OpenLegislation

Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 in Scotland

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. Other restrictions
  29. 48Amendments relating to other reporting restrictions.
  30. Offences
  31. 49Offences under Chapter IV.
  32. 50Defences.
  33. 51Offences committed by bodies corporate or Scottish partnerships.
  34. Supplementary
  35. 52Decisions as to public interest for purposes of Chapter IV.
  36. Competence of witnesses
  37. 53Competence of witnesses to give evidence.
  38. 54Determining competence of witnesses.
  39. Giving of sworn or unsworn evidence
  40. 55Determining whether witness to be sworn.
  41. 56Reception of unsworn evidence.
  42. 57Penalty for giving false unsworn evidence.
  43. Chapter VI: Restrictions on use of evidence
  44. Additional restrictions
  45. 58Inferences from silence not permissible where no prior access to legal advice.
  46. 59Restriction on use of answers etc. obtained under compulsion.
  47. 60Removal of restriction on use of evidence from computer records.
  48. Chapter VII: General
  49. 61Application of Part II to service courts.
  50. 63General interpretation etc. of Part II.
  51. Part III: Final provisions
  52. 64Regulations and orders.
  53. 68Short title, commencement and extent.
  54. Schedule 1
  55. Part I: Referral back to appropriate court
  56. Bringing the offender before the court
  57. 3Paragraph 3
  58. Schedule 1A: Relevant offences for the purposes of section 17
  59. Murder and manslaughter
  60. 1Paragraph 1
  61. 2Paragraph 2
  62. 3Paragraph 3
  63. Offences against the Person Act 1861 (c. 100)
  64. 4Paragraph 4
  65. 5Paragraph 5
  66. 6Paragraph 6
  67. 7Paragraph 7
  68. 8Paragraph 8
  69. Prevention of Crime Act 1953 (c. 14)
  70. 9Paragraph 9
  71. 9AParagraph 9A
  72. Firearms Act 1968 (c. 27)
  73. 10Paragraph 10
  74. 11Paragraph 11
  75. 12Paragraph 12
  76. 13Paragraph 13
  77. 14Paragraph 14
  78. 15Paragraph 15
  79. 16Paragraph 16
  80. 17Paragraph 17
  81. 18Paragraph 18
  82. 19Paragraph 19
  83. 20Paragraph 20
  84. 21Paragraph 21
  85. 22Paragraph 22
  86. 23Paragraph 23
  87. 24Paragraph 24
  88. Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c. 33)
  89. 25Paragraph 25
  90. 26Paragraph 26
  91. 26AParagraph 26A
  92. Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 (c. 38)
  93. 27Paragraph 27
  94. 28Paragraph 28
  95. 29Paragraph 29
  96. Serious Crime Act 2015
  97. 29AParagraph 29A
  98. General
  99. 30Paragraph 30
  100. 31Paragraph 31
  101. Interpretation
  102. 32Paragraph 32
  103. Schedule 2: Reporting restrictions: miscellaneous amendments
  104. Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (c.12)
  105. 1Paragraph 1
  106. 2Paragraph 2 Not yet in force
  107. 3Paragraph 3
  108. Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1976 (c.82)
  109. 4Paragraph 4
  110. Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 (N.I.15)
  111. 5Paragraph 5
  112. Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992 (c.34)
  113. 6Paragraph 6
  114. 7Paragraph 7
  115. 8Paragraph 8
  116. 9Paragraph 9
  117. 10Paragraph 10
  118. 11Paragraph 11
  119. 12Paragraph 12
  120. 13Paragraph 13
  121. 14Paragraph 14
  122. Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 1994 (N.I.15)
  123. 15Paragraph 15
  124. Schedule 2A: Restriction of reporting of criminal proceedings for lifetime of witnesses and victims under 18: providers of information society services
  125. Domestic service providers: extension of liability
  126. 1Paragraph 1 Repealed
  127. Non-UK service providers: restriction on institution of proceedings
  128. 2Paragraph 2 Repealed
  129. Exceptions for mere conduits
  130. 3Paragraph 3
  131. Exception for caching
  132. 4Paragraph 4
  133. Exception for hosting
  134. 5Paragraph 5
  135. Interpretation
  136. 6Paragraph 6
  137. Schedule 3: Restriction on use of answers etc. obtained under compulsion
  138. Insurance Companies Act 1982 (c.50)
  139. 1Paragraph 1
  140. 2Paragraph 2
  141. 3Paragraph 3
  142. Companies Act 1985 (c.6)
  143. 4Paragraph 4 Repealed
  144. 5Paragraph 5 Repealed
  145. 6Paragraph 6 Repealed
  146. Insolvency Act 1986 (c.45)
  147. 7Paragraph 7
  148. Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 (c.46)
  149. 8Paragraph 8
  150. Building Societies Act 1986 (c.53)
  151. 9Paragraph 9
  152. Financial Services Act 1986 (c.60)
  153. 10Paragraph 10
  154. 11Paragraph 11
  155. 12Paragraph 12
  156. 13Paragraph 13 Repealed
  157. 14Paragraph 14 Repealed
  158. 15Paragraph 15 Repealed
  159. Banking Act 1987 (c.22)
  160. 16Paragraph 16
  161. 17Paragraph 17
  162. 18Paragraph 18
  163. 19Paragraph 19
  164. Criminal Justice Act 1987 (c.38)
  165. 20Paragraph 20
  166. Companies Act 1989 (c.40)
  167. 21Paragraph 21
  168. 23Paragraph 23
  169. Friendly Societies Act 1992 (c.40)
  170. 24Paragraph 24
  171. Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 (c.39)
  172. 25Paragraph 25
  173. Criminal Evidence Act 1898 (c.36)
  174. Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (c.12) Not yet in force
  175. 2Paragraph 2 Not yet in force
  176. Children and Young Persons Act 1963 (c.37) Not yet in force
  177. 3Paragraph 3 Not yet in force
  178. Criminal Appeal Act 1968 (c.19) Not yet in force
  179. Children and Young Persons Act 1969 (c.54)
  180. Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (c.53)
  181. Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 (c.43)
  182. 7Paragraph 7
  183. 9Paragraph 9
  184. Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c.48)
  185. 10Paragraph 10
  186. Mental Health Act 1983 (c.20)
  187. 11Paragraph 11
  188. Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (c.33)
  189. 12Paragraph 12
  190. 13Paragraph 13
  191. 14Paragraph 14
  192. Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c.33)
  193. 15Paragraph 15
  194. 17Paragraph 17
  195. Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (N.I.18) Not yet in force
  196. Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (N.I.19) Not yet in force
  197. 19Paragraph 19 Not yet in force
  198. Criminal Justice Act 1991 (c.53)
  199. 21Paragraph 21 Not yet in force
  200. 22Paragraph 22
  201. 23Paragraph 23
  202. 24Paragraph 24 Not yet in force
  203. Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (c.37)
  204. 25Paragraph 25
  205. 28Paragraph 28
  206. Schedule 6Repeals
  207. Schedule 7: Transitional provisions and savings
  208. 3Paragraph 3
  209. 4Paragraph 4
  210. 5Paragraph 5
  211. Reporting restrictions
  212. 6Paragraph 6
  213. 7Paragraph 7
  214. 8Paragraph 8