Part 1Proceedings in the High Court

Preliminary hearings

4Prohibition on accused conducting case in person in certain cases

(1)

In section 288C(1) of the 1995 Act (prohibition of personal conduct of defence in cases of certain sexual offences), after “conducting” insert—

“(a)

his case in person at or for the purposes of a preliminary hearing; and

(b)

 ”.

(2)

In section 288D(2)(a) of that Act (appointment by the court of a solicitor in such cases), after “of” insert—

“(i)

the conduct of his case at or for the purposes of a preliminary hearing; or

(ii)

 ”.

(3)

In section 288E of that Act (prohibition of personal conduct of defence in certain cases involving child witnesses under the age of 12)—

(a)

in subsection (1), after “conducting” insert—

“(a)

his case in person at or for the purposes of a preliminary hearing; and

(b)

 ”,

(b)

in subsection (6)—

(i)

before paragraph (a) insert—

“(za)

where he is indicted to the High Court in respect of the offence, that his case at or for the purposes of the preliminary hearing may be conducted only by a lawyer,”,

(ii)

in paragraph (c), after the word “of” insert “ the conduct of his case at or for the purposes of the preliminary hearing (if he is indicted to the High Court in respect of the offence) or ”.

F1(4)

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