The Prosecution of Offences (Custody Time Limits) (Amendment) Regulations 1999

Statutory Instruments

1999 No. 2744

CRIMINAL LAW, ENGLAND AND WALES

The Prosecution of Offences (Custody Time Limits) (Amendment) Regulations 1999

Made

5th October 1999

Laid before Parliament

11th October 1999

Coming into force in accordance with regulation 1

The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by sections 22(1) and (2) and 29(2) of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985(1), hereby makes the following Regulations:

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Prosecution of Offences (Custody Time Limits) (Amendment) Regulations 1999 and shall come into force on 1st November 1999, save that they shall not apply in relation to any case where an accused person’s first court appearance was before that date.

2.—(1) The Prosecution of Offences (Custody Time Limits) Regulations 1987(2) shall be amended as follows.

(2) In regulation 4, after paragraph (4) there shall be inserted the following paragraph—

“(4A) In the case of a summary offence, the maximum period of custody beginning with the date of the accused’s first appearance and ending with the date of the start of the summary trial shall be 56 days.”.

Jack Straw

One of Her Majesty’s Principal Secretaries of State

Home Office

5th October 1999

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Prosecution of Offences (Custody Time Limits) Regulations 1987 so as to provide for a maximum magistrates' court custody time limit of 56 days (from first appearance to start of trial) in relation to those charged with summary offences.

(1)

1985 c. 23; section 22(2) was amended by section 43(1) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (c. 37).

(2)

S.I. 1987/299; regulation 4 was amended by section 71 of the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 (c. 25); relevant amending instruments are S.I. 1989/767, 1991/1515 and 1995/555.