{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-procedure-scotland-act-1995/section-288F",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-procedure-scotland-act-1995/section-288F.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1995/46",
  "legislation_title": "Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-procedure-scotland-act-1995",
  "path": "section/288F",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "288F",
  "heading": "Power to prohibit personal conduct of defence in other cases involving vulnerable witnesses",
  "text": "(1) This section applies in the case of proceedings in respect of any offence, other than proceedings—\n(a) in the JP court,\n(b) in respect of a sexual offence to which section 288C of this Act applies, or\n(ba) in respect of an offence to which section 288DC of this Act applies,\n(c) to which section 288E of this Act applies,\nwhere a vulnerable witness is to give evidence at, or for the purposes of, any hearing in the course of the proceedings.\n(2) If satisfied that it is in the interests of the vulnerable witness to do so, the court may—\n(a) on the application of the prosecutor, or\n(b) of its own motion,\nmake an order prohibiting the accused from conducting his case in person at any hearing at, or for the purposes of, which the vulnerable witness is to give evidence.\n(3) However, the court shall not make an order under subsection (2) above if it considers that—\n(a) the order would give rise to a significant risk of prejudice to the fairness of the hearing or otherwise to the interests of justice, and\n(b) that risk significantly outweighs any risk of prejudice to the interests of the vulnerable witness if the order is not made.\n(4) The court may make an order under subsection (2) above in relation to a hearing after, as well as before, the hearing has commenced.\n(4A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(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 and as if references to a relevant hearing were references to any hearing in respect of which an order is made under this section.\n(6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .",
  "extent": "S",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 288F(1)(a) substituted (10.3.2008, 2.6.2008, 8.12.2008, 23.2.2009 and 14.12.2009 for certain purposes, otherwise 22.2.2010) by Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007 (asp 6), ss. 80, 84, Sch. para. 26(r); S.S.I. 2008/42, art. 3, Sch.; S.S.I. 2008/192, art. 3, Sch.; S.S.I. 2008/329, art. 3, Sch.; S.S.I. 2008/362, art. 3, Sch.; S.S.I. 2009/432, art. 3, Schs. 1, 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "S. 288F(1)(ba) inserted (1.4.2019) by Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 (asp 5), s. 15(2), sch. para. 4(16); S.S.I. 2018/387, reg. 2 (with reg. 7)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 288F(1) substituted (28.3.2011) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 69(5)(a), 206(1); S.S.I. 2011/178, art. 2, sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in s. 288F(2) substituted (28.3.2011) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 69(5)(b), 206(1); S.S.I. 2011/178, art. 2, sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Word in s. 288F(3)(a) substituted (28.3.2011) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 69(5)(c), 206(1); S.S.I. 2011/178, art. 2, sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in s. 288F(4) substituted (28.3.2011) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 69(5)(d), 206(1); S.S.I. 2011/178, art. 2, sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "S. 288F(4A) repealed (28.3.2011) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 69(5)(e), 206(1); S.S.I. 2011/178, art. 2, sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Words in s. 288F(5) inserted (28.3.2011) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 69(5)(f), 206(1); S.S.I. 2011/178, art. 2, sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "S. 288F(6) repealed (28.3.2011) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 69(5)(g), 206(1); S.S.I. 2011/178, art. 2, sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 288F applied (with modifications) (23.12.2015) by The Justice of the Peace Courts (Special Measures) (Scotland) Order 2015 (S.S.I. 2015/447), arts. 1(2), 5 (with art. 1(3))"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "applied",
      "affecting": "asp/2025/12",
      "affecting_title": "Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/46/section/288F",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-05T03:43:46.035735+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}