The Criminal Procedure Rules 2010

Costs on conviction and sentence

76.5.—(1) This rule applies where the court can order a defendant to pay the prosecutor’s costs if the defendant is—

(a) convicted or found guilty;

(b) dealt with in the Crown Court after committal for sentence there; or

(c) dealt with for breach of a sentence.

(2) The court may make an order—

(a) on application by the prosecutor; or

(b) on its own initiative.

(3) Where the prosecutor wants the court to make an order—

(a) the prosecutor must—

(i) apply as soon as practicable, and

(ii) specify the amount claimed; and

(b) the general rule is that the court will make an order if it is satisfied that the defendant can pay; but

(c) the court may decline to do so.

(4) A defendant who wants to oppose an order must make representations as soon as practicable.

(5) If the court makes an order, it must assess the amount itself.

[Note. See—

(a) rule 76.2; and

(b) section 18 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985(1) and regulation 14 of The Costs in Criminal Cases (General) Regulations 1986.

Under section 18(4) and (5) of the 1985 Act, if a magistrates’ court—

(a) imposes a fine, a penalty, forfeiture or compensation that does not exceed £5—

(i) the general rule is that the court will not make a costs order against the defendant, but

(ii) the court may do so;

(b) fines a defendant under 18, no costs order against the defendant may be for more than the fine.

Part 68 (Appeal to the Court of Appeal about conviction or sentence) contains rules about appeal against a Crown Court costs order to which this rule applies.]

(1)

1985 c. 23; section 18 was amended by section 15 of, and paragraph 16 of Schedule 2 to, the Criminal Justice Act 1987 (c. 38), section 168 of, and paragraph 26 of Schedule 9 to, the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (c. 33), sections 69 and 312 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44) and section 40 of, and paragraph 41 of Schedule 9 to, the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4).