service in which the programme
is included and any person having functions in relation to the programme
corresponding to those of an editor of a newspaper;
(c) in the case of any other publication, the
person who publishes it.
(6) This Article shall be in addition to, and
not in derogation from, any other enactment or rule of customary law with
respect to the publication of reports and proceedings of any court.
90 Defence
of innocent publication
(1) A person is not guilty of an offence under Article 89(5)
if at the time of publication (having taken all reasonable care) the person
does not know and has no reason to suspect that an order has been made under Article 89(1).
(2) The burden of proof of any fact tending to
establish a defence afforded by this Article to any person lies upon that
person.
part
11
Provisions
in relation to defendants and witnesses
Application
91 Application and
general interpretation of Part 11
(1) This Part applies to criminal proceedings
before the Magistrate’s Court and the Royal Court.
(2) In this Part –
“oath” includes
a solemn affirmation made in accordance with the Solemn Affirmations Law;
“spouse” means
husband or wife;
“witness
summons” shall be construed in accordance with Article 93.
Competence
and compellability of witnesses
92 Competence of defendant and witnesses to give evidence
(1) Except as provided under paragraphs (3)
and (4), at every stage in criminal proceedings all persons are (whatever their
age) competent to give evidence.
(2) A defendant is competent to give evidence in
support of his or her defence, provided he or she agrees to do so, but the
failure of a defendant, to give evidence shall not be made the subject of any
adverse comment by the prosecution.
(3) A person (including a defendant) is not
competent to give evidence in criminal proceedings if it appears to the court
that he or she is not a person who is able to –
(a) understand questions put to him or her as a
witness; and
(b) give answers to them which can be
understood.
(4) A defendant is not competent to give
evidence for the prosecution (whether he or she is the only defendant, or is
one of two or more defendants charged in the same proceedings).
(5) In paragraph (4) the reference to a
defendant does not include a person who is not, or is no longer, liable to be
convicted of any offence in the proceedings (whether as a result of pleading
guilty or for any other reason).
93 Determining competence of witnesses
(1) The Bailiff or Magistrate (as the case may
be) shall determine, in accordance with this Article, any question as to whether
a witness is competent to give evidence in criminal proceedings, whether
raised –
(a) by
a party to the proceedings; or
(b) by
the court of its own motion.
(2) It is for the party calling the witness to
satisfy the court that, on a balance of probabilities, the witness is competent
to give evidence in the proceedings.
(3) In determining the question mentioned in paragraph (1)
the court shall treat the witness as having the benefit of any special measures
ordered, or proposed to be ordered, under Article 101, in relation to the
witness.
(4) Expert evidence may, with leave of the
court, be received on the question.
(5) Any questioning of the witness (where the
court considers that necessary) shall be conducted by the court in the presence
of the parties.
94 Compellability of
witnesses related to defendant to give evidence
(1) Subject to the provisions of this Article,
the following persons are compellable to give evidence as witnesses on behalf
of the prosecution or defence –
(a) the blood relatives of a defendant;
(b) the relatives by adoption of a defendant; or
(c) the relatives either by marriage or by the
formation of a civil partnership of a defendant.
(2) Subject to paragraph (4), the spouse or
civil partner of a defendant is compellable to give evidence on behalf of the
defence or any other defendant charged in the same proceedings.
(3) Subject to paragraph (4), the spouse or
civil partner of a defendant is compellable to give evidence on behalf of the
prosecution or any other defendant charged in the same proceedings on condition
the offence is an offence specified in Schedule 1.
(4) Where a spouse or civil partner of a
defendant is jointly charged with the defendant in respect of an offence,
neither the spouse nor civil partner (as the case may be) shall at the trial be
compellable by virtue of paragraph (2) or (3) and Schedule 1 to give
evidence in respect of that charge unless that spouse or that civil partner (as
the case may be) is not, or is no longer, liable to be convicted of the said
offence in the proceedings whether as a result of pleading guilty, or for any
other reason.
(5) A person who has been but who is no longer
married to a defendant, or who has been but is no longer the civil partner of a
defendant, shall be compellable to give evidence as if that person and the
defendant had never been married, or had never been in a civil partnership.
(6) The failure of a spouse or civil partner of a
defendant, to give evidence shall not be made the subject of any adverse
comment by the prosecution.
Giving
of sworn or unsworn evidence
95 Determining whether witness to be sworn
(1) Subject to the provisions of this Article
and Article 96, a witness who is competent to give oral evidence in
criminal proceedings shall give that oral evidence on oath.
(2) Any question whether a witness may be sworn
for the purpose of giving evidence on oath, whether raised –
(a) by
a party to the proceedings; or
(b) by
the court of its own motion,
shall be determined by the
Bailiff or Magistrate (as the case may be) in accordance with this Article.
(3) Expert evidence may, with leave of the
court, be received on the question.
(4) The witness may not be sworn for the purpose
of giving evidence on oath unless –
(a) he
or she has attained the age of 14; and
(b) he
or she has a sufficient appreciation of the solemnity of the occasion and of
the particular responsibility to tell the truth which is involved in taking an
oath.
(5) The witness shall, if he or she is able to
give intelligible testimony, be presumed to have a sufficient appreciation of
those matters if no evidence tending to show the contrary is adduced by any
party.
(6) If any such evidence is adduced, it is for
the party seeking to have the witness sworn to satisfy the court that, on a
balance of probabilities, the witness has attained the age of 14 and has a
sufficient appreciation of the matters mentioned in paragraph (4)(b).
(7) Any questioning of the witness (where the
court considers that necessary) shall be conducted by the court in the presence
of the parties.
(8) For the purposes of this Article a person is
able to give intelligible testimony if he or she is able to –
(a) understand
questions put to him or her as a witness; and
(b) give
answers to them which can be understood.
96 Receiving of
unsworn evidence
(1) This paragraph applies to a witness (of any
age) who –
(a) is
competent to give evidence in criminal proceedings; but
(b) by
virtue of Article 95(4) is not permitted to be sworn for the purpose of
giving evidence on oath in such proceedings.
(2) The evidence in criminal proceedings of a
witness to whom paragraph (1) applies shall be given unsworn.
(3) A deposition of unsworn evidence given by a
person to whom paragraph (1) applies may be taken for the purposes of
criminal proceedings as if that evidence had been given on oath.
(4) The court shall accordingly receive in
evidence any evidence given unsworn in accordance with paragraph (2) or
(3).
(5) Where a witness who is competent to give
evidence in criminal proceedings gives evidence in such proceedings unsworn, no
appeal against conviction or sentence shall be allowed by reason only that it
appears to the Royal Court or Court of Appeal that the witness was a person
falling within Article 95(4) (and should accordingly have given his or her
evidence on oath).
Requirement
of witnesses to attend court
97 Warning of
witnesses as to attendance at court
(1) Where a person has made a written statement
in accordance with Article 9 of the Criminal Justice (Evidence and
Procedure) (Jersey) Law 1998[24], a person authorized by the Attorney General may warn that person,
in writing, or by attending upon him or her in person, to attend before the
court to give oral evidence on the day and at the time so warned.
(2) A person who, without reasonable excuse,
fails to comply with a warning given under paragraph (1) shall be guilty
of an offence punishable with a fine of level 3 on the standard scale.
(3) It shall be for the person to prove that he
or she had a reasonable excuse for his or her failure to comply with the
warning.
(4) The court may order the arrest of a person
who fails to attend before the court on the day and at the time so warned, and
a person so arrested may be remanded by the court, in custody or on bail, until
such time as the court may appoint for receiving his or her evidence.
98 Issue of witness
summons on application to the court
(1) This Article applies where the court is
satisfied that a person is likely to be able to give evidence in support of a
party applying for a witness summons under this Article if –
(a) the evidence is likely to be material
evidence, or the person can produce any document or thing likely to be material
evidence, for the purpose of any criminal proceedings
before the court;
(b) there is reason to believe that person will
fail to attend court to give evidence; and
(c) it
is in the interests of justice to issue a summons under
this Article to secure the attendance of that person to give evidence or to produce the document or thing.
(2) Where the court is so satisfied it shall,
subject to the following provisions of this Article, issue a witness summons
directed to the person concerned and requiring him or her to –
(a) attend
before the court at the time and place stated in the witness summons; and
(b) give
the evidence or produce the document or thing.
(3) Subject to paragraph (4), a witness
summons may only be issued under this Article where a party –
(a) has given notice to the court and any other party
to the proceedings of a proposed application for a witness summons; and
(b) has applied in writing to the court for the
issue of a witness summons.
(4) The court may dispense with the requirement
for a written application for a witness summons, unless the proposed
application for a witness summons requires the proposed witness –
(a) to produce in evidence a document or thing
that relates to another person; or
(b) to give evidence about information
apparently held in confidence, that relates to another person.
(5) A party who wants the court to issue a
witness summons must apply as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the existence
of anything referred to paragraph (1)(a), that would satisfy the court.
(6) A party applying for a witness summons
must –
(a) indicate
when that party first became aware of the existence of anything referred to in paragraph (1)(a);
(b) identify
the proposed witness;
(c) explain –
(i) what evidence the proposed witness can
give or produce,
(ii) why it is likely to be material
evidence, and
(iii) why there is reason to
believe that the witness will fail to attend court to give evidence,
(iv) why it would be in the interests of justice
to issue a summons; and
(d) identify, in relation to sub-paragraph (c),
any specific document or thing the proposed witness should be required to bring
to court.
(7) The court may refuse to issue a witness
summons if any of the requirements of this Article are not fulfilled.
(8) Where the court decides to issue a witness
summons under this Article, that summons may be served in accordance with the
court’s directions.
(9) Where the court does not issue any
directions as to service of the witness summons, it shall be sufficient for the
summons to be served on the witness personally or left at his or her last known
address.
(10) Service of the witness summons shall be effected
by the Viscount, an officer of the States of Jersey Police Force or a person
authorized in writing by the States of Jersey Police Force.
(11) Criminal Procedure Rules shall make provision as
to the form, content, notice period and service of any notice given under this
Article.
99 Consequences of
failure to comply with witness summons
(1) A person who, without reasonable excuse,
fails to comply with a witness summons by failing to –
(a) attend
before the court at the time and place stated in the summons; or
(b) give
the evidence or produce the document or thing specified
in the summons,
shall be guilty of contempt
of court.
(2) It shall be for the person to prove that he
or she had a reasonable excuse for his or her failure to comply with the
summons.
(3) The court may order the arrest of a person
who fails to attend before the court at the time and place stated in the
summons, and a person so arrested may be remanded by the court, in custody or
on bail, until such time as the court may appoint for receiving his or her evidence.
Special
measures
100 Eligibility of witness for
special measures
(1) This Article applies in relation to the
giving of evidence by an eligible witness in criminal proceedings.
(2) In this Article and in Article 101 –
(a) “special measures” –
(i) means any form of individual
assistance, facilitation or support specifically tailored to meet the needs of
an eligible witness, whether such measures are applied individually or in
combination and which would, in the opinion of the court, be likely to improve
the quality of evidence given by that witness,
(ii) without limiting the generality of the
measures described in clause (i), includes any measures which would enable
a witness to give his or her evidence in chief, or under cross-examination,
before the commencement of the trial;
(b) subject to paragraph (3),
“eligible witness” means a person who at the time of the
trial –
(i) is under the age of 18, or
(ii) is aged 18 or older and –
(A) suffers from mental disorder within the meaning of
the Mental Health Law,
(B) has a significant impairment of intelligence
and social functioning,
(C) has a physical disability or is suffering from
a physical disorder,
(D) is or is expected to be off the Island, or
(E) the court is satisfied that the quality of
evidence given by the witness is likely to be diminished by reason of fear or
distress on the part of the witness in connection with testifying in the
proceedings.
(3) Except in relation to paragraph (2)(b)(ii)(D)
and (E) a witness includes a defendant who gives evidence on his or her own
behalf.
(4) References in this Article and in Article 101
to the quality of a witness’s evidence are to its quality in terms of
completeness, coherence and accuracy; and for this purpose “coherence”
refers to a witness’s ability in giving evidence to give answers which
address the questions put to the witness and can be understood both
individually and collectively.
(5) In determining whether a witness falls
within paragraph (2)(b)(ii)(C) the court must consider any views expressed
by the witness.
(6) In determining whether a witness falls
within paragraph (2)(b)(ii)(E) the court must take into account, in particular –
(a) the
nature and alleged circumstances of the offence to which the proceedings
relate;
(b) the
age of the witness;
(c) any
such other matters as appear to the court to be relevant, including –
(i) the social and cultural background and
ethnic origins of the witness,
(ii) the domestic and employment
circumstances of the witness, and
(iii) any religious beliefs
or political opinions of the witness;
(d) any
behaviour towards the witness on the part of –
(i) the defendant,
(ii) members of the family or associates of
the defendant, or
(iii) any other person who is
likely to be a defendant or witness in the proceedings.
(7) For the purpose of a determination under paragraph (6),
the court must in addition consider any views expressed by the witness.
101 Power of the court to order
special measures
(1) The court may order the provision of special
measures –
(a) of
its own motion; or
(b) on
the application of a party to the proceedings in relation to a witness in the
proceedings.
(2) Where the court determines under Article 100
that a witness is eligible for assistance by way of special measures, the court
must then –
(a) determine
whether any of the special measures reasonably or practically available in
relation to the witness (or any combination of them) would, in its opinion, be
likely to improve the quality of evidence given by the witness; and
(b) if
so –
(i) determine which of those measures (or
combination of them) would, in its opinion, be likely to maximise so far as
practicable the quality of such evidence, and
(ii) order the provision of the measure or
measures so determined to apply to evidence given by the witness.
(3) In determining, for the purposes of paragraph (2),
whether any special measure would or would not be likely to improve, or to
maximise so far as practicable, the quality of evidence given by the witness,
the court must consider all the circumstances of the case, including in
particular –
(a) any
views expressed by the witness; and
(b) whether
the measure or measures might tend to inhibit such evidence being effectively
tested by a party to the proceedings.
(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), and
regardless of whether or not a defendant is determined to be an eligible
witness under Article 100, a defendant may apply in writing to the court
for such special measures as will assist him or her in understanding and
following the case or for giving instructions to his or her legal
representatives.
(5) Regardless of whether or not the court
receives an application under paragraph (4), or where the defendant is
unrepresented, the court may, in the interests of justice, order the provision
of such special measures as it considers necessary to assist the defendant.
(6) An order under this Article must specify
particulars of the provision to be made in respect of each special measure which
is to apply to the witness’s or, in the case of paragraph (4), the defendant’s
evidence.
(7) Nothing in this Article shall be taken as
preventing the court from making an order or giving leave of any description –
(a) in relation to a witness
who is not an eligible witness; or
(b) in relation to an eligible witness
where (as, for example, in a case where a foreign language interpreter is to be
provided) the order is made or the leave is given otherwise than by reason of
the fact that the witness is an eligible witness.
(8) An application under paragraph (1)(b)
may be made orally or in writing and Criminal Procedure Rules may make further
provision for or in connection with such an application.
(9) The States may, by Regulations, make such
further or supplementary provision as may be necessary or expedient for the
purposes of any special measures which may be ordered under this Article
including provision as to –
(a) the nature or description of such special
measures;
(b) any specified circumstances in which special
measures may, or may not be ordered;
(c) any specified circumstances in which special
measures of a particular description must be ordered; or
(d) the manner or form in which special measures
may be delivered or implemented.
102 Power to hear witnesses
elsewhere than in court
Where a witness is, by
reason of illness or being off the Island, unable to attend before the court to
give evidence, the court may adjourn elsewhere to receive the witness’
evidence and, in such case, the normal practice and procedure of the court
shall be followed.
Protection
of witnesses from cross-examination by unrepresented defendant
103 Defendant
charged with certain offences – prohibition of cross-examination by defendant
in person
(1) For the purposes of this Article “witness”
means –
(a) a complainant;
(b) a person under the age of 18; or
(c) a person aged 18 or older
who –
(i) suffers from mental disorder within
the meaning of the Mental Health Law, or
(ii) has a significant impairment of
intelligence and social functioning.
(2) No defendant charged with an offence to
which this Article applies may cross-examine, in person, a witness,
either –
(a) in
connection with that offence; or
(b) in
connection with any other offence (of whatever nature) with which that defendant
is charged in the proceedings.
(3) The offences to which this Article applies
are –
(a) the customary law offences of false
imprisonment; gross indecency; incest; indecent assault; indecent exposure;
kidnapping; manslaughter; murder; rape and sodomy;
(b) an offence under any of the following
Articles of the Loi (1895) modifiant le droit criminel[25] –
(i) Article 1.1 (procuring any woman
or girl by threats for unlawful carnal connection),
(ii) Article 1.2 (procuring a woman or
girl by false pretences for unlawful carnal connexion, or causing a woman or
girl to have unlawful carnal connexion with a third person),
(iii) Article 1.3
(administering drugs for the purposes of unlawful carnal connexion with a woman
or girl),
(iv) Article 2 (unlawful carnal knowledge of
a girl under the age of 13),
(v) Article 4.1 (unlawful carnal knowledge
of a girl aged 13 but under the age of 16 or a mentally impaired girl
or woman), and
(vi) Article 5 (permitting girls under the
age of 16 to frequent premises for the purposes of prostitution);
(c) an offence under Article 2 (indecent
photographs or pseudo-photographs of children) of the Protection of Children
(Jersey) Law 1994[26];
(d) an offence under any of the following
Articles of the Sexual Offences (Jersey) Law 2007[27] –
(i) Article 2 (meeting a child
following sexual grooming etc.),
(ii) Article 3 (abuse of position of
trust: sexual activity with a child),
(iii) Article 4 (abuse
of position of trust: causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity),
(iv) Article 5 (abuse of position of trust:
sexual activity in the presence of a child), and
(v) Article 6 (abuse of position of trust:
causing a child to watch a sexual act);
(e) any sexual offence under Articles 74 to
76 of the Mental Health Law; and
(f) any offence (not within any of the
preceding sub-paragraphs) which involves an assault on, or injury or a threat
of injury to any person.
(4) The States may, by Regulations, amend this
Article for the purposes of amending the offences listed in paragraph (3).
104 Order prohibiting defendant in
person from cross-examining witness
(1) This Article applies in a case where Article 103
does not operate so as to prevent a defendant from cross-examining, in person, a
witness.
(2) In a case to which this Article
applies –
(a) the
prosecutor may make an application to the court for an
order under this Article in relation to a witness; or
(b) the
court may, of its own motion, make an order under this Article in
relation to a witness.
(3) The court may make an order prohibiting the
defendant from cross-examining (or further cross-examining), in person, the
witness if it appears to the court –
(a) that
the quality of evidence given by the witness on
cross-examination –
(i) is likely to be diminished if the
cross-examination (or further cross-examination) is conducted by the defendant
in person, and
(ii) would be likely to be improved if an
order were given under this Article; and
(b) that
it would not be contrary to the interests of justice to make such an order.
(4) In determining whether paragraph (3)(a)
applies in the case of a witness, the court must have regard, in particular, to –
(a) any
views expressed by the witness as to whether or not the witness is content to be
cross-examined by the defendant in person;
(b) the
nature of the questions likely to be asked, having regard to the issues in the
proceedings and the defence case advanced so far (if any);
(c) any
behaviour on the part of the defendant at any stage of the proceedings, both
generally and in relation to the witness;
(d) any
relationship (of whatever nature) between the witness and the defendant;
(e) whether
any person (other than the defendant) is or has at any time been charged in the
proceedings with a sexual offence or an offence to which Article 103
applies, and (if so) whether Article 103 operates or would have operated
to prevent that person from cross-examining the witness in person; and
(f) any
order under Article 101 which the court has given, or proposes to give, in
relation to the witness.
(5) For the purposes of this
Article –
(a) “witness”,
in relation to a defendant, does not include any other person who is charged
with an offence in the proceedings; and
(b) any
reference to the quality of a witness’s evidence shall be construed in
accordance with Article 100(4).
Cross-examination
on behalf of the defendant
105 Defendant’s
representative for purposes of cross-examination
(1) This Article applies where a defendant is
prevented from cross-examining, in person, a witness by virtue of Article 103
or 104.
(2) Where it appears to the court that this
Article applies, it must –
(a) invite
the defendant to arrange for a legal representative to act for him or her for
the purpose of cross-examining the witness; and
(b) require
the defendant to notify the court, by the end of such period as it may specify,
whether a legal representative is to act for him or her for that purpose.
(3) If by the end of the period mentioned in paragraph (2)(b)
either –
(a) the
defendant has notified the court that no legal representative is to act for him
or her for the purpose of cross-examining the witness; or
(b) no
notification has been received by the court and it appears to the court that no
legal representative is to so act,
the court must consider
whether it is necessary in the interests of justice for the witness to be
cross-examined by a legal representative appointed to represent the interests
of the defendant.
(4) If the court decides that it is necessary in
the interests of justice for the witness to be so cross-examined, the court
must appoint an advocate (chosen by the court) to cross-examine the witness in
the interests of the defendant.
(5) An advocate so appointed shall not be
responsible to the defendant.
(6) Criminal Procedure Rules may make
provision –
(a) as
to the time when, and the manner in which, paragraph (2) is to be complied
with;
(b) in
connection with the appointment, and payment of costs of an advocate under paragraph (4),
and in particular for securing that a person so appointed is provided with
evidence or other material relating to the proceedings.
(7) For the purposes of this Article and Article 106,
any reference to cross-examination includes (in a case where an order is made
under Article 104 after the defendant has begun cross-examining the
witness) a reference to further cross-examination.
106 Warning to Jurats or Jury
Where a defendant before
the Royal Court is prevented from cross-examining, in person, a witness by
virtue of Article 103 or 104, the Bailiff must give the Jurats or jury (as
the case may be) such warning as he or she considers necessary to ensure that
the defendant is not prejudiced –
(a) by any inferences that might be drawn from
the fact that the defendant has been prevented from cross-examining the witness;
(b) where the witness has been cross-examined by
a legal representative appointed under Article 105(4), by the fact that
the cross-examination was carried out by such a legal representative, and not
by a person acting as the defendant’s own legal representative.
Intimidation
of witnesses and jurors
107 Intimidation, etc. of witnesses, jurors and others
(1) A person commits an offence (“an
offender”) if he or she does an act –
(a) which
intimidates, and is intended to intimidate, another person (“the
victim”);
(b) knowing
or believing that the victim is assisting in the investigation of an offence or
is a witness or potential witness or a juror or potential juror in criminal proceedings;
and
(c) intending
thereby to cause the investigation or the course of justice to be obstructed,
perverted or interfered with.
(2) An offender commits an offence
if –
(a) he
or she does an act –
(i) which harms, and is intended to harm,
another person, or
(ii) intending to cause another person to
fear harm, he or she threatens to do an act which would harm that other person;
(b) he
or she does or threatens to do the said act knowing or believing that the
person harmed or threatened to be harmed (“the victim”), or some
other person has –
(i) assisted in an investigation into an
offence,
(ii) given evidence or particular evidence
in criminal proceedings, or
(iii) acted as a juror or
concurred in a particular verdict in criminal proceedings; and
(c) he
or she does or threatens to do that act because of that knowledge or belief.
(3) For the purposes of paragraphs (1) and
(2) it is immaterial that the act is or would be done, or that the threat is
made –
(a) otherwise
than in the presence of the victim; or
(b) to
a person other than the victim.
(4) The harm that may be done to a person,
includes –
(a) physical
harm or an intimidatory act;
(b) financial
harm;
(c) harm
to a persons’ property; and
(d) threats.
(5) The intention required by paragraph (1)(c)
and the motive required by paragraph (2)(c) need not be the only or the primary
intention or motive with which the act is done or, in the case of paragraph (2),
threatened.
(6) If, in proceedings against a person for an
offence under paragraph (1), it is proved that he or she did an act
falling within paragraph (1)(a) with the knowledge or belief required by paragraph (1)(b),
he or she shall be presumed, unless the contrary is proved, to have done the
act with the intention required by paragraph (1)(c).
(7) If, in proceedings against an offender for
an offence under paragraph (2), it is proved that within the relevant
period –
(a) he
or she did an act which harmed, and was intended to harm, another person; or
(b) intending
to cause another person fear of harm, he or she threatened to do an act which
would harm that other person,
and that he or she did the
act, or (as the case may be) threatened to do the act, with the knowledge or
belief required by paragraph (2)(b), the offender shall be presumed,
unless the contrary is proved, to have done the act or, (as the case may be)
threatened to do the act with the motive required by paragraph (2)(c).
(8) An offender guilty of an offence under this
Article shall be liable to imprisonment for a term of 10 years and to a
fine.
(9) In this Article –
“investigation into
an offence” means such an investigation by the police or other person
charged with the duty of investigating offences or charging offenders;
“offence” and
“offender” includes a suspected offence or offender;
“potential”, in
relation to a juror, means a person who has been summoned for jury service
under Article 64;
“relevant
period” –
(a) in relation to a witness or juror in any criminal
proceedings, means the period beginning with the formal commencement of the
proceedings and ending with the first anniversary of the conclusion of the
trial, or –
(i) if there is an appeal under Article 33,
the determination or abandonment of the appeal, or
(ii) where a case is stated under Article 37,
the determination of the case in accordance with Article 38;
(b) in relation to a person who has, or is
believed by the offender to have, assisted in an investigation into an offence,
but was not also a witness in criminal proceedings, means the period of one year
beginning with any act of that person, or any act believed by the offender to
be an act of that person assisting in the investigation; and
(c) in relation to a person who both has, or is
believed by the offender to have, assisted in the investigation into an offence
and was a witness in criminal proceedings, means the period beginning with any
act of that person, or any act believed by the offender to be an act of that
person assisting in the investigation and ending with the anniversary mentioned
in sub-paragraph (a).
(10) For the purposes of the definition of the relevant
period in paragraph (9) –
(a) criminal
proceedings are formally commenced when a summons is
issued under Article 14 or 19;
(b) a
trial is concluded with the occurrence of any of the following –
(i) the discontinuance of the proceedings
under Article 80,
(ii) the discharge of the jury without a
verdict under Article 75(8),
(iii) the acquittal of a
defendant or the sentencing of, or other dealing with, a defendant for the
offence of which he or she was convicted.
(11) This Article is in addition to, and not in
derogation of, any offence subsisting under customary law.
part
12
WASTED
COSTS IN CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS
108 Provisions
as to costs incurred because of act or omission
(1) In any case where the court is satisfied
that one party to criminal proceedings has incurred costs as a result of an
unnecessary or improper act or omission by, or on behalf of, another party to
the proceedings, the court may make an order as to the payment of those costs.
(2) Criminal Procedure Rules may make further
provision regarding costs ordered under this Article.
109 Wasted costs
against defence or prosecution
(1) In criminal proceedings, the court may order
the defence or prosecution to meet, the whole of any wasted costs or such part
of them as the court may determine.
(2) The States may, by Regulations, make further
provision as to the court’s determination of costs for the purposes of an
order under paragraph (1), including in relation to cases of a particular description.
(3) Where an order is made by –
(a) the Magistrate under paragraph (1), the
defence or prosecution may appeal to the Royal Court; or
(b) the Royal Court under paragraph (1), the
defence or prosecution may appeal to the Court of Appeal.
(4) In this Article “wasted costs”
means any costs incurred by a party –
(a) as a result of any improper, unreasonable or
negligent act or omission on the part of the defence or prosecution; or
(b) which, in the light of any such act or
omission occurring after they were incurred, the court considers it is
unreasonable to expect that party to pay.
110 Provision
for award of costs against third parties
(1) The States may by Regulations make provision
empowering the court to make a third party costs order if the condition in paragraph (3)
is satisfied.
(2) A “third party costs order” is
an order as to the payment of costs incurred by a party to criminal proceedings
by a person who is not a party to those proceedings (“the third
party”).
(3) The condition is that –
(a) there
has been serious misconduct (whether or not constituting a contempt of court)
by the third party; and
(b) the
court considers it appropriate, having regard to that misconduct, to make a third
party costs order against that third party.
(4) Regulations under this Article may, in
particular –
(a) specify
types of misconduct in respect of which a third party costs order may not be
made;
(b) allow
the making of a third party costs order at any time;
(c) make
provision for any other order as to costs which has been made in respect of the
proceedings to be varied on, or taken account of in, the making of a third
party costs order;
(d) make
provision for account to be taken of any third party costs order in the making
of any other order as to costs in respect of the proceedings.
(5) Regulations under this Article in relation
to the Magistrate or Royal Court must provide that the third party may appeal
to –
(a) the Royal Court against a third
party costs order made by the Magistrate; and
(b) the
Court of Appeal against a third party costs order made
by the Royal Court.
part
13
establishment
and functions of the criminal procedure rules committee
111 Criminal
Procedure Rules Committee
(1) There are to be rules of court (to be called
“Criminal Procedure Rules”) governing the practice and procedure to
be followed in criminal proceedings.
(2) Criminal Procedure Rules are to be made by a
committee known as the Criminal Procedure Rules Committee.
(3) The Criminal Procedure Rules Committee shall
be chaired by the Bailiff or, in his or her absence, the Deputy Bailiff, who
shall both be members of the Committee.
(4) The Criminal Procedure Rules Committee shall
also consist of the following members –
(a) the Attorney General or a person nominated
by the Attorney General;
(b) the Chief Officer of the States of Jersey
Police Force or a person nominated by that Chief Officer;
(c) the Judicial Greffier or a person nominated
by the Judicial Greffier;
(d) the Magistrate or a person nominated by the
Magistrate;
(e) the person who is the senior délégué or a person nominated by that délégué;
(f) the Viscount or a person nominated by
the Viscount;
(g) an advocate nominated by the Bâtonnier
who has particular experience of practice in criminal proceedings; and
(h) a person nominated by the Chief Minister.
(5) Before nominating a person under paragraph (4),
the Bailiff must first be consulted.
(6) A person shall be nominated for such period
as may be specified by the person who has nominated him or her.
(7) The Criminal Procedure Rules Committee may, subject to a quorum of not less than 5
members, meet for the conduct of business, adjourn and otherwise regulate its
meetings as it thinks fit.
(8) The Criminal Procedure Rules Committee must,
before making Criminal Procedure Rules –
(a) consult
such persons as it considers appropriate; and
(b) meet
(unless it is inexpedient to do so).
(9) Criminal Procedure Rules –
(a) must be signed by not less than 5 members of the Criminal Procedure Rules Committee;
(b) shall come into force on such day or days as
the Criminal Procedure Rules Committee directs; and
(c) shall be treated as an enactment to which
the Subordinate Legislation (Jersey) Law 1960[28] applies.
(10) The States may, by Regulations, amend the members
of the Committee listed in paragraph (4).
112 Criminal Procedure Rules
(1) Criminal Procedure Rules may be made by the Criminal
Procedure Rules Committee for any of the following –
(a) for
regulating and prescribing the procedure and the practice to be followed in any
proceedings under this Law (including the procedure and practice to be followed
by the Viscount and the Judicial Greffier) and any matters incidental to or
relating to any such procedure or practice, including (but without prejudice to
the generality of the foregoing) the manner in which, and the time within
which, any applications which under this Law or any enactment are to be made to
the court shall be made;
(b) for
regulating the sittings of the court and its judges whether sitting in court or
elsewhere;
(c) for
prescribing the jurisdiction of the Inferior Number and Superior Number in
relation to the sentencing of a defendant;
(d) for
regulating the means or timing of service, or lodging,
of any application, indictment, notice, order, order for the arrest of a person,
summons or other instrument or document, issued under this Law or under
Criminal Procedure Rules;
(e) for
prescribing forms to be used for the purposes of this Law;
(f) for
regulating any matters relating to the costs of proceedings before the court;
(g) for
regulating the means by which particular facts may be proved, and the mode in
which evidence thereof may be given, in any proceedings or on any application
in connection with or at any stage of any proceedings;
(h) for
prescribing the details of the prosecution’s case against a person which,
under the provisions of this Law, or in the exercise of case management powers,
are to be served on a person who is charged with, or is
to be charged with, or in connection with,
an offence;
(i) for regulating and prescribing the
procedure on appeal from the Magistrate’s Court, or where a case is
stated by the Magistrate;
(j) for
regulating or making provision with respect to any other matters which may require
to be regulated or with respect to which provision may require to be made under
this Law.
(2) The power to make Criminal Procedure Rules –
(a) is to be exercised with a view to securing
that –
(i) the criminal justice system is
accessible, fair and efficient, and
(ii) the rules are both simple and simply
expressed; and
(b) includes power to –
(i) make different provision for different
cases, including different provision for a specified court or specified
descriptions of proceedings,
(ii) make such consequential, incidental,
supplementary, transitional, transitory or saving provision which appear to be
necessary or expedient for the purposes of the Rules, and
(iii) make rules as to proceedings
by or against the Crown.
113 Practice directions
(1) The Bailiff or Magistrate may, from time to
time, issue directions as to the practice or procedure to be followed by the participants
in criminal proceedings (“practice directions”) where either no
provision has been made in Criminal Procedure Rules or, subject to paragraph (2),
so as to complement any such Rules.
(2) Practice directions issued under this
Article must not be inconsistent with any Criminal Procedure Rules which may
otherwise apply.
(3) Practice directions must be kept under
review and, as necessary, must be replaced, revoked or amended.
(4) Practice directions may be published in such
manner or form as the Bailiff or Magistrate considers appropriate.
(5) Paragraph (6) applies where it appears
to the court when conducting criminal proceedings, that –
(a) a provision of a practice direction; or
(b) a failure to comply with a practice
direction,
is relevant to a question
arising in those proceedings.
(6) Where this paragraph applies, the relevant provision
or failure must be taken into account in determining the question, but a
failure to comply with a practice direction shall not of itself make a person
liable to any civil or criminal proceedings.
PART
14
MISCELLANEOUS AND CLOSING PROVISIONS
114 Quashing of
acquittal and retrial
Schedule 2 provides for the procedures to be followed in
relation to an application to the Court of Appeal to quash a person’s
acquittal in respect of an offence, and that person’s subsequent retrial.
115 Regulations
(1) The
States may, by Regulations, amend any enactment, including this Law, for the
purpose of making such transitional, consequential, incidental, supplementary
or savings provisions as they consider necessary or expedient in consequence of
any provision made by or under this Law.
(2) Any
Regulations under this Law may contain such transitional, consequential,
incidental or supplementary provisions as appear to the States to be expedient
for the purposes of the Regulations.
(3) A
power to make Regulations under this Law for the purpose of amending a
provision of this Law, includes the power to make such transitional,
consequential, incidental or supplementary amendments to any other provision of
this Law as appears to the States to be necessary or expedient.
116 Police Procedures and
Criminal Evidence (Jersey) Law 2003 amended
Schedule 3 has effect
to amend the Police Procedures and Criminal Evidence (Jersey) Law 2003[29].
117 Miscellaneous enactments
amended
Schedule 4 has effect to amend enactments consequentially upon
the enactment of this Law.
118 Enactments
repealed
The enactments listed in Schedule 5
are repealed.
119 Citation and commencement
This Law may be cited as the Criminal Procedure (Jersey) Law 2018
and shall come into force on such day or days as the States may by Act appoint.
w.j.c. millow
Assistant Greffier of the States
SCHEDULE 1
(Article 94(3))
offences in respect of which a spouse or civil
partner of a defendant is compellable to give evidence
(1) For
the purpose of Article 94(3) this Schedule specifies the offences in
respect of which the spouse or civil partner of a defendant is compellable to
give evidence on behalf of the prosecution or any other defendant charged in
the same proceedings.
(2) Paragraph (7)
sets out the offences with which a defendant is charged of having committed
against, or in relation to, any person described in paragraph (4).
(3) Paragraph (8)
sets out an offence with which a defendant is charged of having committed in
the presence of any such person.
(4) The
persons to whom paragraphs (2) and (3) refer are any of the following –
(a) the
spouse or civil partner of a defendant;
(b) a
person who was under the age of 18 at the time the offence was committed;
and
(c) a
person aged 18 or older who –
(i) suffers
from a mental disorder within the meaning of the Mental Health Law, or
(ii) has
a significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning.
(5) In
relation to a person described in paragraph (4)(b) or (c), it does not
matter whether the defendant knew the person or not at the time the offence was
committed.
(6) Where
the age of a person at any time is material for the purposes of paragraph (4)(b),
his or her age at the time the offence was committed shall be deemed for the
purposes of that paragraph to be the age which the court believes he or she was
at that time.
(7) The
offences for the purposes of paragraph (2) are any of the following –
(a) the
customary law offences of –
(i) assault
including common assault, grave and criminal assault or indecent assault, or
threat of any such assault,
(ii) breach
of the peace,
(iii) breaking
and entering and committing an assault, larceny or malicious damage,
(iv) demanding
money with menaces,
(v) false
imprisonment,
(vi) gross
indecency or procuring an act of gross indecency,
(vii) incest,
(viii) indecent
exposure,
(ix) kidnapping,
(x) malicious
damage,
(xi) manslaughter,
(xii) murder
or attempted murder,
(xiii) perverting
or attempting to pervert the course of justice,
(xiv) rape, or
attempted rape,
(xv) sodomy;
(b) any
offence not falling within sub-paragraph (a) which involves injury or
threat of injury;
(c) attempting
or conspiring to commit, or encouraging, assisting, inciting, counselling, procuring
an offence described in sub-paragraph (a) or (b);
(d) any
offence under the Protection of Children (Jersey) Law 1994[30];
(e) an
offence under Article 32 or 33 of the Firearms (Jersey) Law 2000[31];
(f) an
offence under Article 35 of the Children (Jersey) Law 2002[32];
(g) an
offence under Article 51 of the Telecommunications (Jersey) Law 2002[33];
(h) an
offence under Article 60 of the Postal Services (Jersey) Law 2004[34];
(i) an
offence under Article 2, 3 or 6 of the Crime (Disorderly Conduct and
Harassment) (Jersey) Law 2008[35];
(j) any
offence referred to in Article 103(3)(b), (d) or (e).
(8) For
the purpose of paragraph (3), an offence under Article 4 of the
Animal Welfare (Jersey) Law 2004[36].
(9) The
States may, by Regulations, amend this Schedule.
SCHEDULE 2
(Article 114)
quashing of person’s acquittal and
retrial
1 Interpretation
In this Schedule –
“acquittal” and related expressions are to be construed
in accordance with paragraph 2(7);
“new evidence” is to be construed in accordance with paragraph 5(2);
“officer”, except in paragraph 10, means a police officer
or an officer of the Impôts within the meaning of the Customs and Excise
(Jersey) Law 1999[37];
“qualifying offence” is an offence specified in
Regulations made under paragraph 2(8);
“2003 Law” means the Police Procedures and Criminal
Evidence (Jersey) Law 2003[38].
2 Cases
that may be retried
(1) This
Schedule applies where a person has been acquitted of a qualifying offence in
proceedings –
(a) under
Part 7;
(b) on
appeal against a conviction under Part 7; or
(c) on
appeal from a decision on such an appeal.
(2) A person
acquitted of an offence in proceedings mentioned in sub-paragraph (1) is
treated for the purposes of that sub-paragraph as also acquitted of any
qualifying offence of which he or she could have been convicted in the
proceedings because of the first-mentioned offence being charged in the
indictment, except an offence –
(a) of
which he or she has been convicted;
(b) in
respect of which a special verdict has been recorded under Article 72 of
the Mental Health Law; or
(c) in
respect of which, in proceedings under Part 8 of the Mental Health Law in
which the person has been found to be incapable of participating in those
proceedings, a finding has been made that the person did the act with which he
or she is charged.
(3) References
in sub-paragraphs (1) and (2) to a qualifying offence do not include
references to an offence which, at the time of the acquittal, was the subject
of an order under paragraph 4(1) or (3).
(4) This
Schedule also applies where a person has been acquitted, in proceedings elsewhere
than in Jersey, of an offence under the law of the place where the proceedings
were held, if the commission of the offence as alleged would have amounted to
or included the commission (in Jersey or elsewhere) of a qualifying offence.
(5) Conduct
punishable under the law in force elsewhere than in Jersey is an offence under
that law for the purposes of sub-paragraph (4), however it is described in
that law.
(6) This
Schedule applies whether the acquittal was before or after this Law was adopted
by the States.
(7) References
in this Schedule to acquittal are to acquittal in circumstances within sub-paragraph (1)
or (4).
(8) The
States shall, by Regulations, specify the offences or description of offences
that are qualifying offences for the purposes of this paragraph.
3 Application
to Court of Appeal
(1) The
Attorney General may apply to the Court of Appeal for an order –
(a) quashing
a person’s acquittal in proceedings within paragraph 2(1); and
(b) ordering
the person to be retried for the qualifying offence.
(2) The
Attorney General may apply to the Court of Appeal, in the case of a person
acquitted elsewhere than in Jersey, for –
(a) a
determination whether the acquittal is a bar to the person being tried in
Jersey for the qualifying offence; and
(b) if
it is, an order that the acquittal is not to be a bar.
(3) The
Attorney General may only make an application under this paragraph if he or she
is satisfied that –
(a) there
is evidence to show that the requirements of paragraph 5 appear to be met;
and
(b) it is
in the public interest for the application to proceed.
(4) Not
more than one application in relation to an acquittal may be made under sub-paragraph (1)
or (2).
4 Determination
by Court of Appeal
(1) On
an application under paragraph 3(1), the Court of Appeal –
(a) if
satisfied that the requirements of paragraphs 5 and 6 are met, must make
the order applied for; or
(b) otherwise,
must dismiss the application.
(2) Sub-paragraphs (3)
and (4) apply to an application under paragraph 3(2).
(3) Where
the Court of Appeal determines that the acquittal is a bar to the person being
tried for the qualifying offence, the Court –
(a) if satisfied that the
requirements of paragraphs 5 and 6 are met, must make the order applied
for; or
(b) otherwise, must make a declaration
to the effect that the acquittal is a bar to the person being tried for the
offence.
(4) Where
the Court of Appeal determines that the acquittal is not a bar to the person
being tried for the qualifying offence, it must make a declaration to that
effect.
5 New
and compelling evidence
(1) The
requirements of this paragraph are met if there is new and compelling evidence
against the acquitted person in relation to the qualifying offence.
(2) Evidence
is new if it was not adduced in the proceedings in which the person was
acquitted (nor, if those were appeal proceedings, in earlier proceedings to
which the appeal related).
(3) Evidence
is compelling if –
(a) it is reliable; and
(b) in the context of the
outstanding issues, it appears highly probative of the case against the
acquitted person.
(4) The
outstanding issues are the issues in dispute in the proceedings in which the
person was acquitted and, if those were appeal proceedings, any other issues
remaining in dispute from earlier proceedings to which the appeal related.
(5) For
the purposes of this paragraph, it is irrelevant whether any evidence would
have been admissible in earlier proceedings against the acquitted person.
6 Interests
of justice
(1) The
requirements of this paragraph are met if in all the circumstances it is in the
interests of justice for the Court of Appeal to make the order under paragraph 4.
(2) That
question is to be determined having regard in particular to –
(a) whether existing
circumstances make a fair trial unlikely;
(b) for the purposes of
that question and otherwise, the length of time since the qualifying offence
was allegedly committed;
(c) whether it is likely
that the new evidence would have been adduced in the earlier proceedings
against the acquitted person but for a failure by an officer or by the Attorney
General to act with due diligence or expedition; and
(d) whether, since those
proceedings or, if later, since the commencement of this Schedule, any officer
or the Attorney General has failed to act with due diligence or expedition.
(3) In
sub-paragraph (2), references to an officer or the Attorney General
include references to a person charged with corresponding duties under the law
in force elsewhere than in Jersey.
7 Procedure
and evidence
(1) The
Attorney General must give notice to the Court of Appeal of an application
under paragraph 3(1) or (2).
(2) Within
7 days beginning with the day on which any such notice is given, notice of
the application must be served by the Attorney General on the person to whom
the application relates, charging him or her with the offence to which it
relates.
(3) Sub-paragraph (2)
applies whether the person to whom the application relates is in Jersey or
elsewhere, but the Court of Appeal may, on application by the Attorney General,
extend the time for service under that sub-paragraph if it considers it
necessary to do so because of that person’s absence from Jersey.
(4) The
Court of Appeal must consider the application at a hearing.
(5) The
person to whom the application relates –
(a) is entitled to be
present at the hearing, although he or she may be in custody, unless he or she is
in custody elsewhere than in Jersey; and
(b) is entitled to be
represented at the hearing, whether he or she is present or not.
(6) For
the purposes of the application, the Court of Appeal may, if it thinks it
expedient in the interests of justice –
(a) order the production of
any document, exhibit or other thing, the production of which appears to the Court
to be necessary for the determination of the application; and
(b) order any witness who
would be a compellable witness in proceedings pursuant to an order or
declaration made on the application to attend for examination and be examined
before the court.
(7) The
Court of Appeal may at one hearing consider more than one application (whether
or not relating to the same person), but only if the offences concerned could
be tried on the same indictment.
8 Appeals
(1) An
appeal lies to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, at the instance of
the acquitted person or the Attorney General, from any decision of the Court of
Appeal on an application under paragraph 3(1) or (2).
(2) An
appeal under this Article lies only with leave of the Court of Appeal.
9 Restrictions
on publication in the interests of justice
(1) Where
it appears to the Court of Appeal that the inclusion of any matter in a
publication would give rise to a substantial risk of prejudice to the administration
of justice in a retrial, the Court may order that the matter is not to be
included in any publication while the order has effect.
(2) In
sub-paragraph (1) “retrial” means the trial of an acquitted
person for a qualifying offence pursuant to any order made or that may be made
under paragraph 4.
(3) The
Court may make an order under this paragraph only if it appears to it necessary
in the interests of justice to do so.
(4) An
order under this paragraph may apply to a matter which has been included in a
publication published before the order takes effect, but such an
order –
(a) applies only to the
later inclusion of the matter in a publication (whether directly or by inclusion
of the earlier publication); and
(b) does not otherwise
affect the earlier publication.
(5) After
notice of an application has been given under paragraph 7(1) relating to
the acquitted person and the qualifying offence, the Court may make an order
under this paragraph only –
(a) of its own motion; or
(b) on the application of
the Attorney General.
(6) Before
such notice has been given under paragraph 7(1), an order under this
paragraph –
(a) may be made only on the
application of the Attorney General; and
(b) may not be made unless,
since the acquittal concerned, an investigation of the commission by the
acquitted person of the qualifying offence has been commenced by officers.
(7) The
court may at any time, of its own motion or on an application made by the
Attorney General or the acquitted person, vary or revoke an order under this
paragraph.
(8) Any
order made under this paragraph before notice of an application has been given
under paragraph 7(1) relating to the acquitted person and the qualifying
offence must specify the time when it ceases to have effect.
(9) An
order under this paragraph which is made or has effect after such notice has
been given ceases to have effect, unless it specifies an earlier
time –
(a) when there is no longer
any step that could be taken which would lead to the acquitted person being
tried pursuant to an order made on the application; or
(b) if the acquitted person
is tried pursuant to such an order, at the conclusion of the trial.
(10) Nothing
in this paragraph affects any prohibition or restriction by virtue of this Law
or any other enactment on the inclusion of any matter in a publication or any
power, under an enactment or otherwise, to impose such a prohibition or
restriction.
(11) In this
paragraph –
“publication” includes any speech, writing, relevant
programme or other communication in whatever form, which is addressed to the
public at large or any section of the public (and for this purpose every
relevant programme is to be taken to be so addressed), but does not include an
indictment or other document prepared for use in particular legal proceedings.
10 Offences in
connection with publication restrictions
(1) This
paragraph applies if –
(a) an order under paragraph 9
is made; and
(b) while the order has
effect, any matter is included in a publication, in Jersey or elsewhere, in
contravention of the order.
(2) Where
the publication is a newspaper or periodical, any proprietor, editor or
publisher of the newspaper or periodical is guilty of an offence.
(3) Where
the publication is a relevant programme –
(a) any body corporate engaged
in providing the programme service in which the programme is included; and
(b) any person having
functions in relation to the programme corresponding to those of an editor of a
newspaper,
is guilty of an offence.
(4) In
the case of any other publication, any person publishing it is guilty of an
offence.
(5) If
an offence under this paragraph committed by a body corporate is
proved –
(a) to have been committed
with the consent or connivance of; or
(b) to be attributable to
any neglect on the part of,
an officer, the officer as well as the body corporate is guilty of
the offence and liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.
(6) In
sub-paragraph (5), “officer” means a director, manager,
secretary or other similar officer of the body, or a person purporting to act
in any such capacity.
(7) If
the affairs of a body corporate are managed by its members,
“director” in sub-paragraph (6) means a member of that body.
(8) A
person guilty of an offence under this paragraph is liable to a fine.
(9) Proceedings
for an offence under this paragraph may not be instituted without the consent
of the Attorney General.
(10) The
States may, by Regulations, amend –
(a) the
types of publication under this paragraph which contravene an order under paragraph 9;
or
(b) the
persons who are guilty of an offence under this paragraph.
11 Defence
of innocent publication
(1) A
person is not guilty of an offence under paragraph 10 if at the time of
publication (having taken all reasonable care) the person does not know and has
no reason to suspect that an order has been made under paragraph 9.
(2) The
burden of proof of any fact tending to establish a defence afforded by this
paragraph to any person lies upon that person.
12 Retrial
(1) Where
a person –
(a) is tried pursuant to an
order under paragraph 4(1); or
(b) is tried on indictment
pursuant to an order under paragraph 4(3),
the retrial must be on an indictment before the Royal Court preferred
by the Attorney General.
(2) After
the end of 2 months after the date of the order, the person may not be retried
under sub-paragraph (1) unless the Court of Appeal gives leave.
(3) The
Court of Appeal must not give leave unless satisfied that –
(a) the Attorney General
has acted with due expedition; and
(b) there is a good and
sufficient cause for retrial despite the lapse of time since the order under paragraph 4.
(4) Where
the person may not be indicted without leave, he or she may apply to the Court
of Appeal to set aside the order and –
(a) for any direction
required for restoring an earlier judgment and verdict of acquittal of the
qualifying offence; or
(b) in the case of a person
acquitted elsewhere than in Jersey, for a declaration to the effect that the
acquittal is a bar to his or her being tried for the qualifying offence.
(5) An
indictment under sub-paragraph (1) may relate to more than one offence, or
more than one person, and may relate to an offence which, or a person who, is
not the subject of an order or declaration under paragraph 4.
(6) Evidence
given at a retrial pursuant to an order under paragraph 4(1) or (3) must
be given orally if it was given orally at the original trial,
unless –
(a) all the parties to the
retrial agree otherwise;
(b) Article 65 of the 2003 Law
applies; or
(c) the witness is
unavailable to give evidence (otherwise than by reason of any of the 5 conditions
in Article 65(2) of the 2003 Law being satisfied) and Article 64(1)(d)
of that Law applies.
13 Authorization of
investigations
(1) This
paragraph applies to the investigation of the commission of a qualifying
offence by a person –
(a) acquitted in
proceedings within paragraph 2(1) of the qualifying offence; or
(b) acquitted elsewhere
than in Jersey of an offence the commission of which as alleged would have
amounted to or included the commission (in Jersey or elsewhere) of the
qualifying offence.
(2) Subject
to paragraph 14, an officer may not do anything within sub-paragraph (3)
for the purposes of such an investigation unless the Attorney
General –
(a) has certified that in
his or her opinion the acquittal would not be a bar to the trial of the acquitted
person in Jersey for the qualifying offence; or
(b) has given his or her
written consent to the investigation (whether before or after the start of the
investigation).
(3) The
officer may not, either with or without the consent of the acquitted
person –
(a) arrest or question him
or her;
(b) search him or her or
premises owned or occupied by him or her;
(c) search a vehicle owned
by him or her or anything in or on such a vehicle;
(d) seize anything in his
or her possession; or
(e) take his or her
fingerprints or take a sample from him or her.
(4) The
Attorney General may only give his or her consent to a written application, and
such an application may be made only by an officer who is of the rank of chief
inspector or above.
(5) An
officer may make an application under sub-paragraph (4) only
if –
(a) he or she is satisfied
that new evidence has been obtained which would be relevant to an application
under paragraph 3(1) or (2) in respect of the qualifying offence to which
the investigation relates; or
(b) he or she has
reasonable grounds for believing that such new evidence is likely to be
obtained as a result of the investigation.
(6) The
Attorney General may not give his or her consent unless satisfied
that –
(a) there is, or there is
likely as a result of the investigation to be, sufficient new evidence to
warrant the conduct of the investigation; and
(b) it is in the public
interest for the investigation to proceed.
14 Urgent
investigative steps
(1) Paragraph 13
does not prevent an officer from taking any action for the purposes of an
investigation if –
(a) the action is necessary
as a matter of urgency to prevent the investigation being substantially and
irrevocably prejudiced;
(b) the requirements of
sub-paragraph (2) are met; and
(c) either –
(i) the
action is authorized under sub-paragraph (3), or
(ii) the
requirements of sub-paragraph (5) are met.
(2) The
requirements of this sub-paragraph are met if –
(a) there has been no undue
delay in applying for consent under paragraph 13(4);
(b) that consent has not
been refused; and
(c) taking into account the
urgency of the situation, it is not reasonably practicable to obtain that
consent before taking the action.
(3) An
officer of the rank of chief inspector or above may authorize the action
if –
(a) he or she is satisfied
that new evidence has been obtained which would be relevant to an application under
paragraph 3(1) or (2) in respect of the qualifying offence to which the
investigation relates; or
(b) he or she has
reasonable grounds for believing that such new evidence is likely to be
obtained as a result of the investigation.
(4) An
authorization under sub-paragraph (3) must –
(a) if reasonably
practicable, be given in writing;
(b) otherwise, be recorded
in writing by the officer giving it as soon as is reasonably practicable.
(5) The
requirements of this sub-paragraph are met if –
(a) there has been no undue
delay in applying for authorization under sub-paragraph (3);
(b) that authorization has
not been refused; and
(c) taking into account the
urgency of the situation, it is not reasonably practicable to obtain that
authorization before taking the action.
(6) Where
the requirements of sub-paragraph (5) are met, the action is nevertheless
to be treated as having been unlawful unless, as soon as reasonably practicable
after the action is taken, an officer of the rank of chief inspector certifies
in writing that he or she is satisfied that, when the action was
taken –
(a) new evidence had been
obtained which would be relevant to an application under paragraph 3(1) or
(2) in respect of the qualifying offence to which the investigation relates; or
(b) the officer who took
the action had reasonable grounds for believing that such new evidence was
likely to be obtained as a result of the investigation.
15 Regulations
conferring supplementary powers
(1) The
States may, by Regulations, amend this Schedule so as to make provision for or
in connection with, the following –
(a) to
confer upon the Royal Court, or Court of the Appeal, the power to summons, or
order the arrest of, a person who is the subject of –
(i) an
application under paragraph 3,
(ii) an
order under paragraph 4, or
(iii) an
investigation under paragraph 13 or 14;
(b) the
detention of, or grant of bail to, a person summoned or arrested pursuant to
the exercise of powers referred to in clause (a).
(2) Regulations
for the purposes of sub-paragraph (1)(b) may provide for the grant of bail
in accordance with the Bail Law, or subject to such modification of the
provisions of the Bail Law as the Regulations may provide.
16 Rules of court
(1) The
power to make rules of court under Article 40 of the Court of Appeal
(Jersey) Law 1961[39] includes the power to make
rules for the purposes of this Schedule.
(2) Without
limiting sub-paragraph (1), rules of court may in particular make
provision as to procedures to be applied in connection with paragraphs 3
to 9 and 12.
(3) Nothing
in this paragraph is to be taken as affecting the generality of any enactment (including
under Part 13 of this Law) conferring power to make rules of court.
SCHEDULE
3
(Article 116)
police procedures and Criminal Evidence
(Jersey) Law 2003 amended
1 Interpretation
In this Schedule, “principal Law” means the Police
Procedures and Criminal Evidence (Jersey) Law 2003[40].
2 Long
title of principal Law amended
In the long title of the
principal Law, for the words “, criminal evidence and the conduct of
criminal proceedings” there are substituted the words “and criminal
evidence”.
3 Article 1
amended
In Article 1(1) of the
principal Law –
(a) after the definition
“confession” there are inserted the following definitions –
“ ‘court’ means the Magistrate’s Court,
Royal Court or Youth Court;
‘Criminal Procedure Law’ means the Criminal Procedure
(Jersey) Law 2018[41];
‘Criminal Procedure Rules’ shall be construed in
accordance with Article 111(1) and 112 of the Criminal Procedure Law;
‘criminal proceedings’ means proceedings before the
court for the determination of a case against a defendant;”;
(b) after the definition “custody
officer” there is inserted the following definition –
“ ‘defendant’ means a person –
(a) charged
with an offence; or
(b) convicted
of an offence and awaiting sentence;”;
(c) in the definition “prescribed”,
for the words “Rules made by the Royal Court” there are substituted
the words “Criminal Procedure Rules”;
(d) after the definition
“prescribed” there is inserted the following
definition –
“ ‘proceedings’ means criminal
proceedings;”;
(e) after the definition “prohibited
article” there is inserted the following definition –
“ ‘prosecution’ means the Attorney General or
a prosecutor within the meaning of Article 1(2)(b) of the Criminal
Procedure Law;”;
(f) after the definition “relevant
time” there is inserted the following definition –
“ ‘rules’ means Criminal Procedure Rules, and
‘rule’ shall be construed accordingly;”.
4 Article 29A
substituted
For Article 29A of the
principal Law there is substituted the following Article –
“29A Interpretation
of Part 5
In this Part, any reference to the release of a person on, or with
bail, means the release of that person on bail either unconditionally or with
such requirement or conditions as may be imposed in accordance with Article 30
or 31B.”.
5 Article 48A
substituted
For Article 48A of the
principal Law there is substituted the following Article –
“48A Criminal Procedure Rules for purposes of Part 5
The power to make Criminal Procedure Rules under Article 112 of
the Criminal Procedure Law includes the power to make rules for the purposes of
this Part.”.
6 Articles 63
to 67 substituted
For Articles 63 to 67 of
the principal Law there are substituted the following Articles –
“63 Interpretation of Part 8
‘copy’ in relation to a document, means anything onto
which information recorded in the document has been copied, by whatever means
and whether directly or indirectly;
‘matter stated’ in relation to a statement, means where the
purpose, or one of the purposes, of the person making the statement appears to
the court to have been –
(a) to
cause another person to believe the matter; or
(b) to
cause another person to act or a machine to operate on the basis that the
matter is as stated;
‘statement’ means any representation of fact or opinion
made by a person by whatever means including a representation made in a sketch,
photofit or other pictorial form.
64 Admissibility
of statement not made in oral evidence
(1) In criminal proceedings a statement not made
in oral evidence in the proceedings is admissible as evidence of any matter
stated if, but only if –
(a) any provision of this Part or any other
provision of an enactment makes it admissible;
(b) any rule of customary law referred to in Article 64A
makes it admissible;
(c) all parties to the proceedings agree to it
being admissible; or
(d) the court is satisfied that it is in the
interests of justice for it to be admissible.
(2) In deciding whether a statement not made in
oral evidence should be admitted under paragraph (1)(d), the court must
have regard to the following factors (and to any others it considers
relevant) –
(a) how much probative value the statement has
(assuming it to be true) in relation to a matter in issue in the proceedings,
or how valuable it is for the understanding of other evidence in the case;
(b) what other evidence has been, or can be,
given on the matter or evidence mentioned in sub-paragraph (a);
(c) how important the matter or evidence
mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) is in the context of the case as a whole;
(d) the circumstances in which the statement was
made;
(e) how reliable the maker of the statement
appears to be;
(f) how reliable the evidence of the
making of the statement appears to be;
(g) whether oral evidence of the matter stated
can be given and, if not, why it cannot;
(h) the amount of difficulty involved in
challenging the statement; and
(i) the extent to which that difficulty
would be likely to prejudice the party facing it.
(3) Nothing in this Part affects the exclusion
of evidence of a statement on grounds other than the fact that it is a
statement not made in oral evidence in the proceedings.
64A Admissibility
of statement under rules of customary law
For the purposes of Article 64(1)(b),
any rule of customary law in respect of the following –
(a) public information, including any rule under
which –
(i) published works dealing with matters
of a public nature (such as histories, scientific works, dictionaries and maps)
are admissible as evidence of facts of a public nature stated in them,
(ii) public documents (such as public
registers, and returns made under public authority with respect to matters of
public interest) are admissible as evidence of facts stated in them,
(iii) records (such as the records of certain
courts, treaties, Crown grants, pardons and commissions) are admissible as
evidence of facts stated in them, or
(iv) evidence relating to a person’s age or
date or place of birth may be given by a person without personal knowledge of
the matter;
(b) res gestae;
(c) confessions;
(d) admissions
by agents;
(e) common
enterprise; and
(f) expert
evidence.
65 Cases
where a witness is unavailable
(1) In criminal proceedings a statement not made
in oral evidence in the proceedings is admissible as evidence of any matter
stated if –
(a) oral evidence given in the proceedings by
the person who made the statement would be admissible as evidence of that
matter;
(b) the person who made the statement (the
relevant person) is identified to the court’s satisfaction; and
(c) any condition listed in paragraph (2)
is satisfied.
(a) that the relevant person is dead;
(b) that the relevant person is unfit to be a
witness because of his or her bodily or mental condition;
(c) that the relevant person is outside Jersey
and it is not reasonably practicable to secure his or her attendance;
(d) that the relevant person cannot be found
although such steps as it is reasonably practicable to take to find him or her
have been taken;
(e) that through fear, the relevant person does
not give (or does not continue to give) oral evidence in the proceedings,
either at all or in connection with the subject matter of the statement, and
the court gives leave for the statement to be given in evidence.
(3) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(e)
‘fear’ is to be widely construed and, for example, includes fear of
the death or injury of another person or financial loss.
(4) Leave may be given under paragraph (2)(e)
only if the court considers that the statement ought to be admitted in the
interests of justice, having regard –
(a) to the statement’s contents;
(b) to any risk that its admission or exclusion
will result in unfairness to any party to the proceedings (and in particular to
how difficult it will be to challenge the statement if the relevant person does
not give oral evidence);
(c) in appropriate cases, whether special
measures for the giving of evidence by fearful witnesses could be made in
relation to the relevant person; and
(d) to any other relevant circumstances.
(5) Any condition set out in paragraph (2)
which is in fact satisfied, is to be treated as not satisfied if it is shown
that the circumstances described in that paragraph are caused –
(a) by the person in support of whose case it is
sought to give the statement in evidence; or
(b) by a person acting on the above mentioned
person’s behalf,
in order to prevent the
relevant person giving oral evidence in the proceedings (whether at all or in
connection with the subject matter of the statement).
66 Business
and other documents
(1) In criminal proceedings a statement
contained in a document is admissible as evidence of any matter stated
if –
(a) oral evidence given in the proceedings would
be admissible as evidence of that matter;
(b) the requirements of paragraph (2) are
satisfied; and
(c) the additional requirements of paragraph (5)
are satisfied, in a case where paragraph (4) applies.
(2) The requirements of this paragraph are
satisfied if –
(a) the document or the part containing the
statement was created or received by a person in the course of a trade,
business, profession or other occupation, or as the holder of a paid or unpaid
office;
(b) the person who supplied the information
contained in the statement (the relevant person) had or may reasonably be
supposed to have had personal knowledge of the matters dealt with; and
(c) each person (if any) through whom the
information was supplied from the relevant person to the person referred to in
sub-paragraph (a) received the information in the course of a trade,
business, profession or other occupation, or as the holder of a paid or unpaid
office.
(3) The persons mentioned in paragraph (2)(a)
and (b) may be the same person.
(4) If the statement –
(a) was prepared for the purposes of pending or
contemplated criminal proceedings, or for a criminal investigation; but
(b) was not obtained pursuant to a request under
Article 4 of the Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) (Jersey)
Law 2001[42],
the additional requirements
of paragraph (5) must be satisfied.
(5) Where paragraph (4) applies, the
additional requirements of this paragraph are satisfied if –
(a) any condition listed in Article 65(2)
is satisfied; or
(b) the relevant person cannot reasonably be
expected to have any recollection of the matters dealt with in the statement
(having regard to the length of time since he or she supplied the information
and all other circumstances).
(6) A statement is not admissible under this
Article if the court makes a direction to that effect under paragraph (7).
(7) The court may make a direction under this
paragraph if satisfied that the statement’s reliability as evidence for
the purpose for which it is tendered is doubtful in view of –
(a) its contents;
(b) the source of the information contained in
it;
(c) the way in which, or the circumstances in
which, the information was supplied or received; or
(d) the way in which, or the circumstances in
which, the document concerned was created or received.
67 Inconsistent
statements
(1) If, in criminal proceedings a person gives
oral evidence and –
(a) the person admits making a previous
inconsistent statement; or
(b) a previous inconsistent statement made by
the person is proved by virtue of Article 78, 79 or 80,
the inconsistent statement is
admissible as evidence of any matter stated of which oral evidence by the
person would be admissible.
(2) If in criminal proceedings evidence of an
inconsistent statement by any person is given under Article 67E(2)(c), the
statement is admissible as evidence of any matter stated in it of which oral
evidence by that person would be admissible.
67A Other
previous statements of witnesses
(1) This Article applies where a person (the
witness) is called to give evidence in criminal proceedings.
(2) If a previous statement by the witness is
admitted as evidence to rebut a suggestion that his or her oral evidence has
been fabricated, that statement is admissible as evidence of any matter stated
of which oral evidence by the witness would be admissible.
(3) A statement made by the witness in a
document –
(a) which
is used by the witness to refresh his or her memory while giving evidence;
(b) on
which the witness is cross-examined; and
(c) which
as a consequence is received in evidence in the proceedings,
is admissible as evidence of
any matter stated of which oral evidence by the witness would be admissible.
(4) A previous statement by the witness is
admissible as evidence of any matter stated of which oral evidence by him or
her would be admissible, if –
(a) any of the 3 conditions set out in paragraphs (5) to (7) is
satisfied; and
(b) while giving evidence the witness indicates that to the best of his or her belief he or she made the statement, and that to the best of that witness’ belief it states the truth.
(5) The 1st condition is that the statement
identifies or describes a person, object or place.
(6) The 2nd condition is that the statement was
made by the witness when the matters stated were fresh in his or her memory but
he or she does not remember them, and cannot reasonably be expected to remember
them, well enough to give oral evidence of them in the proceedings.
(7) The 3rd condition is that –
(a) the
witness claims to be a person against whom an offence has been committed;
(b) the
offence is one to which the proceedings relate;
(c) the statement consists of a complaint made
by the witness (whether to a person in authority or not) about conduct which
would, if proved, constitute the offence or part of the offence;
(d) the complaint was not made as a result of a
threat or a promise; and
(e) before the statement is adduced the witness
gives oral evidence in connection with its subject matter.
(8) For the purposes of paragraph (7) the
fact that the complaint was elicited (for example, by a leading question) is
irrelevant unless a threat or a promise was involved.
67B Additional requirement for
admissibility of multiple statements not made in oral evidence
A statement not made in oral evidence is not admissible to prove
the fact that an earlier statement not made in oral evidence was made
unless –
(a) either of the statements is admissible under
Article 66, 67 or 67A;
(b) all parties to the proceedings so agree; or
(c) the court is satisfied that the value of the
evidence in question, taking into account how reliable the statements appear to
be, is so high that the interests of justice require the later statement to be
admissible for that purpose.
67C Documents
produced as exhibits
(1) This Article applies if on a trial for an
offence before the Royal Court sitting with a jury –
(a) a
statement made in a document is admitted in evidence under Article 67 or
67A; and
(b) the
document or a copy of it is produced as an exhibit.
(2) The exhibit must not accompany the jury when
it retires to consider its verdict unless –
(a) the Bailiff considers it appropriate; or
(b) all
the parties to the proceedings agree that it should accompany the jury.
67D Capability to make statement
(1) Nothing in Article 65, 67 or 67A makes
a statement admissible as evidence if it was made by a person who did not have
the required capability at the time when he or she made the statement.
(2) Nothing in Article 66 makes a statement
admissible as evidence if any person who, in order for the requirements of Article 66(2)
to be satisfied, must at any time have supplied or received the information
concerned or created or received the document or part concerned –
(a) did not have the required capability at that
time; or
(b) cannot be identified but cannot reasonably
be assumed to have had the required capability at that time.
(3) For the purposes of this Article a person
has the required capability if he or she is capable of –
(a) understanding questions put to him or her about
the matters stated; and
(b) giving answers to such questions which can
be understood.
(4) Where by reason of this Article there is an
issue as to whether a person had the required capability when he or she made a
statement –
(a) proceedings held for the determination of
the issue must take place in the absence of the jury (if there is one);
(b) in determining the issue the court may
receive expert evidence and evidence from any person to whom the statement in
question was made;
(c) the burden of proof on the issue lies on the
party seeking to adduce the statement, and the standard of proof is the balance
of probabilities.
(1) This Article applies if, in criminal
proceedings –
(a) a
statement not made in oral evidence in the proceedings is admitted as evidence
of a matter stated; and
(b) the
maker of the statement does not give oral evidence in connection with the
subject matter of the statement.
(a) any evidence which (if the maker of the
statement had given such evidence) would have been admissible as relevant to
his or her credibility as a witness is so admissible in the proceedings;
(b) evidence may, with the court’s leave,
be given of any matter which (if the maker of the statement had given such
evidence) could have been put to him or her in cross-examination as relevant to
his or her credibility as a witness but which could not have been adduced by
the cross-examining party;
(c) evidence tending to prove that the maker of
the statement made (at whatever time) any other statement, inconsistent with
the statement admitted as evidence, is admissible for the purpose of showing
that he or she contradicted himself or herself.
(3) If, as a result of evidence admitted under
this Article, an allegation is made against the maker of a statement, the court
may permit a party to lead additional evidence of such description as the court
may specify for the purposes of denying or answering the allegation.
(4) In the case of a statement in a document
which is admitted as evidence under Article 66, each person who, in order
for the statement to be admissible, must have –
(a) supplied
or received the information concerned; or
(b) created
or received the document or part of the document concerned,
is to be treated as the maker
of the statement for the purposes of paragraphs (1) to (3).
67F Stopping
proceedings where evidence is unconvincing
(1) If, on a defendant’s trial for an
offence before the Royal Court, the Court is satisfied at any time after the
close of the case for the prosecution that –
(a) the
case against the defendant is based wholly or partly on a statement not made in
oral evidence in the proceedings; and
(b) the
evidence provided by the statement is so unconvincing that, considering its
importance to the case against the defendant, his or her conviction of the
offence would be unsafe,
the Royal Court must either
acquit the defendant of the offence or, if it considers that there ought to be
a retrial, the Bailiff must, if the trial is before the Royal Court sitting
with a jury, discharge the jury.
(a) under paragraph (1) the Royal Court acquits
a defendant of an offence; and
(b) the circumstances are such that, apart from
this paragraph, the defendant could, if acquitted of that offence, be found
guilty of another offence,
the defendant may not be
found guilty of that other offence if the Royal Court is satisfied as mentioned
in paragraph (1) in respect of it.
(a) in a case where Article 58(3)(ii) of
the Mental Health (Jersey) Law 2016[43] applies and, where under Article 59(1)
of that Law, the Royal Court finds that the defendant did in fact do the act
with which he or she is charged; and
(b) the court is satisfied, as mentioned in paragraph (1),
at any time after the close of the case for the prosecution that –
(i) the
case against the defendant is based wholly or partly on a statement not made in
oral evidence in the proceedings, and
(ii) the
evidence provided by the statement is so unconvincing that, considering its
importance to the case against the person, a finding that he or she did the act
or made the omission would be unsafe,
the Royal Court must either acquit
the defendant of the offence or, if it considers that there ought to be a
rehearing and the trial is before the Royal Court sitting with a jury, the
Bailiff must discharge the jury.
(4) This paragraph does not prejudice any other
power of the Royal Court to acquit a person of an offence or to discharge a
jury.
Nothing in this Part makes a
confession by a defendant admissible if it is not admissible under Article 74
or 74A.
(1) Where
a representation of any fact –
(a) is made otherwise than
by a person; but
(b) depends for its
accuracy on information supplied (directly or indirectly) by a person,
the representation is not admissible in criminal proceedings as
evidence of the fact unless it is proved that the information was accurate.
(2) Paragraph (1)
does not affect the operation of the presumption under customary law that a
mechanical device has been properly set or calibrated.
67I Criminal Procedure Rules for
purposes of Part 8 and effect of failure to comply with rules
(1) The
power to make Criminal Procedure Rules under Article 112 of the Criminal
Procedure Law includes the power to make rules for the purposes of this Part.
(2) Notwithstanding
the generality of the power referred to in paragraph (1), rules for the
purposes of this Part may –
(a) make
provision about the procedure to be followed and other conditions to be
fulfilled by a party proposing to tender a statement in evidence under any
provision of this Part; or
(b) require
a party proposing to tender the evidence to serve on each party to the
proceedings such notice, and such particulars of, or relating to, the evidence,
as may be prescribed.
(3) The
rules may provide that the evidence is to be treated as admissible by agreement
of the parties if –
(a) a notice has been
served in accordance with provision made under paragraph (2)(b); and
(b) no counter-notice in
the prescribed form objecting to the admission of the evidence has been served
by a party.
(4) If
a party proposing to tender evidence fails to comply with a prescribed
requirement applicable to it –
(a) the evidence is not admissible
except with the court’s leave;
(b) where leave is given,
the court or jury may draw such inferences from the failure as appear proper;
and
(c) the failure may be
taken into account by the court in considering the exercise of its powers with
respect to costs.
(5) In
considering whether or how to exercise any of its powers under paragraph (4)
the court shall have regard to whether there is any justification for the
failure to comply with the requirement.
(6) A
person shall not be convicted of an offence solely on an inference drawn under paragraph (4)(b).
(7) Rules
under this Article may –
(a) limit the application
of any provision of the rules to prescribed circumstances;
(b) subject any provision
of the rules to prescribed exceptions; or
(c) make different
provision for different cases or circumstances.
67J Proof
of statements in documents
Where a statement in a
document is admissible as evidence in criminal proceedings, the statement may
be proved by producing either –
(a) the
document; or
(b) a
copy of the document or of the material part of it (whether or not the document
exists),
authenticated in
whatever way the court may approve.”.
7 Articles 68,
69 and 70 repealed
Articles 68 to 70 of
the principal Law are repealed.
8 Article 74A
inserted
After Article 74 of
the principal Law there is inserted the following Article –
“74A Confessions may be given in evidence for
co-accused
(1) In
any criminal proceedings a confession made by an accused person may be given in
evidence for another person charged in the same proceedings (a ‘co-accused’)
in so far as it is relevant to any matter in issue in the proceedings and is
not excluded by the court in pursuance of this Article.
(2) If,
in criminal proceedings where a co-accused proposes to give in evidence a
confession made by an accused person, it is represented to the court that the
confession was or may have been obtained –
(a) by oppression of the
person who made the confession; or
(b) in consequence of
anything said or done which was likely, in the circumstances existing at the
time, to render unreliable any confession which might be made by the accused
person,
the court shall not allow the confession to be given in evidence for
the co-accused except in so far as it is proved to the court on the balance of
probabilities that the confession (notwithstanding that it may be true) was not
so obtained.
(3) Before
allowing a confession made by an accused person to be given in evidence for a
co-accused in criminal proceedings, the court may of its own motion require the
fact that the confession was not obtained as described in paragraph (2) to
be proved on the balance of probabilities.
(4) The
fact that a confession is wholly or partly excluded under this Article shall
not affect the admissibility in evidence –
(a) of any facts discovered
as a result of the confession; or
(b) where the confession is
relevant as showing that the accused speaks, writes or expresses himself or
herself in a particular way, of so much of the confession as is necessary to
show that he or she does so.
(5) This
paragraph applies –
(a) to any fact discovered
as a result of a confession which is wholly excluded under this Article; and
(b) to any fact discovered
as a result of a confession which is partly so excluded, if the fact is
discovered as a result of the excluded part of the confession.
(6) Evidence
that a fact to which paragraph (5) applies was discovered as a result of a
statement made by an accused person shall not be admissible unless evidence of
how it was discovered is given by that person, or on his or her behalf.
(7) In
this Article ‘oppression’ carries the same meaning as in Article 74(8).”.
9 Part
9A inserted
After Article 82 of the principal Law there is inserted the
following Part –
“PART 9A
EVIDENCE OF BAD CHARACTER
Interpretation and general
provisions
82A Interpretation
of Part 9A
‘bad character’
is to be construed in accordance with Article 82C;
‘co-defendant’,
in relation to a defendant, means a person charged with an offence in the same
proceedings;
‘important
matter’ means a matter of substantial importance in the context of the
case as a whole;
‘misconduct’
means the commission of an offence or other reprehensible behaviour;
‘probative
value’, and ‘relevant’ (in relation to an item of evidence),
are to be read in accordance with Article 82B;
‘prosecution
evidence’ means evidence which is to be (or has been) adduced by the
prosecution, or which a witness is to be invited to give (or has given) in
cross-examination by the prosecution.
(2) Where a defendant is charged with two or
more offences in the same criminal proceedings, the provisions of this Part (except
Article 82E(2)) have effect as if each offence were charged in separate
proceedings, and references to the offence with which the defendant is charged
are to be construed accordingly.
(3) Nothing in this Part affects the exclusion
of evidence –
(a) under the rule, in Article 78, against
a party impeaching the credit of their own witness by general evidence of bad
character; or
(b) on grounds other than the fact that it is
evidence of a person’s bad character.
82B Assumption
of truth in assessment of relevance or probative value
(1) Subject to paragraph (2), a reference in
this Part to the relevance or probative value of evidence, is a reference to
its relevance or probative value on the assumption that it is true.
(2) In assessing the relevance or probative
value of an item of evidence for any purpose of this Part, a court need not
assume that the evidence is true if it appears, on the basis of any material
before the court (including any evidence it decides to hear on the matter),
that no court or jury could reasonably find it to be true.
References in this Part to
evidence of a person’s ‘bad character’ are to evidence of, or
of a disposition towards, misconduct on his or her part, other than evidence
which –
(a) has to do with the alleged facts of the
offence with which the defendant is charged; or
(b) is evidence of misconduct in connection with
the investigation or prosecution of that offence.
82D Abolition
of customary law rules in relation to bad character evidence
Any rule of customary law
governing the admissibility of evidence of bad character in criminal
proceedings is abolished.
Evidence of bad character
82E Defendant’s bad
character – admissibility of evidence
(1) In criminal proceedings, evidence of the
defendant’s bad character is admissible if, but only if –
(a) all
parties to the proceedings agree to the evidence being admissible;
(b) the
evidence is adduced by the defendant himself or herself or is given in answer
to a question asked by him or her in cross-examination and intended to elicit
it;
(c) it
is important explanatory evidence; or
(d) it
is admissible under any of Articles 82F to 82I.
(2) The court must not admit evidence under Article 82F
or Article 82G if, on an application by the defendant to exclude it, it
appears to the court that the admission of the evidence would have such an
adverse effect on the fairness of the proceedings that the court ought not to
admit it.
(3) On an application to exclude evidence under paragraph (2)
the court must have regard, in particular, to the length of time between the
matters to which that evidence relates and the matters which form the subject
of the offence charged.
(4) In proceedings for an offence committed, or
alleged to have been committed, by a defendant who has attained the age of 21,
evidence of his or her conviction for an offence when under the age of 15
is not admissible unless the court is satisfied that the interests of justice
require the evidence to be admissible.
(5) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(c),
evidence is important explanatory evidence if –
(a) without it, the court or jury would find it
impossible or difficult properly to understand other evidence in the case; and
(b) its value for understanding the case as a
whole is substantial.
82F Matter in issue between the
defendant and the prosecution
(1) Subject to paragraph (2), evidence of a
defendant’s bad character is admissible if it is relevant to an important
matter in issue between the defendant and the prosecution which
includes –
(a) the question whether the defendant has a
propensity to commit offences of the kind with which he or she is charged,
except where the defendant having such a propensity makes it no more likely
that he or she is guilty of the offence; or
(b) the question whether the defendant has a
propensity to be untruthful, except where it is not suggested that the
defendant’s case is untruthful in any respect.
(2) Only prosecution evidence is admissible
under this Article.
(3) Where paragraph (1)(a) applies, a
defendant’s propensity to commit offences of the kind with which he or
she is charged may (without prejudice to any other way of doing so) be
established by evidence that the defendant has been convicted of –
(a) an offence of the same description as the
one with which he or she is charged; or
(b) an offence of a similar nature or type as
the one with which he or she is charged.
(4) Paragraph (3) does not apply in the
case of a particular defendant if the court is satisfied that, by reason of the
length of time since the conviction or for any other reason, it would be unjust
for it to apply in his or her case.
(5) For the purposes of paragraph (3)(a), 2
offences are of the same description as each other if the statement of the
offence in a summons under Article 14 or 19 of the Criminal Procedure
Law, or indictment under Article 43 of that Law, would, in each case, be
in the same terms.
(6) For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b),
the States may, by Regulations, make provision as to what constitutes 2 offences
as being of a similar nature or type as each other.
(7) Where –
(a) a defendant has been convicted of an offence
under the law of any country other than Jersey (‘the previous offence’);
and
(b) the previous offence would constitute an offence
under the law of Jersey (‘the corresponding offence’) if it were
committed in Jersey at the time of the trial for the offence with which the
defendant is now charged (‘the current offence’),
paragraph (8) applies
for the purpose of determining if the previous offence and the current offence
are of the same description or of a similar nature or type.
(8) For the purpose of making the determination
referred to in paragraph (7) –
(a) the previous offence is of the same
description as the current offence if the corresponding offence is of that same
description as defined under paragraph (5); or
(b) the previous offence is of a similar nature or
type as the current offence if the current offence and the corresponding
offence are of a similar nature or type as provided under the Regulations
referred to in paragraph (6).
82G Attack on another person’s
character
(1) Evidence of a defendant’s bad
character is admissible if the defendant has made an attack on another
person’s character.
(2) Only prosecution evidence is admissible
under this Article.
(3) A defendant makes an attack on another
person’s character if –
(a) he
or she adduces evidence attacking the other person’s character;
(b) he
or she (or any legal representative appointed to cross-examine a witness in the
defendant’s interests) asks questions in cross-examination that are
intended to elicit such evidence, or are likely to do so; or
(c) evidence
is given of an imputation about the other person made by the
defendant –
(i) on
being questioned under caution, before charge, about the offence with which he
or she is charged, or
(ii) on
being charged with the offence or officially informed that he or she might be
prosecuted for it.
(4) In paragraph (3)(a) ‘evidence
attacking the other person’s character’ means evidence to the
effect that the other person –
(a) has
committed an offence (whether a different offence from the one with which the
defendant is charged or the same one); or
(b) has
behaved, or is disposed to behave, in a reprehensible way.
(5) In paragraph (3)(c), ‘imputation
about the other person’ means an assertion to that effect.
82H Matter in issue between the
defendant and a co-defendant
(1) Evidence of a defendant’s bad
character is admissible if it has substantial probative value in relation to an
important matter in issue between the defendant and a co-defendant.
(2) Evidence which is relevant to the question
whether the defendant has a propensity to be untruthful is admissible only if
the nature or conduct of his or her defence is such as to undermine the
co-defendant’s defence.
(3) Only evidence –
(a) which
is to be (or has been) adduced by the co-defendant; or
(b) which
a witness is to be invited to give (or has given) in cross-examination by the
co-defendant,
is admissible under this
Article.
82I Evidence to correct a false
impression
(1) Evidence of a defendant’s bad
character is admissible if it is evidence to correct a false impression given
by the defendant.
(2) The defendant gives a false impression if he
is responsible for the making of an express or implied assertion which is apt
to give the court or jury a false or misleading impression about the defendant.
(3) Evidence to correct such an impression is
evidence which has probative value in correcting it.
(4) Only prosecution evidence is admissible
under this Article and provided it goes no further than is necessary to correct
the false impression.
(5) A defendant is treated as being responsible
for the making of an assertion if –
(a) the
assertion is made by the defendant in the proceedings (whether or not in
evidence given by him or her);
(b) the
assertion was made by the defendant –
(i) on
being questioned under caution, before charge, about the offence with which he
or she is charged, or
(ii) on
being charged with the offence or officially informed that he or she might be
prosecuted for it,
and evidence of the assertion is to be given in the proceedings;
(c) the
assertion is made by a witness called by the defendant;
(d) the
assertion is made by any witness in cross-examination in response to a question
asked by the defendant that is intended to elicit it, or is likely to do so; or
(e) the
assertion was made by any person out of court, and the defendant adduces
evidence of it in the proceedings.
(6) A defendant who would otherwise be treated
as responsible for the making of an assertion shall not be so treated if, or to
the extent that, he or she withdraws it or disassociates himself or herself
from it.
(7) Where it appears to the court that a
defendant, by means of his or her conduct (other than the giving of evidence)
in the proceedings, is seeking to give the court or jury an impression about
himself or herself that is false or misleading, the court may, if it appears
just to do so, treat the defendant as being responsible for the making of an
assertion which is apt to give that impression.
(8) In paragraph (7), ‘conduct’
includes appearance or dress.
82J Non-defendant’s bad
character
(1) In criminal proceedings evidence of the bad
character of a person other than the defendant is admissible if and only
if –
(a) it
is important explanatory evidence;
(b) it
has substantial probative value in relation to a matter which –
(i) is
a matter in issue in the proceedings, and
(ii) is
of substantial importance in the context of the case as a whole; or
(c) all
parties to the proceedings agree to the evidence being admissible.
(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(a)
evidence is important explanatory evidence if –
(a) without
it, the court or jury would find it impossible or difficult, properly to
understand other evidence in the case; and
(b) its
value for understanding the case as a whole is substantial.
(3) In assessing the probative value of evidence
for the purposes of paragraph (1)(b) the court must have regard to the
following factors (and to any others it considers relevant) –
(a) the
nature and number of the events, or other things, to which the evidence
relates;
(b) when
those events or things are alleged to have happened or existed;
(c) where –
(i) the
evidence is evidence of a person’s misconduct, and
(ii) it
is suggested that the evidence has probative value by reason of similarity
between that misconduct and other alleged misconduct,
the nature and extent of the similarities and the dissimilarities
between each of the alleged instances of misconduct; and
(i) the
evidence is evidence of a person’s misconduct,
(ii) it
is suggested that that person is also responsible for the misconduct charged,
and
(iii) the
identity of the person responsible for the misconduct charged is disputed,
the extent to which the evidence shows or tends to show that the
same person was responsible each time.
(4) Except where paragraph (1)(c) applies,
evidence of the bad character of a person other than the defendant must not be
given without leave of the court.
82K Criminal
Procedure Rules for purposes of Part 9A
(1) The power to make Criminal Procedure Rules
under Article 112 of the Criminal Procedure Law includes the power to make
rules for the purposes of this Part.
(2) Notwithstanding the generality of the power
referred to in paragraph (1), rules for the purposes of this Part may,
and, where the party in question is the prosecution, must, contain provision
requiring a party who –
(a) proposes to adduce evidence of a
defendant’s bad character; or
(b) proposes to cross-examine a witness with a
view to eliciting such evidence,
to serve on the defendant
such notice, and such particulars of, or relating to, the evidence, as may be
prescribed.
(3) The rules may provide that the court or the
defendant may, in such circumstances as may be prescribed, dispense with a
requirement imposed by virtue of paragraph (2).
(4) In considering the exercise of its powers
with respect to costs, the court may take into account any failure by a party
to comply with a requirement imposed by virtue of paragraph (2) and not
dispensed with by virtue of paragraph (3).
(5) Rules under this Article may –
(a) limit
the application of any provision of the rules to prescribed circumstances;
(b) subject
any provision of the rules to prescribed exceptions; or
(c) make
different provision for different cases or circumstances.”.
10 Parts
10 and 12 and Schedule 4 repealed
Parts 10 and 12 of, and Schedule 4 to, the principal Law are
repealed.
SCHEDULE 4
(Article 117)
ENACTMENTS CONSEQUENTIALLY AMENDED
1 Loi (1908) au sujet des témoins et
informateurs amended
In the Loi (1908) au sujet des témoins et
informateurs[44] –
(a) in
the long title the words “, Criminelles”
are deleted;
(b) in
the recital the words “, criminelles”
are deleted;
(c) Article 2
is repealed;
(d) in Article 3
the words “, criminelles”
are deleted;
(e) in Article 4
the words “, criminelle”
are deleted;
(f) in
Article 5 the words “, criminelles”
are deleted;
(g) in Article 8
the for the words “civiles et à toute poursuite criminelle
soit pour crime, délit ou contravention”
there are substituted the words “soit civiles ou mixtes”.
2 Royal
Court (Jersey) Law 1948 amended
In the Royal Court (Jersey) Law 1948[45] –
(a) Article 10(10)
is repealed;
(b) in Article 13 –
(i) paragraph (1),
immediately before the words commencing “Rules of Court” there are inserted
the words “For the purposes of all civil causes and matters,”,
(ii) in
paragraph (1)(a) the words “in all causes and matters whatsoever in
or with respect to which the Court has for the time being jurisdiction”
are deleted,
(iii) in
paragraph (2), for the words “all proceedings” there are
substituted the words “all civil proceedings”;
(c) in Article 15 –
(i) in
paragraph (1), for the words “In all causes” there are
substituted the words “Except as provided in paragraph (1AA), in all
causes”,
(ii) after
paragraph (1) there is inserted the following paragraph –
“(1AA) Where Article 15A(2)
applies, the Bailiff shall also be a judge of fact.”,
(iii) after
Article 15 there is inserted the following Article –
“15A Quorum
of the Inferior number
(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the Inferior
Number of the Royal Court shall be composed only of the Bailiff and 2 Jurats.
(2) If, in a criminal cause one of the Jurats
dies or is otherwise indisposed, for the purposes of hearing and determining
that particular cause, the Inferior Number of the Royal Court shall be composed
only of the Bailiff and one Jurat.”;
(d) in Article 16(2)(a),
for the words “Article 7 of the Loi (1864)
réglant la procédure criminelle”
there are substituted the words “Article 49 of the Criminal
Procedure (Jersey) Law 2018[46]”.
3 Court
of Appeal (Jersey) Law 1961 amended
In the Court of Appeal (Jersey) Law 1961[47] –
(a) in Article 1,
after the words “by this Law” there are inserted the words
“or the Criminal Procedure (Jersey) Law 2018[48]”;
(b) after
Article 1 there is inserted the following Article –
“1A Interpretation
of Part 1
In this Part, ‘quashing
application’ means an application under paragraph 3(1) or (2) of Schedule 2
to the Criminal Procedure (Jersey) Law 2018[49].”.
(c) in Article 8 –
(i) in
paragraph (1), for the words “any appeal or reference to the Court
of Appeal and any proceedings preliminary or incidental to such an appeal or
reference” there are substituted the words “any appeal, quashing
application or reference to the Court of Appeal and any proceedings preliminary
or incidental to such an appeal, quashing application or reference”,
(ii) in
the proviso to paragraph (1), for the words “such appeal or
proceedings” there are substituted the words “such appeal, quashing
application, reference or preliminary proceedings”,
(iii) in
paragraph (2), for the words “any such appeals, references”
there are substituted the words “any such appeals, quashing applications,
references”,
(iv) for
paragraph (3) there is substituted the following paragraph –
“(3) Subject as provided by rules
of court, it shall be lawful for a party to a quashing application, an appeal
under Part 2 or, for an appellant under Part 3, notwithstanding the
foregoing provisions of this Article, to address the Court of Appeal or any
single judge thereof both on the hearing of the appeal or quashing application
and in any proceedings preliminary or incidental to the appeal or quashing
application, and to do in any such office or to transact with any such officer
as is mentioned in paragraph (2) any act or thing required or necessary to
be done in connection with any such appeal, quashing application or
proceedings.”;
(d) in Article 9(1B)(a)
and (b), for the words “appeal or reference” there are substituted
the words “appeal, quashing application or reference”;
(e) in Schedule 2,
for paragraph 1 there is substituted the following paragraph –
“1 Evidence given at
a retrial must be given orally if it was given orally at the original trial,
unless –
(a) all
the parties to the retrial agree otherwise;
(b) Article 65 of the Police Procedures and Criminal Evidence
(Jersey) Law 2003[50] (‘Police Procedures Law’) applies; or
(c) the
witness is unavailable to give evidence (otherwise than by reason of any of the
5 conditions in Article 65(2) of the Police Procedures Law being
satisfied) and Article 64(1)(d) of that Law applies.”.
4 Costs
in Criminal Cases (Jersey) Law 1961 amended
In the Costs in Criminal Cases (Jersey) Law 1961[51] –
(a) for
Article 1(1) there is substituted the following paragraph –
‘Criminal Procedure
Law’ means the Criminal Procedure (Jersey) Law 2018[52];
‘Criminal Procedure
Rules’ shall be construed in accordance with Article 111(1) and 112 of
the Criminal Procedure Law;
‘public fund’
means money of the States.”;
(b) for
Article 2(7), there is substituted the following paragraph –
“(7) Subject to Article 5A, the
amount of costs ordered to be paid under this Article shall be determined by
the Magistrate or the Royal Court by way of summary assessment.”;
(c) in Article 2(9),
for the words “committed by the Magistrate’s Court to the Inferior
Number of the Royal Court under Article 4 of the Magistrate’s Court
(Miscellaneous Provisions) (Jersey) Law 1949”, there are substituted
the words “sent by the Magistrate’s Court to the Royal Court under Part 6
of the Criminal Procedure Law”;
(d) for
Article 3(2), there are substituted the following paragraphs –
“(2) This paragraph applies
where –
(a) the Superior Number of the Royal Court allows
an appeal against a sentence; or
(b) the Court of Appeal allows an appeal against
a conviction or a sentence.
(2A) Where paragraph (2) applies, the Royal Court or
Court of Appeal (as the case may be) may order the payment out of public funds
of such sums as appear to the court reasonably sufficient to compensate the
appellant for any expenses properly incurred in the prosecution of the
appellant’s appeal, including any proceedings preliminary or incidental
thereto, or in carrying on the appellant’s defence.
(2B) Subject to Article 5A, the amount of costs that the
Royal Court or Court of Appeal has ordered to be paid under paragraph (2A)
shall be determined by way of summary assessment by the court which determines
the appeal.”.
(e) in Article 4
for the words “costs ordered or allowed under this Law to be paid out of
public funds has been ascertained” there are substituted the words “costs
ordered or allowed under this Law or under Criminal Procedure Rules, to be paid
out of public funds has been assessed”;
(f) in
Article 5(1) after the words “orders the payment of costs by the
accused under this Law” there are added the words “or under Criminal
Procedure Rules”;
(g) for
Article 5(3) there is substituted the following paragraph –
“(3) Where the Magistrate’s
Court orders the payment of costs by the accused under this Law or under
Criminal Procedure Rules, the payment shall be enforced as a civil debt without
further order of the Court.”;
(h) in Article 5(5) –
(i) for
the colon at the end there is substituted full stop;
(ii) the
paragraph commencing with the words “Provided that” and ending with
the words “Magistrate’s Court” is deleted.”.
(i) after
Article 5 there is inserted the following Article –
(1) Where costs are assessed under Articles 2
and 3 and if the court to which those Articles apply makes an order for the
payment of such costs, the amount awarded must be reasonably sufficient to
compensate the recipient for costs –
(a) actually, reasonably and properly incurred;
and
(b) which are reasonable in amount.
(2) The court may order the payment of any of
the following –
(a) a
proportion of the amount assessed;
(b) a
stated amount less than that amount;
(c) costs
from or until a certain date only;
(d) costs
relating only to particular steps taken; or
(e) costs
relating only to a distinct part of the case.”.
5 Solemn
Affirmations (Jersey) Law 1963 amended
In the Solemn Affirmations (Jersey) Law 1963[53] –
(a) for
Article 1(1) to (3) there are substituted the following words –
“A person who objects
to taking an oath shall make a solemn affirmation instead in all places and for
all purposes where an oath is required either by customary law or under any
enactment, whether passed before or after the commencement of this Law.”;
(b) after
Article 2 there is inserted the following Article –
The States may, by
Regulations, amend the Schedule so as to provide for different forms of
affirmation for specified categories, classes or descriptions of
person.”.
6 Criminal
Justice (Evidence and Procedure) (Jersey) Law 1998 amended
In the Criminal Justice (Evidence and Procedure) (Jersey) Law 1998[54] –
(a) in
the long title, the words “for notice of alibis;” and “and
depositions” are deleted;
(b) in Article 1 –
(i) for
the definition “evidence in support of an alibi” there is
substituted the following definition –
“ ‘Criminal
Procedure Law’ means the Criminal Procedure (Jersey) Law 2018[55];”,
(ii) for
the definition “maker” there is substituted the following
definition –
“ ‘maker’
means in relation to a written statement to which Article 9 refers, the
person by whom the statement is made;”,
(iii) the
definition “rules of court” is deleted;
(c) for
Article 2 there is substituted the following Article –
The provisions of this Law apply
notwithstanding Article 95 of the Criminal Procedure Law as to the giving
of oral evidence on oath by a competent witness in criminal proceedings.”;
(d) Part 3
is repealed;
(e) Article 10
is repealed;
(f) in
Article 11 –
(i) in
paragraph (1) the words “or deposition” and “or
10” are deleted,
(ii) in
paragraph (2) the words “or deposition” are deleted,
(iii) paragraph (3)
is repealed;
(g) in Article 12
the words –
(i) “or
deposition”, in both places where they occur, are deleted,
(ii) “or
10” are deleted;
(h) in Article 13 –
(i) for
paragraph (1) there is substituted the following paragraph –
“(1) A party who serves, under Article 9(2)(c),
a copy of a statement, may call the maker of the statement to give oral
evidence.”,
(ii) in
paragraph (2) the words “or deposition” are deleted,
(iii) paragraph (3)
is repealed;
(i) for
Article 14 there is substituted the following Article –
“14 Attendance
of witnesses
Where a statement is tendered
as evidence under Article 9, the maker of the statement need not attend
the proceedings as a witness unless the maker of the statement is –
(a) warned, under Article 97 of the
Criminal Procedure Law, to attend before the court to give oral evidence; or
(b) is required, under Article 13, to give
oral evidence.”;
(j) Article 14B(4)
is repealed;
(k) for
Article 17 there is substituted the following Article –
“17 Criminal
Procedure Rules
The power to make Criminal
Procedure Rules under Article 112 of the Criminal Procedure Law includes
the power to make rules for the purposes of this Law.”.
7 Criminal
Justice (Evidence of Children) (Jersey) Law 2002 amended
In Article 8(4) of the Criminal Justice (Evidence of Children)
(Jersey) Law 2002[56], for the words “with
imprisonment” there are substituted the words “with a fine of
level 1 on the standard scale”.
8 Criminal
Justice (Young Offenders) (Jersey) Law 2014 amended
In the Criminal Justice (Young Offenders) (Jersey) Law 2014[57] –
(a) in Article 1(1),
after the definition “community service order” there is inserted
the following definition –
“ ‘Criminal
Procedure Law’ means the Criminal Procedure (Jersey) Law 2018[58];”;
(b) Article 13
is repealed;
(c) for
Article 26(3) there is substituted the following paragraph –
“(3) For the avoidance of doubt,
it is declared that, in respect of a person to whom this Part applies, Articles 25
to 27 of the Criminal Procedure Law (concerning the sending of a defendant for
sentencing or trial before the Royal Court) shall apply as if the reference in
those Articles to the Magistrate, were to the Youth Court.”;
(d) for
paragraph 2(4) of the Schedule there is substituted the following
sub-paragraph –
“(4) The Youth Court may be duly
constituted by the chairman sitting alone for the purposes of –
(a) dealing with the remand of a defendant, the
adjournment of any matter, or any application for, or in connection with, bail;
or
(b) exercising any function under the Criminal
Procedure Law which does not involve –
(i) any
determination under Articles 25 to 27 of the Criminal Procedure Law
(concerning the sending of a defendant for sentencing or trial before the Royal
Court),
(ii) the
hearing of a defendant’s trial (including a hearing, if required, under Article 78
of that Law to determine facts disputed), or
(iii) the
sentencing of a defendant.”.
9 Criminal
Procedure (Bail) (Jersey) Law 2017 amended
In the Criminal Procedure (Bail) (Jersey) Law 2017[59] –
(a) in Article 1(1) –
(i) for
the definition “1949 Law” there is substituted the following
definition –
“ ‘Criminal
Procedure Law’ means the Criminal Procedure (Jersey) Law 2018[60];”,
(ii) immediately
before the definition “criminal proceedings” there is inserted the
following definition –
“ ‘Criminal
Procedure Rules’ shall be construed in accordance with Articles 111(1)
and 112 of the Criminal Procedure Law;”,
(iii) the
definition “offence” is deleted,
(iv) in
the definition “prescribed” for the words “rules of court
referred to in Article 21(4)” there are substituted the words
“Criminal Procedure Rules”,
(v) for
the definition “prosecutor” there is substituted the following
definition –
“ ‘prosecutor’
in criminal proceedings –
(a) before the Magistrate’s Court, Royal
Court and Youth Court, has the meaning given in Article 1(2)(b) of the
Criminal Procedure Law;
(b) before the Magistrate’s Court and
Youth Court, includes a Centenier, and
the expression
“prosecution” shall be construed accordingly;”;
(b) in Article 3 –
(i) in
paragraph (c) after the semi-colon at the end there is added the word
“or”,
(ii) in
paragraph (d) for the semi-colon at the end there is substituted a full
stop,
(iii) paragraphs (e)
and (f) are repealed;
(c) for
Article 5(2) there is substituted the following paragraph –
“(2) This Law does not apply to
bail grantable under the Court of Appeal (Jersey) Law 1961[61].”;
(d) in Article 20(7)
for the words “Rules of court referred to in Article 21(4)”
there are substituted the words “Criminal Procedure Rules”;
(e) in Article 21 –
(i) in
the title, for the words “rules of court” there are substituted the
words “Criminal Procedure Rules”,
(ii) for
paragraph (4) there is substituted the following paragraph –
“(4) The power to make Criminal
Procedure Rules under Article 112 of the Criminal Procedure Law includes
the power to make rules for the purposes of this Law.”.
SCHEDULE 5
(Article 118)
Enactments repealed
The following enactments are repealed –
(1) Loi
(1835) sur la procédure devant la Cour
Royale[62];
(2) Loi
(1853) établissant la Cour pour la répression des moindres délits[63];
(3) Loi
(1862) sur la procédure devant la Cour Royale[64];
(4) Loi
(1864) réglant la Procédure Criminelle[65];
(5) Loi
(1912) sur la Procédure devant la Cour Royale
(Jours Fériés, Assises Criminelles, etc.[66]);
(6) Magistrate’s
Court (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Jersey) Law 1949[67];
(7) Criminal
Procedure (Alibis) (Jersey) Rules 1999[68];
(8) Police
Procedures and Criminal Evidence (Preparatory Hearings) Rules 2003[69].