Adoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022

Time limit within which proceedings may be brought

152.—(1) Notwithstanding anything in Article 19(1) of the Magistrates’ Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981, summary proceedings for an offence to which this section applies may be brought within a period of six months from the date on which evidence sufficient in the opinion of the complainant to warrant the proceedings came to the complainant’s knowledge; but such proceedings may not be brought by virtue of this section more than six years after the commission of the offence.

(2) For the purposes of this section a certificate signed by or on behalf of the complainant and stating the date on which such evidence as is mentioned in subsection (1) came to the complainant’s knowledge is conclusive evidence of that fact; and a certificate stating that matter and purporting to be so signed is to be deemed to be so signed unless the contrary is proved.

(3) This section applies to an offence by virtue of—

• section 9;

• section 58;

• section 97;

• section 98;

• section 99; or

• section 148.