Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2015

Direct committal: procedures

13.—(1) The court committing a person for trial to the Crown Court under this Chapter shall specify in a notice (“the notice of committal”)—

(a) the charge or charges on which the person is committed for trial;

(b) the place (determined under section 48(1) of the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978) at which that person is to be tried;

(c) such other matters as magistrates’ court rules under subsection (2)(b) may require.

(2) Magistrates’ court rules—

(a) shall provide that, where a person is committed for trial under this Chapter on any charge or charges—

(i) a copy of the notice of committal is given to that person and to the Crown Court sitting at the specified place of trial; and

(ii) copies of the documents containing the evidence on which the charge or charges are based are given to that person and to that court, either at the same time as the copy of the notice of committal or as soon as practicable thereafter; and

(b) may make such further provision in relation to notices of committal, including provision as to the matters to be included in such notices and the duties of a court in relation to such notices.

(3) Paragraphs (3) and (4) of Article 37 of the Magistrates’ Court (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 and Articles 51(3) and 134 of that Order (which relate to committal for trial on bail or in custody) apply in relation to a person committed for trial under this Chapter as they apply in relation to a person committed for trial under paragraph (1) or (2) of Article 37 of that Order (committal for trial after committal proceedings).