PART IVCOURSE OF JUSTICE: EVIDENCE, PROCEDURE, ETC.

Corroboration

Abolition of corroboration rules45

1

Any requirement whereby at a trial on indictment it is obligatory for the court to give the jury a warning about convicting the accused on the uncorroborated evidence of a person merely because that person is—

a

an alleged accomplice of the accused, or

b

where the offence charged is a sexual offence, the person in respect of whom it is alleged to have been committed,

is hereby abrogated.

2

In Article 13(2) of the [1988 NI 17] Criminal Justice (Evidence, Etc.) (Northern Ireland) Order 1988 (abolition of requirement of corroboration warning in respect of evidence of a child) the words from “in relation to” to the end shall be omitted.

3

Any requirement that—

a

is applicable at the summary trial of a person for an offence, and

b

corresponds to the requirement mentioned in paragraph (1) or that mentioned in Article 13(2) of the [1988 NI 17.] Criminal Justice (Evidence, Etc.) (Northern Ireland) Order 1988,

is hereby abrogated.

4

Nothing in this Article applies in relation to—

a

any trial, or

b

any preliminary investigation or preliminary inquiry into an indictable offence conducted by a magistrates' court,

which began before the coming into operation of this Article.