Psychoactive Substances Act 2016

34 Special measures for witnesses: Northern Ireland

(1) Part 2 of the Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/2789 (N.I. 8)) (special measures directions in the case of vulnerable and intimidated witnesses) applies to relevant proceedings under this Act as it applies to criminal proceedings, but with—

(a) the omission of the provisions of the Order of 1999 mentioned in subsection (2) (which make provision only in the context of criminal proceedings), and

(b) any other necessary modifications.

(2) The provisions are—

(a) Article 5(4);

(b) Article 9(4C)(e);

(c) Article 10A;

(d) Article 20.

(3) Rules of court made under or for the purposes of Part 2 of the Order of 1999 apply to relevant proceedings under this Act—

(a) to the extent provided by rules of court, and

(b) subject to any modifications provided by rules of court.

(4) Section 47 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 (restrictions on reporting special measures directions etc.) applies with any necessary modifications—

(a) to a direction under Article 7 of the Order of 1999 as applied by this section;

(b) to a direction discharging or varying such a direction.

Sections 49 and 51 of that Act (offences) apply accordingly.

(5) In this section “relevant proceedings under this Act” means—

(a) proceedings in Northern Ireland under section 18, 20, 28, 30 or 31, and

(b) proceedings in Northern Ireland arising by virtue of section 19 or 29.