Criminal Law Act 1826

XXVIII Courts may order Compensation to those who have been active in the Apprehension of certain Offenders. (4 W. & M. c. 8. s. 1. 10 &11 W. 3. c. 23. s. 1, 2. 5 Ann. c. 31. s. 1. 14 G. 2. c. 6. 58 G. 3. c. 70. s. 4 & 5.)

And, for the better Remuneration of Persons who have been active in the Apprehension of certain Offenders, be it enacted, That where any Person shall appear to any Court of Oyer and Terminer, Gaol Delivery, Superior Criminal Court of a County Palatine, or Court of Great Sessions, to have been active in or towards the Apprehension of any Person charged with Murder, or with feloniously and maliciously shooting at, or attempting to discharge any kind of loaded Fire Arms at any other Person, or with stabbing, cutting, or poisoning, or with administering any thing to procure the Miscarriage of any Woman, or with Rape, or with Burglary or felonious House-breaking, or with Robbery on the Person, or with Arson, or with Horse-stealing, Bullock-stealing, or Sheep-stealing, or with being accessory before the Fact to any of the Offences aforesaid, or with receiving any Stolen Property knowing the same to have been stolen, every such Court is hereby authorized and empowered, in any of the Cases aforesaid, to order the Sheriff of the County in which the Offence shall have been committed to pay to the Person or Persons, who shall appear to the Court to have been active in or towards the Apprehension of any Person charged with any of the said Offences, such Sum or Sums of Money as to the Court shall seem reasonable and sufficient to compensate such Person or Persons for his, her, or their Expences, Exertions, and Loss of Time in or towards such Apprehension ; and where any Person shall appear to any Court of Sessions of the Peace, to have been active in or towards the Apprehension of any Party charged with receiving Stolen Property knowing the same to have been stolen, such Court shall have Power to order Compensation to such Person in the same Manner as the other Courts herein-before mentioned: Provided always, that nothing herein contained shall prevent any of the said Courts from also allowing to any such Persons, if Prosecutors or Witnesses, such Costs, Expences, and Compensation, as Courts are by this Act empowered to allow to Prosecutors and Witnesses respectively.