23. Paragraph 20 of Schedule 3 to the 2002 Act shall apply in relation to a matter which is the subject of an investigation under this Part, modified so that it has effect as follows—
20.—(1) No criminal proceedings shall be brought in relation to any matter which is the subject of an investigation in accordance with the provisions of Part 3 of the Elected Local Policing Bodies (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2011 (“the 2011 Regulations) until a report on that investigation has been submitted to the Commission under regulation 25 (final reports on investigations).
(2) Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent the bringing of criminal proceedings in respect of any conduct at any time after the discontinuance, in accordance with the provisions of Part 3 of the 2011 Regulations, of the investigation which relates to that conduct.
(3) The restrictions imposed by this paragraph in relation to the bringing of criminal proceedings shall not apply to the bringing of criminal proceedings by the Director of Public Prosecutions in any case in which it appears to him that there are exceptional circumstances which make it undesirable to delay the bringing of such proceedings.”.