{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/justice-act-northern-ireland-2011/section-18",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/justice-act-northern-ireland-2011/section-18.json",
  "legislation": "nia/2011/24",
  "legislation_title": "Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2011",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/justice-act-northern-ireland-2011",
  "path": "section/18",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "18",
  "heading": "Live links in the Court of Appeal",
  "text": "(1) The Court of Appeal may at any time give a live link direction in relation to any proceedings to which this section applies if a party to the proceedings (“P”) is expected to be in custody.\n(2) This section applies to proceedings in the Court of Appeal—\n(a) on an appeal under Part 4 of the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 (NI 9);\n(b) on an appeal under section 74(8) of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15);\n(c) on an appeal under section 24 of the Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27);\n(d) on a reference under section 36 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c. 33);\n(e) on an application for bail under section 17 of the Criminal Appeal (Northern Ireland) Act 1980 (c. 47).\n(3) For the purposes of this section—\n(a) a “live link direction” is a direction that P (if P is being held in custody at the time of the proceedings) is to attend the proceedings through a live link from the place at which P is held;\n(b) “live link” means an arrangement by which P is able to see and hear, and to be seen and heard by, the Court of Appeal (and for this purpose any impairment of eyesight or hearing is to be disregarded); and\n(c) P is a party to any proceedings—\n(i) in the case of an appeal, if P is the appellant or respondent or if the appeal relates to an order or ruling made in respect of P or made in respect of proceedings in which P is the accused;\n(ii) in the case of a reference or application, if P's sentencing or admission to bail is the subject of the reference or application.\n(4) The Court of Appeal—\n(a) shall not give a live link direction unless—\n(i) P has consented to the direction; and\n(ii) any other party to the proceedings has had the opportunity to make representations about the giving of such a direction; and\n(b) may rescind a live link direction at any time before or during any proceedings to which it applies (whether of its own motion or on the application of a party).\n(5) The Court of Appeal must not give a live link direction unless—\n(a) it has been notified by the Department that a live link is available between the Court and the institution at which P is expected to be in custody; and\n(b) the notice has not been withdrawn.\n(6) A live link direction does not apply to the giving of oral evidence by P at any hearing unless that direction, or any subsequent direction of the Court, provides expressly for the giving of such evidence through a live link.\n(7) In section 45(2) of the Criminal Appeal (Northern Ireland) Act 1980 (powers exercisable by single judge) at the end of paragraph (fa) add “ or under section 18 of the Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 ”.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nia/2011/24/section/18",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T20:20:43.017346+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."
}