Criminal Evidence Act (Northern Ireland) 1923

1 Competency of witnesses in criminal cases. N.I.

F1 . . .

[F2 [F3 (1)] A person[F4 charged in criminal proceedings] shall not be called as a witness[F5 in the proceedings] except upon his own application;]

Provisos (b), (c), (d) rep. by 1989 NI 12

[F3 (2)] [F6 Subject to Article 6 of the Criminal Justice (Evidence) (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 (admissibility of defendant’s bad character),] a person charged[F7 in criminal proceedings who is called as a witness in the proceedings] may be asked any question in cross-examination notwithstanding that it would tend to criminate him as to[F8 any offence with which he is charged in the proceedings]:

[F3 (3)] F9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F3 (4)] Every person[F10 charged in criminal proceedings who is called as a witness in the proceedings] shall, unless otherwise ordered by the court, give his evidence from the witness box or other place from which the other witnesses give their evidence:

Proviso (h) rep. by 1989 NI 12

F1 Words in s. 1 repealed (4.5.2010) by Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/2789 (N.I. 8)), arts. 1(2), 40(1)(3), Sch. 1 para. 1(2), Sch. 3 (with art. 40(2), Sch. 2); S.R. 2010/142, art. 2, Sch.

F2 1994 c. 33

F3 S. 1 paras. (a), (e), (f), (g) of the proviso shall be respectively numbered (4.5.2010) as subsections (1), (2), (3), (4) of the section by Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/2789 (N.I. 8)), arts. 1(2), 40(1), Sch. 1 para. 1(7) (with art. 40(2), Sch. 2); S.R. 2010/142, art. 2, Sch.

F4 Words in s. 1(a) substituted (4.5.2010) by Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/2789 (N.I. 8)), arts. 1(2), 40(1), Sch. 1 para. 1(3)(a) (with art. 40(2), Sch. 2); S.R. 2010/142, art. 2, Sch.

F5 Words in s. 1(a) substituted (4.5.2010) by Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/2789 (N.I. 8)), arts. 1(2), 40(1), Sch. 1 para. 1(3)(b) (with art. 40(2), Sch. 2); S.R. 2010/142, art. 2, Sch.

F6 By Criminal Justice (Evidence) (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/1501 (N.I. 10)), arts. 1(3), 46(1), Sch. 1 para. 2(a) (with art. 43) and S.R. 2006/63, art. 2 it is provided that the words "Subject to Article 6 of the Criminal Justice (Evidence) (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 (admissibility of defendant's bad character)," shall be inserted (3.4.2006) in s. 1 "at the beginning of subsection (2)". The reference to subsection (2) reflects the numbering of s. 1 para. (e) of the proviso as subsection (2) by Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/2789 (N.I. 8)), art. 1(2), 40(1), Sch. 1 para. 1(7) which amending provision comes into operation on (4.5.2010) by S.R. 2010/142, art. 2, Sch.

F7 Words in s. 1(e) substituted (4.5.2010) by Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/2789 (N.I. 8)), arts. 1(2), 40(1), Sch. 1 para. 1(4)(a) (with art. 40(2), Sch. 2); S.R. 2010/142, art. 2, Sch.

F8 Words in s. 1(e) substituted (4.5.2010) by Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/2789 (N.I. 8)), arts. 1(2), 40(1), Sch. 1 para. 1(4)(b) (with art. 40(2), Sch. 2); S.R. 2010/142, art. 2, Sch.

F9 By Criminal Justice (Evidence) (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/1501 (N.I. 10)), arts. 1(3), 46, Sch. 1 para. 2(b), Sch. 3 (with art. 43) and S.R. 2006/63, art. 2 it is provided that s. 1 "subsection (3)" shall be repealed (3.4.2006). The reference to subsection (3) reflects the numbering of s. 1 para. (f) of the proviso as subsection (3) by Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/2789 (N.I. 8)), art. 1(2), 40(1), Sch. 1 para. 1(7) which amending provision comes into operation on (4.5.2010) by S.R. 2010/142, art. 2, Sch.

F10 Words in s. 1(g) substituted (4.5.2010) by Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/2789 (N.I. 8)), arts. 1(2), 40(1), Sch. 1 para. 1(6) (with art. 40(2), Sch. 2); S.R. 2010/142, art. 2, Sch.