271Evidence of children: special provisions
(1)Subject to subsections (7) and (8) below, where a child has been cited to give evidence in a trial the court may appoint a commissioner to take the evidence of the child if—
(a)in solemn proceedings, at any time before the oath is administered to the jury;
(b)in summary proceedings, at any time before the first witness is sworn;
(c)in exceptional circumstances in either solemn or summary proceedings, during the course of the trial,
application is made to the court in that regard; but to be so appointed a person must be, and for a period of at least five years have been, a member of the Faculty of Advocates or a solicitor.
(2)Proceedings before a commissioner appointed under subsection (1) above shall be recorded by video recorder.
(3)An accused shall not, except by leave of the commissioner, be present in the room where such proceedings are taking place but shall be entitled by such means as seem suitable to the commissioner to watch and hear the proceedings.
(4)Subsections (2) to (6), (8) and (9) of section 272 of this Act shall apply to an application under subsection (1) above and evidence taken by a commissioner appointed under that subsection as those subsections apply to an application under subsection (1) of that section and evidence taken by a commissioner appointed on such an application.
(5)Subject to subsections (7) and (8) below, where a child has been or is likely to be cited to give evidence in a trial, the court may, on an application being made to it, authorise the giving of evidence by the child by means of a live television link.
(6)Subject to subsections (7) and (8) below, where a child has been or is likely to be cited to give evidence in a trial, the court may, on application being made to it, authorise the use of a screen to conceal the accused from the sight of the child while the child is present to give evidence; but arrangements shall be made to ensure that the accused is able to watch and hear as the evidence is given by the child.
(7)The court may grant an application under subsection (1), (5) or (6) above only on cause shown having regard in particular to—
(a)the possible effect on the child if required to give evidence, no such application having been granted;
(b)whether it is likely that the child would be better able to give evidence if such application were granted; and
(c)the views of the child.
(8)In considering whether to grant an application under subsection (1), (5) or (6) above, the court may take into account, where appropriate, any of the following—
(a)the age and maturity of the child;
(b)the nature of the alleged offence;
(c)the nature of the evidence which the child is likely to be called on to give; and
(d)the relationship, if any, between the child and the accused.
(9)Where a sheriff to whom an application has been made under subsection (1), (5) or (6) above would have granted the application but for the lack of accommodation or equipment necessary to achieve the purpose of the application, he may by order transfer the case to any sheriff court which has such accommodation and equipment available, being a sheriff court in the same sheriffdom.
(10)The sheriff court to which a case is transferred under subsection (9) above shall be deemed to have granted an application under, as the case may be, subsection (1), (5) or (6) above in relation to the case.
(11)Where a court has or is deemed to have granted an application under subsection (1), (5) or (6) above in relation to a child, and the child gives evidence that he recalls having identified, prior to the trial, a person alleged to have committed an offence, the evidence of a third party as to the identification of that person by the child prior to the trial shall be admissible as evidence as to such identification.
(12)In this section—
“child” means a person under the age of 16 years;
“court” means the High Court or the sheriff court; and
“trial” means a trial under solemn or under summary procedure.