Section 54 – Certificates relating to physical data: sufficiency of evidence
290.Section 54 amends section 284 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 to provide an express right of challenge against the certificate provided for in the latter section.
291.Section 284(1) of the 1995 Act, as amended by section 47 of the Crime and Punishment Act 1997, allows a certificate to be served on an accused signed by an authorised person, stating that fingerprints or other physical data were taken from a named individual at a specified time, date and place. The certificate is then deemed to be sufficient evidence of the facts contained in it. Section 284(2) gives the accused no right to challenge the certificate.
292.Section 54 amends section 284(2) to provide a right of challenge where the defence give notice to the prosecution within seven days of service of the certificate that they do not accept the evidence contained in it.
