Explanatory note

These Rules amend the County Court Rules (Northern Ireland) 1981 (“the principal Rules”) to make provision relating to –

• special measures under Part II of the Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (“the 1999 Order”);

• applications under section 46 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 (“the 1999 Act”) for reporting directions and excepting directions;

• service of United Kingdom processes abroad under the Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003 (“the 2003 Act”); and

• applications for the grant of bookmaking office licences and liquor licences for indoor arenas.

Sub-paragraphs (a) to (d) of Rule 2(1) make a number of minor amendments to Part IIA of Order 32 to take account of the extension of Part II of the 1999 Order to vulnerable and intimidated adult witnesses in appeals in criminal cases from magistrates' courts to the county court.

Rule 2(1)(e) amends Order 32 to prescribe the manner in which applications may be made under the 1999 Act for reporting and excepting directions in respect of appeals in the county court from criminal proceedings in a magistrates' court.

Rule 2(1)(e) also amends Order 32 to make provision in relation to the service abroad of processes in appeals to the county court from criminal proceedings in magistrates' courts under the 2003 Act.

Rule 2(3) amends Order 48 of the principal Rules in consequence of the Betting and Gaming (Northern Ireland) Order 2004, to prescribe the procedure to be followed on an application to a county court for the grant of a bookmaking office licence.

Rule 2(3) also amends Order 48 in consequence of the Licensing (Indoor Arenas) (Northern Ireland) Order 2004, to prescribe the procedure to be followed on an application for the grant of a liquor licence for an indoor arena.

Rule 2(4) amends Appendix I to the principal Rules to prescribe a number of new forms and to make a minor amendment to Form 209 in connection with the above applications.