Armed Forces Act 2006

163 Court Martial rules

(1) The Secretary of State may by rules (referred to in this Act as “Court Martial rules”) make provision with respect to the Court Martial.

(2) Court Martial rules may in particular make provision with respect to—

(a) sittings of the court, including the place of sitting and changes to the place of sitting;

(b) trials and other proceedings of the court;

(c) the practice and procedure of the court;

(d) evidence, including the admissibility of evidence;

(e) the representation of the defendant;

(f) appeals from the Service Civilian Court.

(3) Without prejudice to the generality of subsections (1) and (2), Court Martial rules may make provision—

(a) as to oaths and affirmations for members of the court, witnesses and other persons;

(b) as to objections to, and the replacement of, members of the court;

(c) as to the constitution of the court;

(d) for such powers of the court as may be prescribed by the rules to be exercised by a judge advocate;

(e) for procuring the attendance of witnesses and other persons and the production of documents and other things, including provision about—

(i) the payment of expenses to persons summoned to attend the court;

(ii) the issue by the court of warrants for the arrest of persons;

(f) as to the amendment of charges;

(g) for the taking into consideration, when sentencing an offender, of any other service offence committed by him;

(h) for the variation by the court of a sentence passed by it or the variation or rescission by it of an order made by it;

(i) for appeals—

(i) against any orders (including directions) of the court prohibiting or restricting the publication of any matter or excluding the public from any proceedings (whether made in preliminary proceedings or otherwise);

(ii) against any other orders or rulings made in proceedings preliminary to a trial;

(j) for the discharge of a court (including provision as to retrials and rehearings following discharge);

(k) for the powers conferred by section 7 of the Bankers' Books Evidence Act 1879 (c. 11) (orders for the inspection of bankers' books for the purposes of legal proceedings) to be exercisable by a judge advocate as well as by the court or a judge within the meaning of that Act;

(l) for the making and retention of records of the proceedings of the court;

(m) for the supply of copies of such records, including provision about the fees payable for the supply of such copies;

(n) conferring functions in relation to the court on the court administration officer;

(o) for the delegation by the court administration officer of any of his functions in relation to the court.

(4) Provision that may be made by the rules by virtue of subsection (2)(d) includes provision applying, with or without modifications, any enactment (whenever passed) creating an offence in respect of statements admitted in evidence.

(5) Provision that may be made by the rules by virtue of subsection (3)(e)(ii) includes provision—

(a) conferring powers of arrest;

(b) requiring any arrested person to be brought before the court;

(c) authorising the keeping of persons in service custody, and the imposition of requirements on release from service custody (including provision applying section 107(5) and (6) with or without modifications).

(6) Court Martial rules must secure that, after arraignment, charges may not be amended—

(a) in circumstances substantially different from those in which indictments are amendable by the Crown Court; or

(b) otherwise than subject to conditions which correspond, as nearly as circumstances permit, to those subject to which indictments are so amendable.

(7) Rules made by virtue of subsection (3)(h) may make provision about the commencement of sentences or orders varied by the court (including provision conferring on the court a power to direct that a sentence shall take effect otherwise than as mentioned in section 289(1)).

(8) Court Martial rules may apply, with or without modifications, any enactment or subordinate legislation (whenever passed or made), including any provision made by or under this Act.

(9) Rules made by virtue of paragraph (i) of subsection (3) may confer jurisdiction on the Court Martial Appeal Court, and rules under section 49 of the Court Martial Appeals Act 1968 may make provision about the powers of that court in relation to appeals made by virtue of that paragraph.