Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980

26 Routine evidence. S

(1) For the purposes of any proceedings for an offence under any of the enactments specified in column 1 of Schedule 1 to this Act, a certificate purporting to be signed by a person or persons specified in column 2 thereof, and certifying the matter specified in column 3 thereof shall, subject to subsection (3) below, be sufficient evidence of that matter and of the qualification or authority of that person or those persons.

(2) For the purposes of any summary criminal proceedings, a report purporting to be signed by two authorised forensic scientists shall, subject to subsection (3) below, be sufficient evidence of any fact (or conclusion as to fact) contained in the report and of the authority of the signatories.

In the foregoing provisions of this subsection, “authorised” means authorised by the Secretary of State to make a report to which this subsection shall apply.

(3) Subsections (1) and (2) above shall not apply to a certificate, or as the case may be report, tendered on behalf of the prosecution—

(a) unless a copy has been served on the accused not less than fourteen days before his trial; or

(b) where the accused, not less than six days before his trial, or by such later time before his trial as the court may in special circumstances allow, has served notice on the prosecutor that the accused challenges the matter, qualification or authority mentioned in subsection (1) above or as the case may be the fact, conclusion or authority mentioned in subsection (2) above.

(4) A copy of a certificate, or as the case may be report, required by subsection (3) above, or of a conviction or extract conviction required by subsection (8) below, to be served on the accused or of a notice required by either of those subsections or by subsection (6) or (7) below to be served on the prosecutor may either be personally served on the accused or the prosecutor (as the case may be) or sent to him by registered post or by the recorded delivery service; and a written execution purporting to be signed by the person who served such certificate or notice, together with, where appropriate, a post office receipt for the relative registered or recorded delivery letter shall be sufficient evidence of service of such a copy.

(5) At any trial of an offence under summary procedure it shall be presumed that the person who appears in answer to the complaint is the person charged by the police with the offence unless the contrary is alleged.

(6) Where in a trial an autopsy report is lodged as a production by the prosecutor it shall be presumed that the body of the person identified in that report is the body of the deceased identified in the indictment or complaint, unless the accused not less than six days before the trial, or by such later time before the trial as the court may in special circumstances allow, gives notice that the contrary is alleged.

(7) At the time of lodging an autopsy or forensic science report as a production the prosecutor may intimate to the accused that it is intended that only one of the pathologists or forensic scientists (whom the prosecutor shall specify) purporting to have signed the report shall be called to give evidence in respect thereof; and the evidence of that pathologist or forensic scientist shall be sufficient evidence of any fact (or conclusion as to fact) contained in the report and of the qualifications of the signatories, unless the accused, not less than six days before the trial, or by such later time before the trial as the court may in special circumstances allow, serves notice on the prosecutor that he requires the attendance at the trial of the other pathologist or forensic scientist also.

(8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 26(8) repealed by Road Traffic (Consequential Provisions) Act 1988 (c. 54, SIF 107:1), ss. 3, 5, Sch. 1, Sch. 4 paras. 1, 2

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 26(6) modified by S.I. 1988/110, rule 122(1)

C2 S. 26(7) modified by S.I. 1988/110, rule 122(2)