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Article 37 Guilty plea

Changes not yet applied. Later legislation changes this provision in ways not yet written into the text below:

(1)

If an accused pleads guilty to a charge, the judge advocate shall, if it appears necessary to him and before the court accepts the plea, satisfy himself that the accused understands—

(a)

the nature of the charge;

(b)

the general effect of the plea; and

(c)

the difference in procedure following pleas of guilty and not guilty.

(2)

The court shall not accept a plea of guilty if—

(a)

the court is not satisfied that the accused understands the nature of the charge or the effect of his plea;

(b)

the judge advocate, having regard to all the circumstances, considers that the court should not accept the plea;

(c)

the accused is liable, if convicted, to a sentence of death.

(3)

Where—

(a)

a plea of guilty is not accepted by the court; or

(b)

the accused does not plead to the charge or does not plead to it intelligibly,

the court shall enter a plea of not guilty.