{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/protection-of-children-northern-ireland-order-1978/article-4",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/protection-of-children-northern-ireland-order-1978/article-4.json",
  "legislation": "nisi/1978/1047",
  "legislation_title": "Protection of Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1978",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/protection-of-children-northern-ireland-order-1978",
  "path": "article/4",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "4",
  "heading": "Entry, search and seizure",
  "text": "(1) Upon a complaint being made to a justice of the peace by or on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland or by a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary if the justice is satisfied that there is reasonable ground to suspect— that there is an indecent photograph or pseudo‐photograph of a child in any premises ... he may grant a warrant under his hand authorising any member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to enter, if necessary by force, and search the premises. . . , and to seize and remove any articles which he believes with reasonable cause to be or include indecent photographs or pseudo‐photographs of children. . . .\n(2) In this Article “premises” has the same meaning as in the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (S.I. 1989/1341 (N.I. 12)) (see Article 25 of that Order).",
  "extent": "N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "1988 NI 17"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "1994 c. 33"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in art. 4(1) repealed (31.10.2016) by Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 (c. 9), s. 106(2), Sch. 1 para. 77(1), Sch. 9 Pt. 1 (with Sch. 8 para. 1); S.R. 2016/387, art. 2(k)(m) (with art. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "1989 NI 12"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Art. 4(2) substituted (1.4.2008) by Police and Justice Act 2006 (c. 48), ss. 40(2), 53(1)(a) (with s. 40(5)); S.I. 2008/790, art. 3(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "Art. 4 applied (6.4.2010) by Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (c. 25), ss. 67(2)(a), 182(5) (with s. 180); S.I. 2010/816, art. 2, Sch. para. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "Art. 4 applied (3.5.2015) by Serious Crime Act 2015 (c. 9), ss. 69(6)(a), 88(1); S.I. 2015/820, reg. 2(m)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1978/1047/article/4",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T04:53:04.802561+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."
}