OpenLegislation

Section 2A Statement of case by court.F1

United Kingdom

(1)

If the court refuses to make an order in relation to a person under section 2 above, the chief officer of police for the area of the force to which the constable making the application under section 1 above belongs or, if the application is made in Northern Ireland, the chief constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary may question the proceeding on the ground that it is wrong in law by applying to the court to state a case for the opinion of the High Court on the question of law involved.

(2)

If the chief officer or chief constable immediately informs the court that he intends to make such an application, the court shall make an order providing for the detention of the person in question, or directing that he shall not be released except on bail.

(3)

Rules of Court may specify—

(a)

a period within which the chief officer or chief constable must make such an application unless the Court grants a longer period; and

(b)

a period within which the court must comply with such an application.

(4)

Where the court fails to comply with an application under subsection (1) above within the period specified in Rules of Court the High Court may, on the application of the chief officer or chief constable, make an order requiring the court to state a case.

(5)

The High Court shall have power—

(a)

to remit the case to the magistrates’ court to decide it according to the opinion of the High Court on the question of law; or

(b)

to dismiss the appeal.

(6)

An order made by a court in England and Wales or Northern Ireland under subsection (2) above shall cease to have effect if—

(a)

the High Court dismisses the appeal; and

(b)

the chief officer or chief constable does not immediately—

(i)

apply for leave to appeal to the House of Lords; or

(ii)

inform the court that he intends to apply for leave.

(7)

An order made by a court in Scotland under subsection (2) above shall cease to have effect if the court dismisses the appeal.

(8)

In relation to a decision of a court on an appeal under this section, section 1 of the Administration of Justice Act M11960 or section 41 of the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act M21978 (right of appeal to House of Lords) shall have effect as if so much of subsection (2) as restricts the grant of leave to appeal were omitted.

(9)

The House of Lords may exercise any powers of the High Court under subsection (5) above and subsection (6) above shall apply to them as it applies to that Court.

(10)

Subject to subsections (6) and (7) above, an order under subsection (2) above shall have effect so long as the case is pending.

(11)

For the purposes of this section a case is pending (unless proceedings are discontinued) until (disregarding any power of a court to grant leave to take any step out of time) there is no step that the chief officer or chief constable can take.

(12)

In the application to Scotland of this section—

(a)

for the references to the chief officer of police or the chief constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary there shall be substituted references to the procurator fiscal;

(b)

for the references to the High Court, other than the reference in subsection (9) above, there shall be substituted references to the High Court of Justiciary; and

(c)

subsections (8) and (9) shall be omitted; and, in relation to an appeal under this section in Scotland, the court may make an order providing for the detention of the person to whom it relates, or may grant bail; and section 446(2) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act M31975 shall apply for the purpose of such an appeal as it applies for the purpose of an appeal such as is mentioned in section 444 of that Act.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1

S. 2A inserted by Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c. 33, SIF 39:1), s. 1(9), Sch. 1 Pt. II para. 5 and continued by Extradition Act 1989 (c. 33, SIF 48), s. 37(5), notwithstanding the repeal of that section 1(9)

Marginal citations

M1

1960 c.65 (39:1).

M2

1978 c.23 (38).

M3

1975 c.21 (39:1).

Notes on the whole Act

Textual amendments

F1

Act repealed (1.1.2004) by Extradition Act 2003 (c. 41), ss. 218(a), 220, 221, Sch. 4; S.I. 2003/3103, art. 2 (subject to savings in arts. 3-5 for extraditions made on or before 31.12.2003) (as amended by S.I. 2003/3312, art. 2 and S.I. 2003/3258, art. 2); and which Act in so far as it is still in force is amended (1.9.2004 for specified purposes and 1.4.2005 otherwise) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), s. 109(1), Sch. 8 paras. 119-123; S.I. 2004/2066, art. 2 (subject to art. 3); S.I. 2005/910, art. 3; and further amended (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), s. 40(4), Sch. 9 para. 14; S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2; and further amended (18.6.2012 for specified purposes, 5.11.2012 for specified purposes and 28.5.2013 for specified purposes) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), ss. 41, 336(3)(4), Sch. 3 para. 41, Sch. 37 Pt. 4; S.I. 2012/1320, art. 4 (with art. 5); S.I. 2012/2574, art. 2, Sch. (with arts. 3, 4) (as amended by S.I. 2012/2761, art. 2); S.I. 2013/1103, art. 2 (with arts. 3, 4)