PART XIII Miscellaneous
Trials involving vulnerable witnesses
288FPower to prohibit personal conduct of defence in other cases involving vulnerable witnesses
(1)
This section applies in the case of proceedings in respect of any offence, other than proceedings—
(a)
in the F1JP court,
(b)
in respect of a sexual offence to which section 288C of this Act applies, or
F2(ba)
in respect of an offence to which section 288DC of this Act applies,
(c)
to which section 288E of this Act applies,
where a vulnerable witness is to give evidence at, or for the purposes of, F3any hearing in the course of the proceedings.
(2)
If satisfied that it is in the interests of the vulnerable witness to do so, the court may—
(a)
on the application of the prosecutor, or
(b)
of its own motion,
make an order prohibiting the accused from conducting his F4case in person at any hearing at, or for the purposes of, which the vulnerable witness is to give evidence.
(3)
However, the court shall not make an order under subsection (2) above if it considers that—
(a)
the order would give rise to a significant risk of prejudice to the fairness of the F5hearing or otherwise to the interests of justice, and
(b)
that risk significantly outweighs any risk of prejudice to the interests of the vulnerable witness if the order is not made.
(4)
The court may make an order under subsection (2) above F6in relation to a hearing after, as well as before, the hearing has commenced.
F7(4A)
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(5)
Section 288D of this Act applies in the case of proceedings in respect of which an order is made under this section as it applies in the case of proceedings in respect of a sexual offence to which section 288C of this Act applies F8 and as if references to a relevant hearing were references to any hearing in respect of which an order is made under this section.
F9(6)
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