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Criminal Justice Act 1991


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Criminal Justice Act 1991

c i e
AT 25 of 1991

CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACT 1991

Criminal Justice Act 1991 Index


c AT 25 of 1991 Page 3

c i e
CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACT 1991

Index Section Page

PART 1 – EVIDENCE 7

CHAPTER I 7
Evidence in criminal proceedings - Documents 7

1 First-hand hearsay .......................................................................................................... 7
2 Business documents ....................................................................................................... 8
3 Principles to be followed by court ................................................................................ 9
4 Statements in documents prepared for criminal proceedings etc ......................... 10
5 Proof of statements contained in documents ............................................................ 10
6 Documentary evidence: supplementary ................................................................... 11
7 Evidence from computer records ............................................................................... 11
8 Microfilm copies ........................................................................................................... 12
9 Saving ............................................................................................................................. 12
10 Chapter I: Interpretation .............................................................................................. 12
CHAPTER II 13
Evidence in criminal proceedings – General 13

Confessions 13

11 Confessions .................................................................................................................... 13
12 [Repealed] ...................................................................................................................... 14
Miscellaneous 14

13 Exclusion of unfair evidence ....................................................................................... 14
14 Time for taking accused’s evidence ........................................................................... 14
15 Competence and compellability of accused’s spouse or civil partner .................. 14
16 Expert reports ................................................................................................................ 16
17 and 18 [Repealed] ......................................................................................................... 16
19 Chapter II: Interpretation ............................................................................................. 16
CHAPTER III 17
Exchange of evidence or information 17

19A Definitions for Chapter III ........................................................................................... 17
20 Evidence or information for use in Island ................................................................. 17
Index Criminal Justice Act 1991


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21 Evidence or information for use outside Island ....................................................... 18
21A Offence of disclosure.................................................................................................... 20
22 Search etc for material relevant to section 21 ........................................................... 21
23 Rules of court ................................................................................................................ 23
PART 2 23

24 to 26 [Repealed] ............................................................................................................ 23
PART 3 – MISCELLANEOUS AND SUPPLEMENTAL 23

26A Transfer of prisoner in the Island to assist investigation overseas........................ 23
26B Transfer of prisoner to assist investigation in the Island ........................................ 25
27 Offensive weapons ....................................................................................................... 26
27A Offence of having article with blade or point in public place ................................ 27
27B Offence of having article with blade or point (or offensive weapon) on
school premises ............................................................................................................. 28
27C Power of entry to search for articles with a blade or point and offensive
weapons ......................................................................................................................... 29
28 Search warrants for offensive weapons .................................................................... 30
29 [Repealed] ...................................................................................................................... 30
30 Service of process in Island ......................................................................................... 30
31 Service of process outside Island ............................................................................... 31
32 Enforcement of external forfeiture orders ................................................................ 32
33 Amendments: misuse etc of drugs............................................................................. 33
34 Amendments: miscellaneous ...................................................................................... 33
35 Repeals ........................................................................................................................... 33
36 Short title and commencement ................................................................................... 33
SCHEDULE 1 35

PROVISIONS SUPPLEMENTARY TO SECTION 7 35
SCHEDULE 2 36

PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE HIGH BAILIFF UNDER SECTION 21 36
SCHEDULE 3 38

AMENDMENTS RELATING TO MISUSE ETC. OF DRUGS 38
SCHEDULE 4 38

MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACTS 38
SCHEDULE 5 38

REPEAL OF ENACTMENTS 38
ENDNOTES 41

TABLE OF LEGISLATION HISTORY 41
Criminal Justice Act 1991 Index


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TABLE OF RENUMBERED PROVISIONS 41
TABLE OF ENDNOTE REFERENCES 41

Criminal Justice Act 1991 Section 1


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c i e
CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACT 1991

Received Royal Assent: 15 October 1991
Passed: 15 October 1991
Commenced: See endnotes
AN ACT
to make new provision for evidence in criminal proceedings; to enable
the review of sentences on the application of the Attorney General; to make
new provision with respect to offensive weapons; to prohibit the supply to
persons under the age of 18 of certain substances which may cause intoxication
if inhaled; to make new provision for the service of process; to make new
provision for forfeiture orders; to amend enactments relating to the misuse etc.
of drugs; to make miscellaneous amendments to enactments relating to the
criminal law; and for connected purposes.
GENERAL NOTE:
The maximum fines in this Act are as increased by the Criminal
Justice (Penalties, Etc.) Act 1993 s 1.
PART 1 – EVIDENCE

CHAPTER I
Evidence in criminal proceedings - Documents
1 First-hand hearsay

[P1988/33/23]
(1) Subject —
(a) to subsection (4);
(b) to section 6(6) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1969 (evidence given
orally at original trial to be given orally at retrial); and
(c) to section 7,
a statement made by a person in a document shall be admissible in criminal
proceedings as evidence of any fact of which direct oral evidence by him would
be admissible if —
Section 2 Criminal Justice Act 1991


Page 8 AT 25 of 1991 c

(i) the requirements of one of the paragraphs of subsection (2)
are satisfied; or
(ii) the requirements of subsection (3) are satisfied.
(2) The requirements mentioned in subsection (1)(i) are —
(a) that the person who made the statement is dead or by reason of
his bodily or mental condition unfit to attend as a witness;
(b) the person who made the statement is outside the Island and it is
not reasonably practicable to secure his attendance; or
(c) that all reasonable steps have been taken to find the person who
made the statement, but that he cannot be found.
(3) The requirements mentioned in subsection (1)(ii) are —
(a) that the statement was made to a police officer or some other
person charged with the duty of investigating offences or
charging offenders; and
(b) that the person who made it does not give oral evidence through
fear or because he is kept out of the way.
(4) Subsection (1) does not render admissible a confession made by an
accused person that would not be admissible under section 11.
2 Business documents

[P1988/33/24]
(1) Subject —
(a) to subsections (3) and (4);
(b) to section 6(6) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1969; and
(c) to section 7,
a statement in a document shall be admissible in criminal proceedings as
evidence of any fact of which direct oral evidence would be admissible, if
the following conditions are satisfied —
(i) the document was created or received by a person in the
course of a trade, business, profession or other occupation,
or as the holder of a paid or unpaid office; and
(ii) the information contained in the document was supplied
by a person (whether or not the maker of the statement)
who had, or may reasonably be supposed to have had,
personal knowledge of the matters dealt with.
(2) Subsection (1) applies whether the information contained in the
document was supplied directly or indirectly but, if it was supplied
indirectly, only if each person through whom it was supplied
received it —
Criminal Justice Act 1991 Section 3


c AT 25 of 1991 Page 9

(a) in the course of a trade, business, profession or other
occupation; or
(b) as the holder of a paid or unpaid office.
(3) Subsection (1) does not render admissible a confession made by an
accused person that would not be admissible under section 11.
(4) A statement prepared otherwise than under section 16, 18 or 20 for the
purposes —
(a) of pending or contemplated criminal proceedings; or
(b) of a criminal investigation,
shall not be admissible by virtue of subsection (1) unless —
(i) the requirements of one of the paragraphs of section 1(2)
are satisfied; or
(ii) the requirements of section 1(3) are satisfied; or
(iii) the person who made the statement cannot reasonably be
expected (having regard to the time which has elapsed
since he made the statement and to all the circumstances)
to have any recollection of the matters dealt with in the
statement.
3 Principles to be followed by court

[P1988/33/25]
(1) If, having regard to all the circumstances —
(a) the Court of General Gaol Delivery on a trial on information;
(b) the Staff of Government Division; or
(c) a court of summary jurisdiction on a trial of a complaint;
is of the opinion that in the interests of justice a statement which is
admissible by virtue of section 1 or 2 nevertheless ought not to be
admitted, it may direct that the statement shall not be admitted.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), it shall be the duty
of the court to have regard —
(a) to the nature and source of the document containing the statement
and to whether or not, having regard to its nature and source and
to any other circumstances that appear to the court to be relevant,
it is likely that the document is authentic;
(b) to the extent to which the statement appears to supply evidence
which would otherwise not be readily available;
(c) to the relevance of the evidence that it appears to supply to any
issue which is likely to have to be determined in the proceedings;
and
Section 4 Criminal Justice Act 1991


Page 10 AT 25 of 1991 c

(d) to any risk, having regard in particular to whether it is likely to be
possible to controvert the statement if the person making it does
not attend to give oral evidence in the proceedings, that its
admission or exclusion will result in unfairness to the accused or,
if there is more than one, to any of them.
4 Statements in documents prepared for criminal proceedings etc

[P1988/33/26]
Where a statement which is admissible in criminal proceedings by virtue of
section 1 or 2 appears to the court to have been prepared, otherwise than under
section 16, 18 or 20, for the purposes —
(a) of pending or contemplated criminal proceedings; or
(b) of a criminal investigation,
the statement shall not be given in evidence in any criminal proceedings
without the leave of the court, and the court shall not give leave unless it is of
the opinion that the statement ought to be admitted in the interests of justice;
and in considering whether its admission would be in the interests of justice, it
shall be the duty of the court to have regard —
(i) to the contents of the statement;
(ii) to any risk, having regard in particular to whether it is
likely to be possible to controvert the statement if the
person making it does not attend to give oral evidence in
the proceedings, that its admission or exclusion will result
in unfairness to the accused or, if there is more than one, to
any of them; and
(iii) to any other circumstances that appear to the court to be
relevant.
5 Proof of statements contained in documents

[P1988/33/27]
Where a statement contained in a document is admissible as evidence in
criminal proceedings, it may be proved —
(a) by the production of that document; or
(b) (whether or not that document is still in existence) by the
production of a copy of that document, or of the material part of
it,
authenticated in such manner as the court may approve; and it is immaterial for
the purposes of this subsection how many removes there are between a copy
and the original.
Criminal Justice Act 1991 Section 6


c AT 25 of 1991 Page 11

6 Documentary evidence: supplementary

[P1988/33/Sch 2]
(1) Where a statement is admitted as evidence in criminal proceedings by
virtue of this Chapter —
(a) any evidence which, if the person making the statement had been
called as a witness, would have been admissible as relevant to his
credibility as a witness shall be admissible for that purpose in
those proceedings;
(b) evidence may, with the leave of the court, be given of any matter
which, if that person had been called as a witness, could have
been put to him in cross-examination as relevant to his credibility
as a witness but of which evidence could not have been adduced
by the cross-examining party; and
(c) evidence tending to prove that that person, whether before or
after making the statement, made (whether orally or not) some
other statement which is inconsistent with it shall be admissible
for the purpose of showing that he had contradicted himself.

(2) A statement which is given in evidence by virtue of this Chapter shall
not be capable of corroborating evidence given by the person making it.
(3) In estimating the weight, if any, to be attached to such a statement regard
shall be had to all the circumstances from which any inference can
reasonably be drawn as to its accuracy or otherwise.
(4) Without prejudice to the generality of any enactment conferring power
to make them —
(a) Criminal Appeal Rules; and
(b) rules under section 91 of the Summary Jurisdiction Act 1989,
may make such provision as appears to the authority making any of
them to be necessary or expedient for the purposes of this Chapter.
(5) The Deemsters may make such rules of court for regulating the
procedure in the Court of General Gaol Delivery as appear to them to be
necessary or expedient for the purposes of, or for supplementing, this
Chapter.
(6) Rules under subsection (5) shall be laid before Tynwald.
7 Evidence from computer records

[P1984/60/69 and 70]
(1) In any proceedings, a statement in a document produced by a computer
shall not be admissible as evidence of any fact stated therein unless it is
shown —
Section 8 Criminal Justice Act 1991


Page 12 AT 25 of 1991 c

(a) that there are no reasonable grounds for believing that the
statement is inaccurate because of improper use of the computer;
(b) that at all material times the computer was operating properly, or
if not, that any respect in which it was not operating properly or
was out of operation was not such as to affect the production of
the document or the accuracy of its contents; and
(c) that any relevant conditions specified in rules of court under this
Chapter are satisfied.
(2) Schedule 1 shall have effect for the purpose of supplementing this
section.
8 Microfilm copies

[P1984/60/71]
In any proceedings the contents of a document may (whether or not the
document is still in existence) be proved by the production of an enlargement of
a microfilm copy of that document or of the material part of it, authenticated in
such manner as the court may approve.
9 Saving

[P1988/33/28]
Nothing in this Chapter shall prejudice —
(a) the admissibility of a statement not made by a person while
giving oral evidence in court which is admissible otherwise than
by virtue of this Chapter; or
(b) any power of a court to exclude at its discretion a statement
admissible by virtue of this Chapter.
10 Chapter I: Interpretation

[P1984/60/72(1)]
In this Chapter —
“confession
” includes any statement wholly or partly adverse to the person
who made it, whether made to a person in authority or not and whether
made in words or otherwise;
“copy
” includes a transcript of sounds or data embodied in a document and a
reproduction or still reproduction of images so embodied (whether
enlarged or not);
“statement
” includes any representation of fact, whether made in words or
otherwise.
Criminal Justice Act 1991 Section 11


c AT 25 of 1991 Page 13

CHAPTER II
Evidence in criminal proceedings – General
Confessions
11 Confessions

[P1984/60/76]
(1) In any proceedings a confession made by an accused person may be
given in evidence against him in so far as it is relevant to any matter in
issue in the proceedings and is not excluded by the court in pursuance of
this section.
(2) If, in any proceedings where the prosecution proposes to give in
evidence a confession made by an accused person, it is represented to the
court that the confession was or may have been obtained —
(a) by oppression of the person who made it; or
(b) in consequence of anything said or done which was likely, in the
circumstances existing at the time, to render unreliable any
confession which might be made by him in consequence thereof,
the court shall not allow the confession to be given in evidence against
him except in so far as the prosecution proves to the court beyond
reasonable doubt that the confession (notwithstanding that it may be
true) was not obtained as aforesaid.
(3) In any proceedings where the prosecution proposes to give in evidence a
confession made by an accused person, the court may of its own motion
require the prosecution, as a condition of allowing it to do so, to prove
that the confession was not obtained as mentioned in subsection (2).
(4) The fact that a confession is wholly or partly excluded in pursuance of
this section shall not affect the admissibility in evidence —
(a) of any facts discovered as a result of the confession; or
(b) where the confession is relevant as showing that the accused
speaks, writes or expresses himself in a particular way, of so
much of the confession as is necessary to show that he does so.
(5) Evidence that a fact to which this subsection applies was discovered as a
result of a statement made by an accused person shall not be admissible
unless evidence of how it was discovered is given by him or on his
behalf.
(6) Subsection (5) applies —
(a) to any fact discovered as a result of a confession which is wholly
excluded in pursuance of this section; and
Section 12 Criminal Justice Act 1991


Page 14 AT 25 of 1991 c

(b) to any fact discovered as a result of a confession which is partly so
excluded, if the fact is discovered as a result of the excluded part
of the confession.
(7) Nothing in Chapter I shall prejudice the admissibility of a confession
made by an accused person.
(8) In this section “oppression” includes torture, inhuman or degrading
treatment, and the use or threat of violence (whether or not amounting to
torture).
12 [Repealed]
1

Miscellaneous
13 Exclusion of unfair evidence

[P1984/60/78]
(1) In any proceedings the court may refuse to allow evidence on which the
prosecution proposes to rely to be given if it appears to the court that,
having regard to all the circumstances, including the circumstances in
which the evidence was obtained, the admission of the evidence would
have such an adverse effect on the fairness of the proceedings that the
court ought not to admit it.
(2) Nothing in this section shall prejudice any rule of law requiring a court
to exclude evidence.
14 Time for taking accused’s evidence

[P1984/60/79]
If at the trial of any person for an offence —
(a) the defence intends to call 2 or more witnesses to the facts of the
case; and
(b) those witnesses include the accused,
the accused shall be called before the other witness or witnesses unless the court
in its discretion otherwise directs.
15 Competence and compellability of accused’s spouse or civil partner

[P1984/60/80]
(1) In any proceedings the spouse or civil partner of the accused shall be
competent to give evidence —
(a) subject to subsection (4), for the prosecution; and
(b) on behalf of the accused or any person jointly charged with the
accused.2

Criminal Justice Act 1991 Section 15


c AT 25 of 1991 Page 15

(2) In any proceedings the spouse or civil partner of the accused shall,
subject to subsection (4), be compellable to give evidence on behalf of the
accused.3

(3) In any proceedings the spouse or civil partner of the accused shall,
subject to subsection (4), be compellable to give evidence for the
prosecution or on behalf of any person jointly charged with the accused
if and only if —
(a) the offence charged involves an assault on, or injury or a threat of
injury to, the spouse or civil partner of the accused or a person
who was at the material time under the age of 16; or4

(aa) the offence charged is a sexual offence against the spouse or civil
partner of the accused; or5

(b) the offence charged is a sexual offence alleged to have been
committed in respect of a person who was at the material time
under that age; or
(c) the offence charged consists of attempting or conspiring to
commit, or of aiding, abetting, counselling, procuring or inciting
the commission of, an offence falling within paragraph (a) or (b)
or of attempting to commit any offence falling within
paragraph (aa).6

(4) Where both spouses or civil partners are jointly charged with an offence
neither of the spouses or civil partners shall at the trial be competent or
compellable by virtue of subsection (1)(a), (2) or (3) to give evidence in
respect of that offence unless that spouse or civil partner is not, or is no
longer, liable to be convicted of that offence at the trial as a result of
pleading guilty or for any other reason.7

(5) In any proceedings a person who has been but is no longer married to, or
the civil partner of, the accused shall be competent and compellable to
give evidence as if that person and the accused had never been spouses
or civil partners of each other.8

(5A) In any proceedings a person who is married to, or is a civil partner of, the
accused, but was not the accused’s spouse or civil partner at the time of
the commission of the offence, shall be competent and compellable to
give evidence as if that person and the accused were not married or civil
partners.9

(6) Where in any proceedings the age of any person at any time is material
for the purposes of subsection (3), his age at the material time shall for
the purposes of that provision be deemed to be or to have been that
which appears to the court to be or to have been his age at that time.
(7) In subsection (3) “sexual offence” means an offence under the Sexual
Offences Act 1992.10

Section 16 Criminal Justice Act 1991


Page 16 AT 25 of 1991 c

(8) The failure of the spouse or civil partner of the accused to give evidence
shall not be made the subject of any comment by the prosecution.11

16 Expert reports

[P1988/33/30]
(1) An expert report shall be admissible as evidence in criminal proceedings,
whether or not the person making it attends to give oral evidence in
those proceedings.
(2) If it is proposed that the person making the report shall not give oral
evidence, the report shall only be admissible with the leave of the court.
(3) For the purpose of determining whether to give leave the court shall
have regard —
(a) to the contents of the report;
(b) to the reasons why it is proposed that the person making the
report shall not give oral evidence;
(c) to any risk, having regard in particular to whether it is likely to be
possible to controvert statements in the report if the person
making it does not attend to give oral evidence in the
proceedings, that its admission or exclusion will result in
unfairness to the accused or, if there is more than one, to any of
them; and
(d) to any other circumstances that appear to the court to be relevant.
(4) An expert report, when admitted, shall be evidence of any fact or opinion
of which the person making it could have given in oral evidence.
(5) In this section “expert report” means a written report by a person dealing
wholly or mainly with matters on which he is (or would if living be)
qualified to give expert advice.
17 and 18 [Repealed]
12

19 Chapter II: Interpretation

[P1984/60/82]
(1) In this Chapter, “confession
” has the meaning given in section 10.
(2) Nothing in this Chapter shall prejudice any power of a court to exclude
evidence (whether by preventing questions from being put or otherwise)
at its discretion.
Criminal Justice Act 1991 Section 20


c AT 25 of 1991 Page 17

CHAPTER III
Exchange of evidence or information13

19A Definitions for Chapter III

In this Chapter —
“criminal proceedings
” includes criminal proceedings in which a civil order
may be made;
“evidence or information
” includes evidence or information in any form and
articles, and giving evidence or information includes answering a
question or producing any evidence, information or article.14

20 Evidence or information for use in Island

[P1990/5/3]
(1) Where on an application made in accordance with subsection (2) below it
appears to a justice of the peace or a Judge —
(a) that an offence has been committed or that there are reasonable
grounds for suspecting that an offence has been committed; and
(b) that proceedings in respect of the offence have been instituted or
that the offence is being investigated,
he may issue a letter (“a letter of request”) requesting assistance in
obtaining outside the Island such evidence or information as is specified
in the letter for use in the proceedings or investigation and shall send the
letter to the Attorney General for transmission under subsection (4).15

(2) An application under subsection (1) may be made by a prosecuting
authority or, if proceedings have been instituted, by the person charged
in those proceedings.
(3) The Attorney General may issue a letter of request if —
(a) he is satisfied as to the matters mentioned in subsection (1)(a); and
(b) the offence in question is being investigated or the prosecuting
authority has instituted proceedings in respect of it.
(4) The Attorney General shall transmit letters of request issued under
subsections (1) and (3) either —
(a) to a court or tribunal specified in the letter and exercising
jurisdiction in the place where the evidence or information is to be
obtained; or16

(b) to any authority recognised by the government of the country or
territory in question as the appropriate authority for receiving
requests for assistance of the kind to which this section applies.
Section 21 Criminal Justice Act 1991


Page 18 AT 25 of 1991 c

(5) In this section “evidence or information” includes documents and other
articles.17

(6) Evidence or information obtained by virtue of a letter of request shall not
without the consent of such an authority as is mentioned in
subsection (4)(b) be used for any purpose other than that specified in the
letter.18

(7) When any document or other article obtained pursuant to a letter of
request is no longer required for that purpose (or for any other purpose
for which such consent has been obtained), it shall be returned to such an
authority unless that authority indicates that the document or article
need not be returned.
(8) In exercising the discretion conferred by section 3 in relation to a
statement contained in evidence or information taken pursuant to a letter
of request the court shall have regard —
(a) to whether it was possible to challenge the statement by
questioning the person who made it; and
(b) if proceedings have been instituted, to whether the local law
allowed the parties to the proceedings to be legally represented
when the evidence or information was being taken.19
20
21

21 Evidence or information for use outside Island

[P1990/5/4 and P2003/32/14]
(1) This section has effect where the Attorney General receives —
(a) from a court or tribunal exercising criminal jurisdiction in a
country or territory outside the Island or a prosecuting authority
in such a country or territory; or
(b) from any other authority in such a country or territory which
appears to the Attorney General to have the function of making
requests of the kind to which this section applies,
a request for assistance in obtaining evidence or information in the Island
in connection with proceedings or an investigation mentioned in
subsection (2).22

(2) The request for assistance in obtaining the evidence or information must
be made in connection with —
(a) criminal proceedings or a criminal investigation, being carried on
outside the Island;
(b) administrative proceedings, or an investigation into an act
punishable in such proceedings, being carried on there;
(c) clemency proceedings, or proceedings on an appeal before a court
against a decision in administrative proceedings, being carried on,
or intended to be carried on, there.23

Criminal Justice Act 1991 Section 21


c AT 25 of 1991 Page 19

(3) In a case within subsection (2)(a) or (b), the Attorney General may
arrange for the evidence or information to be so obtained only if
satisfied —
(a) that an offence under the law of the country or territory in
question has been committed or that there are reasonable grounds
for suspecting that such an offence has been committed; and
(b) that proceedings in respect of the offence have been instituted in
that country or territory or that an investigation into the offence is
being carried on there.24

(4) In subsection (2), an offence includes an act punishable in administrative
proceedings.
(5) Subject to subsections (2), (3) and (7), where the Attorney General
receives a request under subsection (1) the Attorney General may cause
an application to be made to the High Bailiff to receive such of the
evidence or information to which the request relates as may appear to
the High Bailiff to be appropriate for the purposes of giving effect to the
request.25

(6) The Attorney General is to regard as conclusive a certificate as to the
matters mentioned in subsection (3)(a) and (b) issued by any authority in
the country or territory in question which appears to the Attorney
General to be the appropriate authority to do so.
(7) If it appears to the Attorney General that the request for assistance
relates to a fiscal offence in respect of which proceedings have not yet
been instituted, the Attorney General may not arrange for the evidence
or information to be so obtained unless —
(a) the request is from a country or territory which is a member of the
Commonwealth or is made pursuant to a treaty to which the
United Kingdom is a party and extends to the Island; or
(b) the Attorney General is satisfied that if the conduct constituting
the offence were to occur in the Island, it would constitute an
offence in the Island.26

(8) Subject to subsection (9), where —
(a) the High Bailiff has received evidence or information pursuant to
an application under subsection (5); and27

(b) the Attorney General has transmitted that evidence or
information pursuant to paragraph 4(1) of Schedule 2,28

the Attorney General may transmit that evidence or information to
another court, tribunal or authority.29

(9) The Attorney General must not transmit evidence or information under
subsection (8) unless —
Section 21 Criminal Justice Act 1991


Page 20 AT 25 of 1991 c

(a) the Attorney General has received a request for assistance
pursuant to subsection (1) from the other court, tribunal or
authority referred to in subsection (8);
(b) in a case within subsection (2)(a) or (b), the Attorney General is
satisfied as to the matters mentioned in subsection (3)(a) and (b);
and
(c) where the request relates to a fiscal offence in respect of which
proceedings have not yet been instituted, the Attorney General is
satisfied as to the matters mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b) in
subsection (7).30

(10) Schedule 2 is to have effect in relation to proceedings before the High
Bailiff in pursuance of an application under this section.
(11) In this section —
“administrative proceedings” include proceedings outside the Island brought
by administrative authorities in the requesting country or territory in
respect of acts which are punishable under the laws of that country or
territory as infringements of the law, and where a decision in the
proceedings may be the subject of an appeal before a court exercising
criminal jurisdiction in that country or territory;
“clemency proceedings” means proceedings in a country or territory outside the
Island, not being proceedings before a court exercising criminal
jurisdiction, for the removal or reduction of a penalty imposed on
conviction of an offence.
“criminal proceedings” [Repealed]31

“evidence” [Repealed]32

21A Offence of disclosure

[P2003/32/42]
(1) This section applies where the Attorney General receives a request under
section 21 for evidence or information to be obtained from a financial
institution.33

(2) Subject to subsection (4), if the institution, or an employee of the
institution, discloses any of the following information, the institution or
(as the case may be) the employee commits an offence.
(3) That information is —
(a) that the request mentioned in subsection (1) has been received;
(b) that the investigation to which the request relates is being carried
out; or
(c) that, in pursuance of the request, information has been, is to be or
may be given to the authority which made the request.
Criminal Justice Act 1991 Section 22


c AT 25 of 1991 Page 21

(4) No offence is committed under subsection (2) if the disclosure is made —
(a) to an employee, officer or partner of that institution;
(b) to an authority that is the supervisory authority for the institution.
(5) An institution guilty of an offence under this section is liable —
(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding £5,000;
(b) on conviction on information, to a fine.
(6) Any other person guilty of an offence under this section is liable —
(a) on summary conviction, to custody for a term not exceeding 3
months, or to a fine not exceeding £5,000, or to both;
(b) on conviction on information, to custody for a term not exceeding
2 years, or to a fine, or to both.
(7) In this section, “financial institution” and “supervisory authority” each
has the same meaning as in Part 3 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2008.34

22 Search etc for material relevant to section 21

[P1990/5/7]
(1) If, on an application made by the Attorney General a Judge is satisfied —
(a) that, in a country or territory outside the Island, criminal
proceedings have been instituted or a criminal investigation is
being carried out against a person;35

(b) that the conduct constituting the offence which is the subject of
the proceedings or investigation would constitute an offence if it
had occurred in the Island; and36

(c) that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that there is on
premises mentioned in subsection (1A) evidence or information
relating to the offence other than items subject to legal privilege
under that Act,37

he may issue a warrant authorising a constable to enter and search those
premises and to seize any such evidence or information found there.38

(1A) The premises mentioned in subsection (1)(c) are ―
(a) one or more sets of premises occupied or controlled by a person
specified in the application (in which case the application is for a
“specific premises warrant”); or
(b) any premises occupied or controlled by a person specified in the
application, including such sets of premises as are so specified (in
which case the application is for an “all premises warrant”).39

(1B) If the application is for an all premises warrant, the Judge must also be
satisfied ―
Section 22 Criminal Justice Act 1991


Page 22 AT 25 of 1991 c

(a) that, because of the particulars of the conduct mentioned in
subsection (1)(b), there are reasonable grounds for believing that it
is necessary to search premises occupied or controlled by the
person in question that are not specified in the application in
order to find the evidence or information mentioned in subsection
(1)(c); and
(b) that it is not reasonably practicable to specify in the application all
the premises that the person in question occupies or controls and
that might need to be searched.40

(1C) The warrant may authorise entry to and search of premises on more than
one occasion if, on the application, the Judge is satisfied that it is
necessary to authorise multiple entries in order to achieve the purpose
for which the warrant is issued.41

(1D) If the warrant authorises multiple entries, the number of entries
authorised may be unlimited or limited to a maximum.42

(2) The power to search conferred by subsection (1) is only a power to search
to the extent that is reasonably required for the purpose of discovering
such evidence or information as is there mentioned.43

(3) No application for a warrant shall be made under subsection (1) unless it
is in response to a request received —
(a) from a court or tribunal exercising criminal jurisdiction in the
overseas country or territory in question or a prosecuting
authority in that country or territory; or
(b) from any other authority in that country or territory which
appears to him to have the function of making requests for the
purposes,
and any evidence or information seized by a constable by virtue of this
section shall be furnished by him to the Attorney General for
transmission to that court, tribunal or authority.44

(4) If in order to comply with the request it is necessary for any such
evidence or information to be accompanied by any certificate, affidavit or
other verifying document the constable shall also furnish for
transmission such document of that nature as may be required by the
Attorney General.45

(5) Where the evidence or information consists of a document the original or
a copy shall be transmitted, and where it consists of any other article the
article itself or a description, photograph or other representation of it
shall be transmitted, as may be necessary in order to comply with the
request.46

(6) In this section —
Criminal Justice Act 1991 Section 23


c AT 25 of 1991 Page 23

“constable” includes a proper officer within the meaning of the Customs and
Excise Management Act 1986;
“items subject to legal privilege” [Repealed]47

“premises” includes any place and, in particular, includes —
(a) any vehicle, vessel, aircraft or hovercraft;
(b) any offshore installations; and
(c) any tent or moveable structure.
(7) Section 12(2) of the Police Powers and Procedures Act 1998 shall not affect
the operation of this section.48

23 Rules of court

[P1990/5/10]
(1) Provision may be made by rules of court for any purpose for which it
appears to the Deemsters that it is necessary or expedient that provision
should be made in connection with any of the provisions of this Chapter.
(2) Rules made for the purposes of Schedule 2 may, in particular, make
provision with respect to the persons entitled to appear or take part in
the proceedings to which that Schedule applies and for excluding the
public from any such proceedings.
(3) This section is without prejudice to the generality of any existing power
to make rules.
(4) Rules of court under this section shall be laid before Tynwald.
(5) Where no rules of court have been made, the court may adopt such
practice and procedure as it thinks fit.49

PART 2

24 to 26 [Repealed]
50

PART 3 – MISCELLANEOUS AND SUPPLEMENTAL

26A Transfer of prisoner in the Island to assist investigation overseas

[P2003/32/47]
(1) The High Bailiff may, upon hearing the Attorney General in chambers, if
the High Bailiff thinks fit, issue a warrant providing for any person to
whom this section applies (“a prisoner”) to be transferred to a country or
territory outside the Island for the purpose of assisting there in the
investigation of an offence.
(2) This section applies to a person —
Section 23 Criminal Justice Act 1991


Page 24 AT 25 of 1991 c

(a) serving a sentence of custody;
(b) in custody awaiting trial or sentence; or
(c) committed for default in paying a fine.
(3) A warrant may be issued in respect of a prisoner under subsection (1)
only if —
(a) the prisoner; or
(b) in the circumstances mentioned in subsection (4), a person
appearing to the High Bailiff to be an appropriate person to act on
the prisoner’s behalf,
has made a written statement consenting to the prisoner being
transferred for the purpose mentioned in subsection (1).
(4) The circumstances are those in which it appears to the High Bailiff to be
inappropriate for the prisoner to act for himself or herself, by reason of
physical or mental condition or youth.
(5) Such consent cannot be withdrawn after the issue of the warrant.
(6) A warrant under this section authorises —
(a) the taking of the prisoner to a place in the Island and the delivery
of the prisoner at a place of departure from the Island into the
custody of a person representing the appropriate authority of the
country or territory to which the prisoner is to be transferred; and
(b) the bringing of the prisoner back to the Island and the transfer of
the prisoner in custody to the place where the prisoner is liable to
be detained under the sentence or order to which the prisoner is
subject.
(7) Where a warrant has been issued in respect of a prisoner under this
section the prisoner shall be deemed to be in legal custody at any time
when, being in the Island or on board a Manx ship, British ship, British
aircraft or British hovercraft, the prisoner is being taken under the
warrant to or from any place or being kept in custody under the warrant.
(8) A person authorised by or for the purposes of the warrant to take the
prisoner to or from any place or to keep the prisoner in custody shall
have all the powers, authority, protection and privileges of a constable.
(9) If the prisoner escapes or is unlawfully at large, the prisoner may be
arrested without warrant by a constable and taken to any place to which
the prisoner may be taken under the warrant issued under this section.
(10) In subsection (7) —
“British aircraft” means a British-controlled aircraft within the meaning of
section 92 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 (an Act of Parliament) or one of
Her Majesty’s aircraft;
Criminal Justice Act 1991 Section 23


c AT 25 of 1991 Page 25

“British hovercraft” means a British-controlled hovercraft within the meaning of
that section as applied in relation to hovercraft by virtue of provisions
made under the Hovercraft Act 1968 (an Act of Parliament) or one of Her
Majesty’s hovercraft;
“British ship” means a British ship for the purposes of the Merchant Shipping
Act 1995 (an Act of Parliament) or one of Her Majesty’s ships;
“Manx ship” means a Manx ship within the meaning of the Merchant Shipping
Registration Act 1991,
and in this subsection references to Her Majesty’s aircraft, hovercraft or
ships are references to aircraft, hovercraft or, as the case may be, ships
belonging to or exclusively employed in the service of Her Majesty in
right of the Government of the United Kingdom.
(11) Any period spent by a prisoner in custody outside the Island as a result
of this section shall be included for the purposes of the Custody Act 1995
in any calculation made to determine the discharge of the prisoner.
(12) In this section and in section 26B, “the Attorney General” includes,
unless the context otherwise requires, a person who acts on behalf of, or
is otherwise authorised by, the Attorney General.51

26B Transfer of prisoner to assist investigation in the Island

[P2003/32/48]
(1) The High Bailiff may, upon hearing the Attorney General in chambers, if
the High Bailiff thinks fit, issue a warrant providing for any person to
whom this section applies (“an overseas prisoner”) to be transferred to
the Island for the purpose of assisting in the investigation of an offence.
(2) The offence must be one which was or may have been committed in the
Island.
(3) This section applies to a person who is detained in custody in a country
or territory outside the Island —
(a) by virtue of a sentence or order of a court exercising criminal
jurisdiction there; or
(b) in consequence of having been transferred there from the Island
under the Repatriation of Prisoners Act 1984 (an Act of Parliament
having effect in the Island) or under any similar provision or
arrangement from any other country.
(4) A warrant may be issued in respect of an overseas prisoner under
subsection (1) only if the appropriate authority provides a written
statement made by the prisoner consenting to the prisoner being
transferred for the purpose mentioned in that subsection.
(5) Such consent cannot be withdrawn after the issue of the warrant.
(6) A warrant under this section authorises —
Section 27 Criminal Justice Act 1991


Page 26 AT 25 of 1991 c

(a) the bringing of the prisoner to the Island;
(b) the taking of the prisoner to, and the detention of the prisoner in
custody at, any place or places in the Island specified in the
warrant;
(c) the returning of the prisoner to the country or territory from
which the prisoner has come.
(7) Subsections (7) to (10) of section 26A have effect in relation to a warrant
issued under this section as they have effect in relation to a warrant
issued under that section.
(8) A person is not subject to the Immigration Act 1971 (an Act of Parliament
having effect in the Island) in respect of that person’s entry into or
presence in the Island pursuant to a warrant under this section; but if the
warrant ceases to have effect while the person is still in the Island —
(a) the person is to be treated for the purposes of that Act as if the
person has then illegally entered the Island; and
(b) the provisions of Schedule 2 to that Act have effect accordingly
except that paragraph 20(1) (liability of carrier for expenses of
custody etc of illegal entrant) does not have effect in relation to
directions for the person’s removal given by virtue of this
subsection.52

27 Offensive weapons

[P1988/33/141]
(1) Any person who —
(a) manufactures, sells or hires or offers for sale or hire;
(b) exposes or has in his possession for the purpose of sale or hire; or
(c) lends or gives to any other person,
a weapon to which this section applies shall be guilty of an offence and
liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding
6 months or to a fine not exceeding £5,000 or both.
(2) The Department of Home Affairs may by order direct that this section
shall apply to any description of weapon specified in the order except a
firearm within the meaning of section 32(1) of the Firearms Act 1947.
(3) An order under subsection (2) shall not come into operation unless it is
approved by Tynwald.
(4) The importation of a weapon to which this section applies is prohibited.
(5) It shall be a defence for any person charged in respect of any conduct of
his relating to a weapon to which this section applies —
(a) with an offence under subsection (1); or
Criminal Justice Act 1991 Section 27


c AT 25 of 1991 Page 27

(b) with an offence under section 47(2) or (3) of the Customs and Excise
Management Act 1986 (improper importation),
to prove that his conduct was only for the purposes of functions carried
out on behalf of the Crown or of a visiting force.
(6) In this section —
“visiting force” means any body, contingent or detachment of the forces of a
country —
(a) mentioned in section 1(1)(a) of the Visiting Forces Act 1952 (an
Act of Parliament);
(b) designated for the purposes of any provision of that Act by Order
in Council under subsection (2) of that section,
which, on the invitation of the Crown, is present in the Island (including
the territorial waters of the Island) or in any place on, under or above any
other waters, which is within 500 metres of an offshore installation
within the meaning of section 1 of the Mineral Workings (Offshore
Installations) (Isle of Man) Act 1974.
(7) It shall be a defence for any person charged in respect of any conduct of
his relating to a weapon to which this section applies —
(a) with an offence under subsection (1); or
(b) with an offence under section 47(2) and (3) of the Customs and
Excise Management Act 1986,
to prove that the conduct in question was only for the purpose of making
the weapon available to a museum or other institution which has as its
purpose, or one of its purposes, the preservation, display and
interpretation of material of historical, artistic or scientific interest and
gives the public access to it.
(8) If a person acting on behalf of such a museum or institution is charged
with hiring or lending a weapon to which this section applies, it shall be
a defence for him to prove that he had reasonable grounds for believing
that the person to whom he lent or hired it would use it only for cultural,
artistic or educational purposes.
(9) This section shall not have effect in relation to anything done before it
comes into force.
27A Offence of having article with blade or point in public place

[P1988/33/139]
(1) Subject to subsections (4) and (5), any person who has an article to which
this section applies with him in a public place shall be guilty of an
offence.
(2) Subject to subsection (3), this section applies to any article which has a
blade or is sharply pointed.
Section 27 Criminal Justice Act 1991


Page 28 AT 25 of 1991 c

(3) This section does not apply to a folding pocket knife if the cutting edge
of its blade does not exceed 3 inches.
(4) It shall be a defence for a person charged with an offence under this
section to prove that he had good reason or lawful authority for having
the article with him in a public place.
(5) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (4), it shall be a defence
for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that he
had the article with him —
(a) for use at work;
(b) for religious reasons; or
(c) as part of a national costume.
(6) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) shall be liable on
summary conviction to custody for a term not exceeding 6 months or to a
fine not exceeding £5,000 or both.
(7) A constable may arrest without warrant any person whom he has
reasonable cause to believe to be committing an offence under
subsection (1), if the constable is not satisfied as to that person’s identity
or place of residence, or has reasonable cause to believe that it is
necessary to arrest him in order to prevent the commission by him of any
other offence in the course of committing which an offensive weapon
might be used.
(8) In this section “public place” includes any place to which at the material
time the public have or are permitted access, whether on payment or
otherwise.
(9) This section shall not have effect in relation to anything done before it
comes into force.53

27B Offence of having article with blade or point (or offensive weapon) on

school premises

(1) Any person who has an article to which section 27A applies with him on
school premises shall be guilty of an offence.
(2) Any person who has an offensive weapon within the meaning of
section 1 of the Prevention of Crime Act 1954 with him on school premises
shall be guilty of an offence.
(3) It shall be a defence for a person charged with an offence under
subsection (1) or (2) to prove that he had good reason or lawful authority
for having the article or weapon with him on the premises in question.
(4) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (3), it shall be a defence
for a person charged with an offence under subsection (1) or (2) to prove
that he had the article or weapon in question with him —
(a) for use at work,
Criminal Justice Act 1991 Section 27


c AT 25 of 1991 Page 29

(b) for educational purposes,
(c) for religious reasons, or
(d) as part of any national costume.
(5) A person guilty of an offence —
(a) under subsection (1) above shall be liable —
(i) on summary conviction to custody for a term not
exceeding 6 months, or a fine not exceeding £5,000, or both;
(ii) on conviction on information, to custody for a term not
exceeding 4 years, or a fine, or both;
(b) under subsection (2) above shall be liable —
(i) on summary conviction, to custody for a term not
exceeding 6 months, or a fine not exceeding £5,000, or both;
(ii) on conviction on information, to custody for a term not
exceeding 4 years, or a fine, or both.
(6) In this section and section 27C “school premises
” means any land used
for the purposes of any school, college or other educational
establishment (excluding land occupied solely as a dwelling by a person
employed at the school, college or other establishment), and also any
land for the time being used for the purposes of a youth club provided,
maintained or assisted by the Department of Education and Children
under section 36 of the Education Act 2001.54

27C Power of entry to search for articles with a blade or point and offensive

weapons

(1) A constable may enter school premises and search those premises and
any person on those premises for —
(a) any article to which section 27A applies, or
(b) any offensive weapon within the meaning of section 1 of the
Prevention of Crime Act 1954,
if he has reasonable grounds for believing that an offence under
section 27B is being, or has been, committed.
(2) If in the course of a search under this section a constable discovers an
article or weapon which he has reasonable grounds for suspecting to be
an article or weapon of a kind described in subsection (1), he may seize
and retain it.
(3) The constable may use reasonable force, if necessary, in the exercise of
the power of entry conferred by this section.55

Section 28 Criminal Justice Act 1991


Page 30 AT 25 of 1991 c

28 Search warrants for offensive weapons

[P1988/33/142]
(1) If on an application made by a constable a justice of the peace is satisfied
that there are reasonable grounds for believing —
(a) that there are on premises specified in the application —
(i) knives such as are mentioned in section 1(1) of the
Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act 1963; or
(ii) weapons to which section 27 applies; and
(b) that an offence under section 1 of the Restriction of Offensive
Weapons Act 1963 or section 27 has been or is being committed in
relation to them; and
(c) that any of the conditions specified in subsection (3) applies,
he may issue a warrant authorising a constable to enter and search the
premises using such reasonable force as is necessary.
(2) A constable may seize and retain anything for which a search has been
authorised under subsection (1).
(3) The conditions mentioned in subsection (1)(c) are —
(a) that it is not practicable to communicate with any person entitled
to grant entry to the premises;
(b) that it is practicable to communicate with a person entitled to
grant entry to the premises but it is not practicable to
communicate with any person entitled to grant access to the
knives or weapons to which the application relates;
(c) that entry to the premises will not be granted unless a warrant is
produced;
(d) that the purpose of a search may be frustrated or seriously
prejudiced unless a constable arriving at the premises can secure
immediate entry to them.
29 [Repealed]
56

30 Service of process in Island

[P1990/5/1]
(1) This section has effect where the Attorney General receives from the
government of, or other authority in, a country or territory outside the
Island —
(a) a summons or other process requiring a person to appear as
defendant or attend as a witness in criminal proceedings in that
country or territory; or
Criminal Justice Act 1991 Section 31


c AT 25 of 1991 Page 31

(b) a document issued by a court exercising criminal jurisdiction in
that country or territory and recording a decision of the court
made in the exercise of that jurisdiction,
together with a request for it to be served on a person in the Island.
(2) The Attorney General may cause the process or document to be served
by post or, if the request is for personal service, direct the Chief
Constable to cause it to be personally served on him.
(3) Service by virtue of this section of any such process as is mentioned in
subsection (1)(a) shall not impose any obligation under the law of the
Island.
(4) Any such process served by virtue of this section shall be accompanied
by a notice —
(a) stating the effect of subsection (3);
(b) indicating that the person on whom it is served may wish to seek
advice as to the possible consequences of his failing to comply
with the process under the law of the country or territory where it
was issued; and
(c) indicating that under that law he may not, as a witness, be
accorded the same rights and privileges as would be accorded to
him in criminal proceedings in the Island.
(5) Where the Chief Constable is directed under this section to cause any
process or document to be served he shall —
(a) after it has been served forthwith inform the Attorney General
when and how it was served and (if possible) furnish him with a
receipt signed by the person on whom it was served; or
(b) if the Chief Constable has been unable to cause the process or
document to be served he shall forthwith inform the Attorney
General of that fact and of the reason.
(6) This section is without prejudice to the operation of any other statutory
provision.
31 Service of process outside Island

[P1990/5/2]
(1) Process of the following descriptions, that is to say —
(a) a summons requiring a person charged with an offence to appear
before a court in the Island; and
(b) a summons or order requiring a person to attend before a court in
the Island for the purpose of giving evidence in criminal
proceedings,
Section 32 Criminal Justice Act 1991


Page 32 AT 25 of 1991 c

may be issued or made notwithstanding that the person in question is
outside the Island and may be served outside the Island in accordance
with arrangements made by the Attorney General.
(2) Service of any process outside the Island by virtue of this section shall
not impose any obligation under the law of the Island to comply with it
and accordingly failure to do so shall not constitute contempt of any
court or be a ground for issuing a warrant to secure the attendance of the
person in question.
(3) Subsection (2) is without prejudice to the service of any process (with the
usual consequences for noncompliance) on the person in question if
subsequently effected in the Island.
(4) This section is without prejudice to the operation of any other statutory
provision.
32 Enforcement of external forfeiture orders

[P1990/5/9]
(1) The Department of Home Affairs may by order provide for the
enforcement in the Island of any order which —
(a) is made by a court in a country or territory outside the Island
designated for the purposes of this section by the order; and
(b) is for the forfeiture and destruction, or the forfeiture and other
disposal, of anything in respect of which an offence to which this
section applies has been committed or which was used, or
intended for use, in connection with the commission of such an
offence.57

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), an order under this
section may provide for the registration by the High Court of any order
as a condition of its enforcement and prescribe requirements to be
satisfied before an order can be registered.
(3) An order under this section may include such supplementary and
incidental provisions as appear to the Department of Home Affairs to be
necessary or expedient and may apply for the purposes of the Order
(with such modifications as appear to it to be appropriate) any
provisions relating to confiscation or forfeiture orders under any other
enactment.
(4) An order under this section shall be laid before Tynwald as soon as is
practicable after it is made and if Tynwald at the sitting at which it is so
laid or at the next following sitting fails to approve the order it shall
cease to have effect.
(5) This section applies to any offence which corresponds to or is similar to
an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1976 or to which the Proceeds of
Crime Act 2008 applies.58

Criminal Justice Act 1991 Section 33


c AT 25 of 1991 Page 33

(6) An order under this section may authorise the making of rules of court
for any purpose specified in the Order and shall require such rules to be
laid before Tynwald.
33 Amendments: misuse etc of drugs

(1) The enactments specified in Schedule 3 (being enactments relating to
drugs misuse etc.) are amended in accordance with that Schedule.
(2) [Repealed]59

34 Amendments: miscellaneous

The enactments specified in Schedule 4 (being miscellaneous enactments
relating to the criminal law) are amended in accordance with that Schedule.
35 Repeals

The enactments mentioned in Schedule 5 are repealed to the extent specified in
column 3 of that Schedule.
36 Short title and commencement

(1) This Act may be cited as the Criminal Justice Act 1991.
(2) This Act shall come into operation on such day as may be appointed by
order of the Department of Home Affairs and different days may be
appointed for different provisions and different purposes.60

Criminal Justice Act 1991 Schedule 1



c AT 25 of 1991 Page 35

SCHEDULE 1

PROVISIONS SUPPLEMENTARY TO SECTION 7

Section 7 [P1984/60/Sch 3]
1. In any proceedings where it is desired to give a statement in evidence in
accordance with section 7, a certificate —
(a) identifying the document containing the statement and describing
the manner in which it was produced;
(b) giving such particulars of any device involved in the production
of that document as may be appropriate for the purpose of
showing that the document was produced by a computer;
(c) dealing with any of the matters mentioned in section 7(1); and
(d) purporting to be signed by a person occupying a responsible
position in relation to the operation of the computer,
shall be evidence of anything stated in it.
2. For the purposes of paragraph 1 it shall be sufficient for a matter to be stated to
the best of the knowledge and belief of the person stating it.
3. Notwithstanding paragraph 1, a court may require oral evidence to be given on
anything of which evidence could be given by a certificate under that paragraph.
4. Any person who in a certificate tendered under paragraph 1 in a court of
summary jurisdiction, the Court of General Gaol Delivery or the Staff of Government
Division makes a statement which he knows to be false or does not believe to be true
shall be guilty of an offence and liable —
(a) on conviction on information to imprisonment for a term not
exceeding 2 years or to a fine or to both;
(b) on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding
6 months or to a fine not exceeding £5,000.
5. In estimating the weight, if any, to be attached to a statement regard shall be
had to all the circumstances from which any inference can reasonably be drawn as to
the accuracy or otherwise of the statement and, in particular —
(a) to the question whether or not the information which the
information contained in the statement reproduces or is derived
from was supplied to the relevant computer, or recorded for the
purpose of being supplied to it, comtemporaneously with the
occurrence or existence of the facts dealt with in that
information; and
Schedule 2
Criminal Justice Act 1991


Page 36 AT 25 of 1991 c

(b) to the question whether or not any person concerned with the
supply of information to that computer, or with the operation of
that computer or any equipment by means of which the document
containing the statement was produced by it, had any incentive to
conceal or misrepresent the facts.
6. For the purposes of paragraph 5 information shall be taken to be supplied to a
computer whether it is supplied directly or (with or without human intervention) by
means of any appropriate equipment.
7. Where in any proceedings a statement contained in a document is admissible in
evidence in accordance with section 7 it may be proved —
(a) by the production of that document; or
(b) (whether or not that document is still in existence) by the
production of a copy of that document, or of the material part of
it,
authenticated in such manner as the court may approve.
8. For the purpose of deciding whether or not a statement is so admissible the
court may draw any reasonable inference —
(a) from the circumstances in which the statement was made or
otherwise came into being; or
(b) from any other circumstances, including the form and contents of
the document in which the statement is contained.
SCHEDULE 2

PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE HIGH BAILIFF UNDER

SECTION 21

Section 21 [P1990/5/Sch 1]
Securing attendance of witnesses
1. The High Bailiff shall have the like powers for securing the attendance of a
witness for the purpose of the proceedings as he has for the purpose of proceedings
before a court of summary jurisdiction.
Power to administer oaths
2. The High Bailiff may in the proceedings take evidence or information on oath.61

Privilege of witnesses
3. (1) A person shall not be compelled to give in the proceedings any evidence
or information which he could not be compelled to give —
Criminal Justice Act 1991 Schedule 2



c AT 25 of 1991 Page 37

(a) in criminal proceedings in a court of summary jurisdiction; or
(b) subject to sub-paragraph (2), in criminal proceedings in the
country or territory from which the request for the evidence or
information has come.62

(2) Sub-paragraph (1)(b) shall not apply unless the claim of the person
questioned to be exempt from giving the evidence or information is conceded by the
court, tribunal or authority which made the request.63

(3) Where such a claim made by any person is not conceded as aforesaid he
may (subject to the other provisions of this paragraph) be required to give the evidence
or information to which the claim relates but the evidence or information shall not be
transmitted to the court, tribunal or authority which requested it if a court in the
country or territory in question, on the matter being referred to it, upholds the claim.64

(4) Without prejudice to sub-paragraph (1) a person shall not be compelled
under this Schedule to give any evidence or information if his doing so would be
prejudicial to the security of the Island or the United Kingdom; and a certificate signed
by or on behalf of the Chief Minister to the effect that it would be so prejudicial for that
person to do so shall be conclusive evidence of that fact.65

(5) [Repealed]66

(6) In this paragraph references to giving evidence or information include
references to answering any question and to producing any document or other article
and the reference in sub-paragraph (3) to the transmission of evidence or information
given by a person shall be construed accordingly.67

Transmission of evidence or information68

4. (1) The evidence or information received by the High Bailiff shall be
furnished to the Attorney General for transmission to the tribunal or authority that
made the request.69

(2) If in order to comply with the request it is necessary for the evidence or
information to be accompanied by any certificate, affidavit or other verifying
document, the High Bailiff shall also furnish for transmission such document of that
nature as may be specified in the application.70

(3) Where the evidence or information consists of a document the original or
a copy shall be transmitted, and where it consists of any other article the article itself or
a description, photograph or other representation of it shall be transmitted, as may be
necessary in order to comply with the request.71

Supplementary
5. For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that the Bankers’ Books Evidence
Act 1935 applies to the proceedings as it applies to other proceedings before a court.
Schedule 3
Criminal Justice Act 1991


Page 38 AT 25 of 1991 c

Costs
6. No order for costs shall be made in the proceedings.
SCHEDULE 3

AMENDMENTS RELATING TO MISUSE ETC. OF DRUGS

Section 33 [P1990/5/12- 21 and 23- 29]
[Sch 3 amended by Drug Trafficking Act 1996 Sch 3, and amends the following
Act —
Misuse of Drugs Act 1976 q.v.]
SCHEDULE 4

MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE

ACTS

Section 34
[Sch 4 amended by Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1993 Sch 4, by Custody Act 1995
Sch 5 and by Mental Health Act 1998 Sch 6, and amends —
Criminal Code 1872 q.v.
Bail Act 1952 q.v.
Criminal Justice Act 1963 q.v.
Jury Act 1980 q.v.
Theft Act 1981 q.v.
Summary Jurisdiction Act 1989 q.v.
Criminal Justice Act 1990 q.v.]
SCHEDULE 5

REPEAL OF ENACTMENTS

Section 135
[Sch 5 repeals the following Acts in part —
Evidence Act 1871
Criminal Evidence Act 1946
Judicature (Matrimonial Causes) Act 1965
Children and Young Persons Act 1966
Criminal Law Act 1981
Criminal Justice Act 1991 Schedule 5



c AT 25 of 1991 Page 39

Theft Act 1981
Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 1985
Family Income Supplements Act 1985
Summary Jurisdiction Act 1989
Criminal Justice Act 1990.]
Criminal Justice Act 1991 Endnotes


c AT 25 of 1991 Page 41

ENDNOTES

Table of Legislation History

Legislation Year and No Commencement






Table of Renumbered Provisions

Original Current






Table of Endnote References

1
S 12 repealed by Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1993 Sch 4. 2
Subs (1) amended by Civil Partnership Act 2011 Sch 14. 3
Subs (2) amended by Civil Partnership Act 2011 Sch 14. 4
Para (a) amended by Civil Partnership Act 2011 Sch 14. 5
Para (aa) inserted by Sexual Offences Act 1992 Sch 3 and amended by Civil
Partnership Act 2011 Sch 14. 6
Para (c) amended by Sexual Offences Act 1992 Sch 3. 7
Subs (4) amended by Civil Partnership Act 2011 Sch 14. 8
Subs (5) amended by Civil Partnership Act 2011 Sch 14. 9
Subs (5A) inserted by Civil Partnership Act 2011 Sch 14. 10
Subs (7) substituted by Sexual Offences Act 1992 Sch 3. 11
S 15 amended by Civil Partnership Act 2011 Sch 14. Subs (8) amended by Civil
Partnership Act 2011 Sch 14. 12
Ss 17 and 18 repealed by Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1993 Sch 4. 13
Cross-heading substituted by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(a). 14
S 19A inserted by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(a). 15
Subs (1) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(b) and by
Criminal Justice, Police Powers and Other Amendments Act 2014 s 14. 16
Para (a) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(b). 17
Subs (5) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(b). 18
Subs (6) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(b). 19
Para (b) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(b). 20
Subs (8) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(b).
Endnotes Criminal Justice Act 1991


Page 42 AT 25 of 1991 c

21
S 20 amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(b). 22
Subs (1) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(c). 23
Subs (2) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(c). 24
Subs (3) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(c). 25
Subs (5) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(c). 26
Subs (7) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(c). 27
Para (a) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(c). 28
Para (b) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(c). 29
Subs (8) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(c). 30
Subs (9) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(c). 31
Definition of “criminal proceedings” repealed by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment
Act 2011 s 3(c). 32
S 21 substituted by Proceeds of Crime Act 2008 Sch 6 and amended by Criminal
Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(c). Definition of “evidence” repealed by Criminal
Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(c). 33
Subs (1) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(d). 34
S 21A inserted by Proceeds of Crime Act 2008 Sch 6. 35
Para (a) substituted by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(e). 36
Para (b) amended by Police Powers and Procedures Act 1998 Sch 4 and by Criminal
Justice, Police Powers and Other Amendments Act 2014 Sch 3. 37
Para (c) amended by Police Powers and Procedures Act 1998 Sch 4, by Criminal
Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(e) and by Criminal Justice, Police Powers and
Other Amendments Act 2014 s 14. 38
Subs (1) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(e) and by
Criminal Justice, Police Powers and Other Amendments Act 2014 s 14. 39
Subs (1A) inserted by Criminal Justice, Police Powers and Other Amendments Act
2014 s 14. 40
Subs (1B) inserted by Criminal Justice, Police Powers and Other Amendments Act
2014 s 14. 41
Subs (1C) inserted by Criminal Justice, Police Powers and Other Amendments Act
2014 s 14. 42
Subs (1D) inserted by Criminal Justice, Police Powers and Other Amendments Act
2014 s 14. 43
Subs (2) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(e). 44
Subs (3) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(e). 45
Subs (4) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(e). 46
Subs (5) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(e). 47
Definition of “items subject to legal privilege” repealed by Police Powers and
Procedures Act 1998 Sch 4. 48
Subs (7) added by Police Powers and Procedures Act 1998 Sch 4. 49
Subs (5) added by Proceeds of Crime Act 2008 Sch 7. 50
Ss 24 to 26 repealed by Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1993 Sch 4.
Criminal Justice Act 1991 Endnotes


c AT 25 of 1991 Page 43

51
S 26A inserted by Proceeds of Crime Act 2008 Sch 6. 52
S 26B inserted by Proceeds of Crime Act 2008 Sch 6. 53
S 27A inserted by Criminal Justice Act 1996 s 5. 54
S 27B inserted by Criminal Justice Act 2001 s 19. Subs (6) substituted by Education
Act 2001 Sch 10 and amended by SD155/10 Sch 10. 55
S 27C inserted by Criminal Justice Act 2001 s 19. 56
S 29 repealed by Children and Young Persons (Sale of Addictive and Intoxicating
Substances) Act 1999 s 3. 57
Para (b) amended by Criminal Justice Act 1996 Sch 2. 58
Subs (5) substituted by Proceeds of Crime Act 2008 Sch 7. 59
Subs (2) repealed by Drug Trafficking Act 1996 Sch 3. 60
ADO (ss 27 to 36, Sch 3, Sch 4 (paras 1 to 5, 9, 11, 12, 15, 16), Sch 5 (the entries relating
to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 1985 and the Criminal Justice Act 1990))
1/1/1992; (ss 1 to 26, Sch 1 and 2, Sch 4 (paras 6 to 8, 10, 13, 14), Sch 5 (the remainder)
1/4/1992 (GC438/91). 61
Para 2 amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(f). 62
Subpara (1) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(f). Item (b)
amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(f). 63
Subpara (2) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(f). 64
Subpara (3) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(f). 65
Subpara (4) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(f). 66
Subpara (5) repealed by Proceeds of Crime Act 2008 Sch 9. 67
Subpara (6) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(f). 68
Cross-heading amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(f). 69
Subpara (1) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(f). 70
Subpara (2) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(f). 71
Subpara (3) amended by Criminal Justice Acts Amendment Act 2011 s 3(f).