Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978

6 Court for trial on indictment of scheduled offences

(1) A trial on indictment of a scheduled offence shall be held only at the Belfast City Commission.

(2) A magistrates' court which commits a person for trial on indictment for a scheduled offence or two or more offences which are or include scheduled offences shall commit him for trial to the Belfast City Commission and section 47 of the [1964 c. 21 (N.I.).] Magistrates' Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 1964 (committal to assize or county court) shall have effect accordingly.

(3) A county court judge may at any time, at the request of the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, sit and act as a judge at the Belfast City Commission for the trial on indictment of a scheduled offence, or for two or more such trials, and while so sitting and acting shall have all the jurisdiction, powers and privileges of a High Court judge included in the Commission, so far as concerns any such trial.

(4) A county court judge requested to sit and act as aforesaid for a period of time may, notwithstanding the expiry of that period, attend at the Belfast City Commission for the purpose of continuing to deal with, giving judgment in or dealing with any ancillary matter relating to, any case which may have begun before him when sitting as a judge at the Commission and shall have the same jurisdiction, powers and privileges as under subsection (3) above.