OpenLegislation

Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 in Northern Ireland

1999 c. 23 · Enacted 27 July 1999 · Extends to United Kingdom

Not fully up to date. 14 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 26 October 2026.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
Sch. 4 para. 19omittedInsolvency (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2026 Sch. 3 para. 14(4)(a)
s. 33BA 33BBinsertedCoroners and Justice Act 2009 s. 104(1)
Pt. 2 Ch. 1A headingwords insertedCoroners and Justice Act 2009 s. 104(2)
Pt. 2 Ch. 1applied (with modifications)Crime and Policing Act 2026 s. 61(1)(2)
Pt. 2 Ch. 1applied (with modifications) by 2020 c. 17, s. 358I(1) (as inserted)Crime and Policing Act 2026 Sch. 6 para. 1
s. 17(4A)(ba)-(bc)insertedCrime and Policing Act 2026 s. 71(1)(a)
s. 33(6)(e)-(g)insertedCrime and Policing Act 2026 s. 71(1)(b)
s. 35(3)(aa)-(ac)insertedCrime and Policing Act 2026 s. 71(1)(c)
s. 47applied (with modifications)Crime and Policing Act 2026 s. 61(3)
s. 47applied (with modifications) by 2020 c. 17, s. 358I(3) (as inserted)Crime and Policing Act 2026 Sch. 6 para. 1
s. 49appliedCrime and Policing Act 2026 s. 61(3)
s. 49applied by 2020 c. 17, s. 358I(1) (as inserted)Crime and Policing Act 2026 Sch. 6 para. 1
s. 51appliedCrime and Policing Act 2026 s. 61(3)
s. 51applied by 2020 c. 17, s. 358I(1) (as inserted)Crime and Policing Act 2026 Sch. 6 para. 1

An Act to provide for the referral of offenders under 18 to youth offender panels; to make provision in connection with the giving of evidence or information for the purposes of criminal proceedings; to amend section 51 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994; to make pre-consolidation amendments relating to youth justice; and for connected purposes.

[27th July 1999]

Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—C1

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Act transitional provisions for effects of S.I. 2002/3150 (N.I.) (5.9.2003) by The Company Directors Disqualification (2002 Order) (Transitional Provisions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2003 (S.R. 2003/346), arts. 3-6

Contents

  1. Youth offender contracts
  2. Further court proceedings
  3. Part II: Giving of evidence or information for purposes of criminal proceedings
  4. 18Special measures available to eligible witnesses.
  5. 19Special measures direction relating to eligible witness.
  6. 23Screening witness from accused.
  7. 26Removal of wigs and gowns.
  8. 30Aids to communication.
  9. Supplementary
  10. 31Status of evidence given under Chapter I.
  11. Chapter 1A: Use of live link for evidence of certain accused persons : service courts
  12. 33ALive link directions
  13. 33BSection 33A: meaning of “live link”
  14. 33CSaving
  15. General prohibitions
  16. 34Complainants in proceedings for sexual offences.
  17. Prohibition imposed by court
  18. 36Direction prohibiting accused from cross-examining particular witness.
  19. Cross-examination on behalf of accused
  20. 41Restriction on evidence or questions about complainant’s sexual history.
  21. Chapter IV: Reporting restrictions
  22. Reports relating to persons under 18
  23. 44Restrictions on reporting alleged offences involving persons under 18.
  24. 45Power to restrict reporting of criminal proceedings involving persons under 18.
  25. 45APower to restrict reporting of criminal proceedings for lifetime of witnesses and victims under 18
  26. Reports relating to adult witnesses
  27. 46Power to restrict reports about certain adult witnesses in criminal proceedings.
  28. Reports relating to directions under Chapter I or IIChapter 1, 1A or 2
  29. 47Restrictions on reporting directions under Chapter 1, 1A or 2.
  30. Other restrictions
  31. 48Amendments relating to other reporting restrictions.
  32. Offences
  33. 49Offences under Chapter IV.
  34. 50Defences.
  35. 51Offences committed by bodies corporate or Scottish partnerships.
  36. Supplementary
  37. 52Decisions as to public interest for purposes of Chapter IV.
  38. Competence of witnesses
  39. 53Competence of witnesses to give evidence.
  40. 54Determining competence of witnesses.
  41. Giving of sworn or unsworn evidence
  42. 55Determining whether witness to be sworn.
  43. 56Reception of unsworn evidence.
  44. 57Penalty for giving false unsworn evidence.
  45. Chapter VI: Restrictions on use of evidence
  46. Additional restrictions
  47. 58Inferences from silence not permissible where no prior access to legal advice.
  48. 59Restriction on use of answers etc. obtained under compulsion.
  49. 60Removal of restriction on use of evidence from computer records.
  50. Chapter VII: General
  51. 61Application of Part II to service courts.
  52. 63General interpretation etc. of Part II.
  53. Part III: Final provisions
  54. 64Regulations and orders.
  55. 66Corresponding provisions for Northern Ireland.
  56. 68Short title, commencement and extent.
  57. Schedule 1A: Relevant offences for the purposes of section 17
  58. Murder and manslaughter
  59. 1Paragraph 1
  60. 2Paragraph 2
  61. 3Paragraph 3
  62. Offences against the Person Act 1861 (c. 100)
  63. 4Paragraph 4
  64. 5Paragraph 5
  65. 6Paragraph 6
  66. 7Paragraph 7
  67. 8Paragraph 8
  68. Prevention of Crime Act 1953 (c. 14)
  69. 9Paragraph 9
  70. 9AParagraph 9A
  71. Firearms Act 1968 (c. 27)
  72. 10Paragraph 10
  73. 11Paragraph 11
  74. 12Paragraph 12
  75. 13Paragraph 13
  76. 14Paragraph 14
  77. 15Paragraph 15
  78. 16Paragraph 16
  79. 17Paragraph 17
  80. 18Paragraph 18
  81. 19Paragraph 19
  82. 20Paragraph 20
  83. 21Paragraph 21
  84. 22Paragraph 22
  85. 23Paragraph 23
  86. 24Paragraph 24
  87. Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c. 33)
  88. 25Paragraph 25
  89. 26Paragraph 26
  90. 26AParagraph 26A
  91. Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 (c. 38)
  92. 27Paragraph 27
  93. 28Paragraph 28
  94. 29Paragraph 29
  95. Serious Crime Act 2015
  96. 29AParagraph 29A
  97. General
  98. 30Paragraph 30
  99. 31Paragraph 31
  100. Interpretation
  101. 32Paragraph 32
  102. Schedule 2: Reporting restrictions: miscellaneous amendments
  103. Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (c.12)
  104. 1Paragraph 1
  105. 2Paragraph 2 Not yet in force
  106. 3Paragraph 3
  107. Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1976 (c.82)
  108. 4Paragraph 4
  109. Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 (N.I.15)
  110. 5Paragraph 5
  111. Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992 (c.34)
  112. 6Paragraph 6
  113. 7Paragraph 7
  114. 8Paragraph 8
  115. 9Paragraph 9
  116. 10Paragraph 10
  117. 11Paragraph 11
  118. 12Paragraph 12
  119. 13Paragraph 13
  120. 14Paragraph 14
  121. Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 1994 (N.I.15)
  122. 15Paragraph 15
  123. Schedule 2A: Restriction of reporting of criminal proceedings for lifetime of witnesses and victims under 18: providers of information society services
  124. Domestic service providers: extension of liability
  125. 1Paragraph 1 Repealed
  126. Non-UK service providers: restriction on institution of proceedings
  127. 2Paragraph 2 Repealed
  128. Exceptions for mere conduits
  129. 3Paragraph 3
  130. Exception for caching
  131. 4Paragraph 4
  132. Exception for hosting
  133. 5Paragraph 5
  134. Interpretation
  135. 6Paragraph 6
  136. Schedule 3: Restriction on use of answers etc. obtained under compulsion
  137. Insurance Companies Act 1982 (c.50)
  138. 1Paragraph 1
  139. 2Paragraph 2
  140. 3Paragraph 3
  141. 7Paragraph 7
  142. 8Paragraph 8
  143. Building Societies Act 1986 (c.53)
  144. 9Paragraph 9
  145. Financial Services Act 1986 (c.60)
  146. 10Paragraph 10
  147. 11Paragraph 11
  148. 12Paragraph 12
  149. Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 (N.I.6)
  150. 13Paragraph 13 Repealed
  151. 14Paragraph 14 Repealed
  152. 15Paragraph 15 Repealed
  153. Banking Act 1987 (c.22)
  154. 16Paragraph 16
  155. 17Paragraph 17
  156. 18Paragraph 18
  157. 19Paragraph 19
  158. Criminal Justice Act 1987 (c.38)
  159. 20Paragraph 20
  160. Companies Act 1989 (c.40)
  161. 21Paragraph 21
  162. Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (N.I.18)
  163. 22Paragraph 22 Repealed
  164. Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (N.I.19)
  165. 23Paragraph 23
  166. Friendly Societies Act 1992 (c.40)
  167. 24Paragraph 24
  168. 25Paragraph 25
  169. Proceeds of Crime (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (N.I.9)
  170. 26Paragraph 26
  171. Criminal Evidence Act 1898 (c.36)
  172. Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (c.12) Not yet in force
  173. 2Paragraph 2 Not yet in force
  174. Children and Young Persons Act 1963 (c.37) Not yet in force
  175. 3Paragraph 3 Not yet in force
  176. Criminal Appeal Act 1968 (c.19) Not yet in force
  177. Children and Young Persons Act 1969 (c.54)
  178. Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (c.53)
  179. Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 (c.43)
  180. 7Paragraph 7
  181. 9Paragraph 9
  182. Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c.48)
  183. 10Paragraph 10
  184. Mental Health Act 1983 (c.20)
  185. 11Paragraph 11
  186. Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (c.33)
  187. 12Paragraph 12
  188. 13Paragraph 13
  189. 14Paragraph 14
  190. Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c.33)
  191. 15Paragraph 15
  192. 17Paragraph 17
  193. Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (N.I.18) Not yet in force
  194. Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (N.I.19) Not yet in force
  195. 19Paragraph 19 Not yet in force
  196. Criminal Justice Act 1991 (c.53)
  197. 21Paragraph 21 Not yet in force
  198. 22Paragraph 22
  199. 23Paragraph 23
  200. 24Paragraph 24 Not yet in force
  201. Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (c.37)
  202. 25Paragraph 25
  203. 28Paragraph 28
  204. Schedule 6Repeals
  205. Schedule 7: Transitional provisions and savings
  206. 3Paragraph 3
  207. 4Paragraph 4
  208. 5Paragraph 5
  209. Reporting restrictions
  210. 6Paragraph 6
  211. 7Paragraph 7
  212. 8Paragraph 8