Courts Act 1971

6 Exclusive jurisdiction in trial on indictment

(1) All proceedings on indictment shall be brought before the Crown Court.

(2) The jurisdiction conferred on the Crown Court by subsection (1) above shall include jurisdiction in proceedings on indictment for offences wherever committed, and including in particular proceedings on indictment for offences within the jurisdiction of the Admiralty of England.

(3) Subject to any provision contained in or having effect under this Act, all enactments and rules of law relating to procedure in connection with indictable offences shall have effect subject only to such modifications as are rendered necessary by the transfer of jurisdiction to the Crown Court in accordance with the preceding provisions of this section.

(4) Subject to any provision contained in or having effect under this Act, and without prejudice to the generality of subsection (3) above, the transfer of jurisdiction to the Crown Court in accordance with the preceding provisions of this section shall not affect—

(a) the practice by which, on any one indictment, the taking of pleas, the trial by jury and the pronouncement of judgment may respectively be by or before different judges,

(b) the release, after respite of judgment, of a convicted person on recognizance to come up for judgment if called on, but meanwhile to be of good behaviour,

(c) the manner of trying any question relating to the breach of a recognizance,

(d) the manner of execution of any sentence on conviction, or the manner in which any other judgment or order given in connection with trial on indictment may be enforced.