17Interpretation
(1)In this Act any reference to the defendant shall be construed—
(a)in relation to proceedings for an offence, and in relation to an application for an order of mandamus, prohibition or certiorari in connection with such proceedings, as a reference to the person who was or would have been the defendant in those proceedings;
(b)in relation to any proceedings or order for or in respect of contempt of court, as a reference to the person against whom the proceedings were brought or the order was made;
(c)in relation to a criminal application for habeas corpus, as a reference to the person by or in respect of whom that application was made,
and any reference to the prosecutor shall be construed accordingly.
(2)In this Act " application for habeas corpus" means an application for a writ of habeas corpus ad subjiciendum and references to a criminal application or civil application shall be construed according as the application does or does not constitute a criminal cause or matter.
(3)In this Act any reference to the court below shall, in relation to any function of a Divisional Court, be construed as a reference to the Divisional Court or to a judge according as the function is by virtue of rules of court exercisable by the Divisional Court or a judge.
(4)An appeal under section one of this Act shall be treated for the purposes of this Act as pending until any application for leave to appeal is disposed of and, if leave to appeal is granted, until the appeal is disposed of; and for the purposes of this Act an application for leave to appeal shall be treated as disposed of at the expiration of the time within which it may be made, if it is not made within that time.
(5)In this Act references to an appeal to the Court of Criminal Appeal shall be construed as including references to proceedings under the Crown Cases Act, 1848.
(6)Any reference in this Act to any other enactment is a reference thereto as amended by or under any other enactment, including this Act.