2

For the purposes of this Part a hearing is also a pre-trial hearing if—

a

it relates to a trial on indictment to be held in pursuance of an indictment presented under the authority of section 2(2)(c), (d), (e) F5... of the Grand Jury (Abolition) Act (Northern Ireland) 1969, and

b

it takes place after the indictment has been presented and before the start of the trial.

F12A

But, for the purposes of this Part, a hearing of the kind mentioned in section 45(2)(b) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 is not a pre-trial hearing.

3

For the purposes of this section the start of a trial on indictment occurs—

a

in the case of a trial to which F2section 5 of the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007 applies (trial by court without a jury), at the opening of the case for the prosecution or, if the court accepts a plea of guilty before that time, when that plea is accepted,

b

in any other case, F3at the time when a jury is sworn to consider the issue of guilt or fitness to be tried or, if the court accepts a plea of guilty before F4the time when a jury is sworn , when that plea is accepted,

but this is subject to Article 7 of the Criminal Justice (Serious Fraud) (Northern Ireland) Order 1988.