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The Magistrates' Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981

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Article 166.

SCHEDULE 4N.I.CORPORATIONS

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1Sch. 4 applied (20.1.2007 for certain purposes, 6.4.2007 for certain purposes, 1.10.2007 for certain purposes, 6.4.2008 for certain purposes, 1.10.2008 for certain purposes, otherwise 1.10.2009) by Companies Act 2006 (c. 46), ss. 1130(2)(b)(iii), 1300(2) (with s. 1133); S.I. 2006/3428, art. 3(2)(b) (subject to art. 5, Sch. 1 and with arts. 6, 8, Sch. 5); S.I. 2007/1093, art. 2(2)(c) (with art. 11(1)); S.I. 2007/2194, art. 2(1)(l)(3)(h) (with art. 12); S.I. 2007/3495, arts. 3(3)(g), 5(3)(a) (with arts. 7, 12); S.I. 2008/2860, art. 3(s) (with art. 8)

C3Sch. 4 applied (prosp.) by Health Act 2006 (c. 28), ss. 77(4)(c), 83(4)-(8)

C8Sch. 4 applied (27.11.2008) by Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 (c. 28), ss. 62, 100(2), Sch. 7 para. 37(2)(c) (with s. 101(2), Sch. 7 para. 43)

C19Sch. 4 applied (17.9.2010 with application as mentioned in reg. 3 of the amending Regulations) by Marketing of Fruit Plant Material Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/2079), reg. 22(4)

C21Sch. 4 applied (with modifications) (30.12.2011) by Wine Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/2936), reg. 16(2)(d) (with reg. 3(9))

C23Sch. 4 applied (1.2.2007 for W. for specified purposes, 2.4.2007 for W. for specified purposes, 1.7.2007 for E. for specified purposes, 22.4.2008 for E.W.S. for specified purposes, 13.12.2008 for W. for specified purposes, 1.8.2012 for N.I. for specified purposes) by Health Act 2006 (c. 28), ss. 77(4)(c), 83(4)(a), (6)(b), (7); S.I. 2007/204, arts. 2(c), 3(c); S.I. 2007/1375, art. 2(b); S.I. 2008/1147, art. 3(b)(c); S.I. 2008/3171, art. 2(b); S.R. 2012/307, art. 2(b)

C26Sch. 4 applied (with modifications) (1.3.2014) by The Olive Oil (Marketing Standards) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/195), regs. 1, 15(2)(d)

C28Sch. 4 applied by 1949 c. 88, s. 35A(4)(c) (as inserted (1.10.2014) by Intellectual Property Act 2014 (c. 18), ss. 14, 24(1); S.I. 2014/2330, art. 3, Sch.)

C46Sch. 4 applied (30.9.2017 in so far as not already in operation, 27.4.2017 for specified purposes) by Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), ss. 50(2)(b)(ii), 58(5)(6); S.I. 2017/739, reg. 3

C100Sch. 4 applied (10.1.2024 for specified purposes) by Online Safety Act 2023 (c. 50), ss. 203(3)(b)(ii), 240(1); S.I. 2023/1420, reg. 2(z25)

1.  Where a corporation is charged, whether alone or jointly with some other person, with an indictable offence, a magistrates' court may, on F1... the preliminary inquiry of such offence and if it is satisfied that the evidence offered on the part of the prosecution is sufficient to put the accused corporation on trial, make an order empowering the prosecution to present to the Crown Court an indictment in respect of the offence named in the order or in respect of any offence founded on the same facts or evidence, and for the purpose of any enactments referring to the committal of persons for trial (including this Order) any such order shall be deemed to be a committal for trial.N.I.

2.  If the corporation appears before a magistrates' court by a representative, any answers to the prescribed questions to be put, may be made on behalf of the corporation by that representative, but if the corporation does not so appear it shall not be necessary to put the questions, and the court may, notwithstanding, make an order under paragraph 1.N.I.

3.  Subject to paragraph 4, where F2... the preliminary inquiry of the offence is conducted before a resident magistrate and the offence is an offence which in the case of an adult may with his consent be dealt with summarily, then, if the corporation does not appear before the resident magistrate by a representative or if he does so appear and consents by such representative that the offence should be so dealt with, the resident magistrate may deal with the offence summarily as if the corporation were an adult who had consented to summary trial.N.I.

4.  Where any person is charged jointly with a corporation with an indictable offence which may be dealt with summarily and either that person or the corporation by its representatives does not consent that the offence should be dealt with summarily, the resident magistrate shall not have power to deal summarily with the offence in the case of the other party charged.N.I.

5.  In this Schedule—N.I.

(a)“representative” in relation to a corporation means a person duly appointed by the corporation to represent it for the purpose of doing any act or thing which the representative of a corporation is by this Schedule authorised to do, but a person so appointed shall not, by virtue only of being so appointed, be qualified to act on behalf of the corporation for any purpose other than those referred to in this Schedule or section 18 (3) of the Criminal Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 1945;

(b)“adult” has the same meaning as in Article 45(4).

6.  A representative for the purposes of this Schedule need not be appointed under the seal of the corporation, and a statement in writing purporting to be signed by a managing director of the corporation, or by any person (by whatever name called) having, or being one of the persons having, the management of the affairs of the corporation, to the effect that the person named in the statement has been appointed as the representative of the corporation for the purposes of this Schedule shall be admissible without further proof as prima facie evidence that that person has been so appointed.N.I.

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