Expert evidence: preparatory work
31.—(1) This Article applies if—
(a)a statement has been prepared for the purposes of criminal proceedings,
(b)the person who prepared the statement had or may reasonably be supposed to have had personal knowledge of the matters stated,
(c)notice is given under the appropriate rules that another person (the expert) will in evidence given in the proceedings orally or under section 1 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (Northern Ireland) 1968 (c. 28) base an opinion or inference on the statement, and
(d)the notice gives the name of the person who prepared the statement and the nature of the matters stated.
(2) In evidence given in the proceedings the expert may base an opinion or inference on the statement.
(3) If evidence based on the statement is given under paragraph (2) the statement is to be treated as evidence of what it states.
(4) This Article does not apply if the court, on an application by a party to the proceedings, orders that it is not in the interests of justice that it should apply.
(5) The matters to be considered by the court in deciding whether to make an order under paragraph (4) include—
(a)the expense of calling as a witness the person who prepared the statement;
(b)whether relevant evidence could be given by that person which could not be given by the expert;
(c)whether that person can reasonably be expected to remember the matters stated well enough to give oral evidence of them.
(6) Paragraphs (1) to (5) apply to a statement prepared for the purposes of a criminal investigation as they apply to a statement prepared for the purposes of criminal proceedings, and in such a case references to the proceedings are to criminal proceedings arising from the investigation.
(7) The appropriate rules are rules made—
(a)under Article 80 of the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (advance notice of expert evidence in Crown Court), or
(b)under Article 13 of the Magistrates' Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (NI 26) by virtue of section 20(3) of the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 (c. 25) (advance notice of expert evidence in magistrates' courts).