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The Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989
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Changes to legislation:
The Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, Section 4 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 26 April 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Article 4:
- various legislation applied by 2016 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 161(2)(a)
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Order associated Parts and Chapters:
- Order applied by 2016 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 150(1)(a)
- Order excluded by 2012 c. 9 Sch. 1 para. 7(5)
- Order extended by 2003 c. 6 Sch. 4 para. 23A (as inserted) by S.I. 2007/912 (N.I.) Sch. 4 para. 5
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Order (including any effects on those provisions):
- Sch. 2A para. 1(4) inserted by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 83(3)(a)(ii)
- Sch. 2A para. 2(2)(c) and word inserted by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 83(3)(b)(ii)
- Sch. 2A para. 9(4) inserted by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 83(3)(c)(ii)
- Sch. 2A para. 10(5) inserted by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 83(3)(d)(ii)
- Sch. 2A para. 2(2)(b) words substituted by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 83(3)(b)(i)
- art. 62(10(ab) words substituted in earlier affecting provision 2015 c. 9 (N.I.), Sch. 2 para. 6(3)(b) by 2022 c. 4 (N.I.) s. 4(9)(e)
- art. 3(9ZA)(9ZB) inserted by 2019 c. 17 s. 12(5)
- art. 19(1)(cc) inserted by S.I. 2007/916 (N.I.) art. 18(2)
- art. 53(3A)(3B) inserted by 2013 c. 7 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 1(3)
- art. 53(3A) inserted by 2010 c. 17 s. 15(4)
- art. 53(4) inserted by 2010 c. 17 s. 9(6)
- art. 53B inserted by 2013 c. 7 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 3
- art. 56(13A)(b)(iii) and word substituted for word by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) Sch. 2 para. 6(1)(b)
- art. 56(13A)(b)(iii) words substituted in earlier affecting provision 2015 c. 9 (N.I.), Sch. 2 para. 6(1)(b) by 2022 c. 4 (N.I.) s. 4(9)(e)
- art. 56A(9)(b)(iii) and word substituted for word by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) Sch. 2 para. 6(2)(b)
- art. 56A(9)(b)(iii) words substituted in earlier affecting provision 2015 c. 9 (N.I.), Sch. 2 para. 6(2)(b) by 2022 c. 4 (N.I.) s. 4(9)(e)
- art. 61(5A) inserted by 2010 c. 17 s. 8(1)
- art. 61(5A)(b) words substituted by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 83(1)(a)
- art. 61(5B) inserted by 2010 c. 17 s. 8(2)
- art. 61(5B)(b) words substituted by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 83(1)(a)
- art. 61(5C) inserted by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 83(1)(b)
- art. 61(6)-(6ZD) substituted for art. 61(6) by 2010 c. 17 s. 8(3)
- art. 61(6D)-(6G) inserted by 2010 c. 17 s. 9(1)
- art. 61(6BA) inserted by 2008 c. 28 s. 12(2) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. S. 12 omitted (14.12.2011) by virtue of 2011 c. 23, ss. 29, 31(2), Sch. 7 para. 5(3))
- art. 62(2A) (2B) inserted by 2010 c. 17 s. 9(2)
- art. 62(10)(ab) inserted by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) Sch. 2 para. 6(3)(b)
- art. 62(10)(ab) words substituted in earlier affecting provision 2015 c. 9 (N.I.), Sch. 2 para. 6(3)(b) by 2022 c. 4 (N.I.) s. 4(9)(e)
- art. 63(3A)(c)(i) word substituted by 2013 c. 7 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 4
- art. 63(3B)-(3BD) substituted for art. 63(3B) by 2010 c. 17 s. 8(7)
- art. 63(3C) inserted by 2008 c. 28 s. 12(3) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. S. 12 omitted (14.12.2011) by virtue of 2011 c. 23, ss. 29, 31(2), Sch. 7 para. 5(3))
- art. 63(3D)-(3G) inserted by 2010 c. 17 s. 9(4)
- art. 63(3AA) inserted by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 83(2)(c)
- art. 63(3ZA) inserted by 2010 c. 17 s. 8(5)
- art. 63(3ZA)(b)(iii) and word inserted by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 83(2)(a)
- art. 63A(1E) (1F) inserted by 2010 c. 17 s. 11(1)
- art. 63A(6A) inserted by 2008 c. 28 s. 12(4)(b) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. S. 12 omitted (14.12.2011) by virtue of 2011 c. 23, ss. 29, 31(2), Sch. 7 para. 5(3))
- art. 63B-63R inserted by 2013 c. 7 (N.I.) Sch. 2
- art. 63D(1)(a) substituted by 2019 c. 3 Sch. 2 para. 5(2)(a)
- art. 63D(1)(a)(i) words inserted by S.I. 2023/1386 Sch. para. 9(5)(a) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. The insertions of ss. 63D and 63DA by 2013 c. 7 (N.I.), Sch. 2 and 2019 c. 3, Sch. 2 para. 5 respectively are still prospective)
- art. 63D(14) words inserted by 2019 c. 3 Sch. 2 para. 5(2)(b)
- art. 63D(14) words inserted by S.I. 2023/1386 Sch. para. 9(5)(b) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. The insertions of ss. 63D and 63DA by 2013 c. 7 (N.I.), Sch. 2 and 2019 c. 3, Sch. 2 para. 5 respectively are still prospective)
- art. 63N substituted by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 86
- art. 63R(4A) inserted by 2019 c. 3 Sch. 4 para. 20(9)
- art. 63R(4B) inserted by 2023 c. 32 Sch. 18 para. 5(8) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. The insertion of art. 63R by 2013 c. 7 (N.I.) Sch. 2 remains prospective at 31.12.2023.)
- art. 63R(5) words substituted by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 87(a)
- art. 63R(5A)(5B) inserted by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 87(b)
- art. 63DA inserted by 2019 c. 3 Sch. 2 para. 5(3)
- art. 63DA heading words inserted by S.I. 2023/1386 Sch. para. 9(6)(a) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. The insertions of ss. 63D and 63DA by 2013 c. 7 (N.I.), Sch. 2 and 2019 c. 3, Sch. 2 para. 5 respectively are still prospective)
- art. 63DA(1)(a) words inserted by S.I. 2023/1386 Sch. para. 9(6)(b) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. The insertions of ss. 63D and 63DA by 2013 c. 7 (N.I.), Sch. 2 and 2019 c. 3, Sch. 2 para. 5 respectively are still prospective)
- art. 63DA(4) words inserted by S.I. 2023/1386 Sch. para. 9(6)(c) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. The insertions of ss. 63D and 63DA by 2013 c. 7 (N.I.), Sch. 2 and 2019 c. 3, Sch. 2 para. 5 respectively are still prospective)
- art. 63GA inserted by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 84
- art. 63KA inserted by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 85
- art. 64(1AA) inserted by 2008 c. 28 s. 12(5) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. S. 12 omitted (14.12.2011) by virtue of 2011 c. 23, ss. 29, 31(2), Sch. 7 para. 5(3))
- art. 64(1AB) inserted by 2008 c. 28 s. 15(5)
- art. 89(2A) inserted by 2013 c. 7 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 5
Provisions relating to search under Article 3 and other powersN.I.
4.—(1) A constable who detains a person or vehicle in the exercise—
(a)of the power conferred by Article 3; or
(b)of any other power—
(i)to search a person without first arresting him; or
(ii)to search a vehicle without making an arrest,
need not conduct a search if it appears to him subsequently—
(i)that no search is required; or
(ii)that a search is impracticable.
(2) If a constable contemplates a search, other than a search of an unattended vehicle, in the exercise—
(a)of the power conferred by Article 3; or
(b)of any other power, except a power conferred by any of the provisions referred to in paragraph (3)—
(i)to search a person without first arresting him; or
(ii)to search a vehicle without making an arrest,
it shall be his duty, subject to paragraph (5), to take reasonable steps before he commences the search to bring to the attention of the appropriate person—
(i)if the constable is not in uniform, documentary evidence that he is a constable; and
(ii)whether he is in uniform or not, the matters specified in paragraph (4);
and the constable shall not commence the search until he has performed that duty.
(3) The provisions referred to for the purposes of paragraph (2)(b) are—
(a)Article 8,
[F1(b)sections 85, 95 and 116 of and Schedule 10 to the Terrorism Act 2000, and]
(c)section 27(2) of the Aviation Security Act 1982F2.
(4) The matters referred to in paragraph (2)(ii) are—
(a)the constable's [F3name and] police number and the name of the police station to which he is attached;
(b)the object of the proposed search;
(c)the constable's grounds for proposing to make it; and
(d)the effect of Article 5(7) or (8), as may be appropriate.
(5) A constable need not bring the effect of Article 5(7) or (8) to the attention of the appropriate person if it appears to the constable that it will not be practicable to make the record in Article 5(1).
(6) In this Article “the appropriate person” means—
(a)if the constable proposes to search a person, that person; and
(b)if he proposes to search a vehicle, or anything in or on a vehicle, the person in charge of the vehicle.
(7) On completing a search of an unattended vehicle or anything in or on such a vehicle in the exercise of any such power as is mentioned in paragraph (2), other than a search under any of the provisions mentioned in paragraph (3), a constable shall leave a notice—
(a)stating that the vehicle has been searched by the police;
(b)giving his [F4name and] police number and the name of the police station to which he is attached;
(c)stating that an application for compensation for any damage caused by the search may be made to that police station; and
(d)stating the date on which the search was carried out and the effect of Article 5(8).
(8) The constable shall leave the notice inside the vehicle unless it is not reasonably practicable to do so without damaging the vehicle.
(9) The time for which a person or vehicle may be detained for the purposes of such a search is such time as is reasonably required to permit a search to be carried out either at the place where the person or vehicle was first detained or nearby.
(10) Neither the power conferred by Article 3 nor any other power to detain and search a person without first arresting him or to detain and search a vehicle without making an arrest is to be construed—
(a)as authorising a constable to require a person to remove any of his clothing in public other than an outer coat, jacket, headgear or gloves; or
(b)as authorising a constable not in uniform to stop a vehicle.
(11) This Article and Article 3 apply to vessels, aircraft and hovercraft as they apply to vehicles.
F3Words in art. 4(4)(a) inserted (1.3.2007) by Police and Criminal Evidence (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/288 (N.I. 2)), arts. 1(2), 4(2)
F4Words in art. 4(7)(b) inserted (1.3.2007) by Police and Criminal Evidence (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/288 (N.I. 2)), arts. 1(2), 4(3)
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1Art. 4 applied (with modifications) (18.5.2009) by Police and Criminal Evidence (Application to the Police Ombudsman) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009 (S.R. 2009/142), art. 3, Sch. 1, Sch. 2
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