Criminal Justice (Children) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998

Extension of power to take deposition of child

25.—(1) Where a justice of the peace is satisfied by the evidence of a doctor that the attendance before a court of any child in respect of whom any of the offences mentioned in Schedule 1 to the Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968 is alleged to have been committed would involve serious danger to his health, the justice may take in writing the deposition of the child on oath, and shall sign the deposition and add to it a statement of—

(a) his reason for taking it;

(b) the date when and place where it was taken; and

(c) the names of the persons, if any, present at the taking of the deposition.

(2) The justice taking any such deposition shall send it with his statement—

(a) if the deposition relates to an offence for which any accused person is already committed for trial, to the proper officer of the court for trial at which the accused person has been committed; and

(b) in any other case, to the clerk of the court before which proceedings are pending in respect of the offence.