The Road Traffic Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1996

Documentary evidence as to specimens in such proceedings

19.—(1) Evidence of the proportion of alcohol or a drug in a specimen of breath, blood or urine may, subject to paragraphs (3) and (4) and to Article 18(5), be given by the production of a document or documents purporting to be whichever of the following is appropriate, that is to say—

(a) a statement automatically produced by the device by which the proportion of alcohol in a specimen of breath was measured and a certificate signed by a constable (which may but need not be contained in the same document as the statement) that the statement relates to a specimen provided by the accused at the date and time shown in the statement, and

(b) a certificate signed by an authorised analyst as to the proportion of alcohol or any drug found in a specimen of blood or urine identified in the certificate.

(2) Subject to paragraphs (3) and (4); evidence that a specimen of blood was taken from the accused with his consent by a medical practitioner may be given by the production of a document purporting to certify that fact and to be signed by that medical practitioner.

(3) Subject to paragraph (4)—

(a) a document purporting to be such a statement or such a certificate (or both such a statement and such a certificate) as is mentioned in paragraph (1)(a) is admissible in evidence on behalf of the prosecution in pursuance of this Article only if a copy of it either has been handed to the accused when the document was produced or has been served on him not later than 7 days before the hearing, and

(b) any other document is so admissible only if a copy of it has been served on the accused not later than 7 days before the hearing.

(4) A document purporting to be a certificate (or so much of a document as purports to be a certificate) is not so admissible if the accused, not later than 3 days before the hearing or within such further time as the court may in special circumstances allow, has served notice on the complainant or his solicitor requiring the attendance at the hearing of the person by whom the document purports to be signed.

(5) A copy of a certificate required by this Article to be served on the accused or a notice required by this Article to be served on the complainant or his solicitor may be served personally or sent by registered post or recorded delivery service.

(6) In this Article “authorised analyst” means—

(a) any person possessing the qualifications prescribed under Article 36 of the [1989 NI 6.] Food (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 as qualifying persons for appointment as public analysts; and

(b) any other person authorised by the Department to make analyses for the purposes of this Article;

and a certificate signed by an authorised analyst for the purposes of paragraph (1)(b) shall also be evidence of his qualification as such.