The Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2015

Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Rules 2014

4.  In Part 3 (Case management)—

(a) in rule 3.9 (Case preparation and progression) after paragraph (6) insert—

“(7) Where directions for appropriate treatment and questioning are required, the court must―

(a) invite representations by the parties and by any intermediary; and

(b) set ground rules for the conduct of the questioning, which rules may include―

(i) a direction relieving a party of any duty to put that party’s case to a witness or a defendant in its entirety,

(ii) directions about the manner of questioning,

(iii) directions about the duration of questioning,

(iv) if necessary, directions about the questions that may or may not be asked,

(v) where there is more than one defendant, the allocation among them of the topics about which a witness may be asked, and

(vi) directions about the use of models, plans, body maps or similar aids to help communicate a question or an answer.”; and

(b) in rule 3.13 (Pre-trial hearings: general rules)—

(i) at the end of paragraph (1)(c)(i), omit ‘or’,

(ii) at the end of paragraph (1)(c)(ii), insert ‘, or’, and

(iii) after paragraph (1)(c)(ii), insert—

“(iii) such a hearing is required to set ground rules for the conduct of the questioning of a witness or defendant.”