Criminal Procedure Bill, 1965

Public bill · Government · Introduced

The Criminal Procedure Bill, 1965 would replace the lengthy preliminary investigation for serious criminal charges with a quicker process based mainly on written statements, witness lists and exhibits supplied to the accused. Witnesses could still be required to give sworn evidence and be questioned in court where necessary, while defendants could waive the preliminary hearing, subject to safeguards for under-17s. It would restrict publication of evidence heard at this stage to help protect fair trials, while allowing publication of the charge and the court’s decision. It would also revise bail and remand rules, including appeals against bail decisions, longer remands by agreement, and requiring High Court approval for bail in murder, treason and certain other serious cases.

Last updated 20 January 2020