Explanatory Note
(This note is not part of the Rules.)
These Rules amend the Crown Court Rules (Northern Ireland) 1979 to—
(a)prescribe the time when, and the manner in which, a legal representative is to be appointed to act for the defendant for the purpose of cross-examining any witness which the defendant is prevented from cross-examining in person by virtue of Article 22 or Article 23 of the Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1999;
(b)provide for the appointment by the Court of a qualified legal representative where the defendant fails to appoint a legal representative to act for him;
(c)make a minor amendment to rule 54(2)(b) to take account of the additional powers conferred on financial investigators by the Financial Investigations (Northern Ireland) Order 2001.