Section 4 - Prohibition on accused conducting case in person in certain cases
40.Section 4 amends the existing provisions in the 1995 Act which prohibit an accused from conducting his or her own defence at the trial in certain cases so as also to preclude such an accused representing himself or herself at the preliminary hearing.
41.Subsection (1) amends section 288C(1) of the 1995 Act so as to provide in that section that an accused person in cases of certain sexual offences is prohibited from conducting his or her case at or for the purposes of a preliminary hearing.
42.Subsection (2) amends section 288D(2) so as to provide in that section that where the court ascertains that the accused has not engaged a solicitor for the purpose of the preliminary hearing or his or her solicitor has withdrawn or been dismissed the court shall appoint a solicitor for this purpose.
43.Subsection (3) amends section 288E of the 1995 Act as inserted by section 6 of the Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004 so as to provide that an accused in cases involving a child witness under the age of 12 years is also prohibited from conducting his or her case at or for the purposes of a preliminary hearing.
44.Similarly, subsection (4) amends section 288F of the 1995 Act as inserted by section 6 of the Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004 so that if the court in cases involving vulnerable witnesses has, before the preliminary hearing, made an order prohibiting the accused from conducting his defence in person at the trial, the accused will also be prohibited from conducting his case at the preliminary hearing.