{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/youth-justice-and-criminal-evidence-act-1999/section-33",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/youth-justice-and-criminal-evidence-act-1999/section-33.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1999/23",
  "legislation_title": "Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/youth-justice-and-criminal-evidence-act-1999",
  "path": "section/33",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "33",
  "heading": "Interpretation etc. of Chapter I.",
  "text": "(1) In this Chapter—\n“eligible witness” means a witness eligible for assistance by virtue of section 16 or 17;\n“live link” has the meaning given by section 24(8);\n“quality”, in relation to the evidence of a witness, shall be construed in accordance with section 16(5);\n“special measures direction” means (in accordance with section 19(5)) a direction under section 19.\n(2) In this Chapter references to the special measures available in relation to a witness shall be construed in accordance with section 18.\n(3) In this Chapter references to a person being able to see or hear, or be seen or heard by, another person are to be read as not applying to the extent that either of them is unable to see or hear by reason of any impairment of eyesight or hearing.\n(4) In the case of any proceedings in which there is more than one accused—\n(a) any reference to the accused in sections 23 to 28 may be taken by a court, in connection with the giving of a special measures direction, as a reference to all or any of the accused, as the court may determine, and\n(b) any such direction may be given on the basis of any such determination.\n(5) For the purposes of this Chapter as it applies in relation to a witness who is the complainant in respect of a relevant offence, where the age of the witness is uncertain and there are reasons to believe that the witness is under the age of 18, that witness is presumed to be under the age of 18.\n(6) In subsection (5) “relevant offence” means—\n(a) a sexual offence;\n(b) an offence under section 1 of the Protection of Children Act 1978;\n(c) an offence under section 160 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988;\n(d) an offence under section 1 or 2 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 33(5)(6) inserted (6.4.2013) by The Trafficking People for Exploitation Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/554), reg. 1(b), Sch. para. 4 (with Sch. para. 6)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 33(5) substituted (18.12.2013) by The Special Measures for Child Witnesses (Sexual Offences) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/2971), regs. 1(b), 2(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "S. 33(6) substituted (18.12.2013) by The Special Measures for Child Witnesses (Sexual Offences) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/2971), regs. 1(b), 2(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in s. 33(6)(d) substituted (31.7.2015) by Modern Slavery Act 2015 (c. 30), ss. 46(4), 61(1); S.I. 2015/1476, reg. 2(e) (with regs. 3, 6, 8)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 33 applied (with modifications) (31.10.2009) by The Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 (Application to Service Courts) Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/2083), arts. 1, 3, 4"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 33 wholly in force at 24.7.2002; Pt.II Chs. 1-4 (ss. 16-52) in force for certain purposes at Royal Assent, see s. 68(4); s. 33 in force in so far as not already in force at 24.7.2002 by S.I. 2002/1739 {art. 2(b)}"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "inserted",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2026/20",
      "affecting_title": "Crime and Policing Act 2026"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1999/23/section/33",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:21:51.659271+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."
}