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PROBATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND)1950 PROBATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND)1950 - LONG TITLE An Act to amend the law relating to the probation of offenders; to make provision for the appointment, remuneration and duties of probation officers; and for purposes connected with the matters aforesaid. [14th February 1950] Probation. PROBATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND)1950 - SECT 1 1.(1) Where a court by or before which a person is convicted of any offence other than an offence mentioned in the First Schedule to this Act is of opinion that having regard to the circumstances, including the nature of the offence and the character of the offender, it is expedient to do so, the court may, instead of sentencing him, make a probation order, that is to say, an order requiring him to be under the supervision of a probation officer for a period to be specified in the order of not less than [six months] nor more than three years. (2) A probation order shall name the petty sessions district in which the offender resides or is required or intends to reside; and the offender shall (subject to the provisions of the Second Schedule to this Act relating to probationers who change their residence) be required to be under the supervision of a probation officer appointed for or assigned to that district. (3) Subject to the provisions of the next following section, a probation order may in addition require the offender to comply during the whole or any part of the probation period with such requirements as the court considers necessary for securing the good conduct of the offender or for preventing a repetition by him of the offence or the commission of other offences: Provided that (without prejudice to the power of the court to make an order under sub-section (2) of section seven of this Act) the payment of sums by way of damages for injury or compensation for loss shall not be included among the requirements of a probation order. (4) Without prejudice to the generality of the last foregoing sub-section, a probation order may include requirements relating to the residence of the offender: Provided that (a)before making an order containing any such requirements, the court shall consider the home surroundings of the offender; and (b)where the order requires the offender to reside in any institution, the name of the institution and the period for which he is so required to reside shall be specified in the order, and that period shall not extend beyond twelve months from the date of the order. (5) Before making a probation order, the court shall explain to the offender in ordinary language the effect of the order (including any additional requirements proposed to be inserted therein under sub-section (3) or sub-section (4) of this section or under the next following section) and that if he fails to comply therewith or commits another offence he will be liable to be sentenced for the original offence; and if the offender is not less than fourteen years of age the court shall not make the order unless he expresses his willingness to comply with the requirements thereof. (6) The court by which a probation order is made shall forthwith give copies of the order to a probation officer assigned to the court, and he shall give a copy to the offender, to the probation officer responsible for the supervision of the offender and to the person in charge of any institution in which the probationer is required by the order to reside; and the court shall, except where it is itself the supervising court within the meaning of this Act, send to the clerk of petty sessions for the petty sessions district named in the order a copy of the order, together with such documents and information relating to the case as it considers likely to be of assistance to the supervising court. (7) Where a probation order contains any requirement as to residence in any institution the court shall forthwith give notice of the terms of the order to the Ministry of Home Affairs (in this Act referred to as "the Ministry"). PROBATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND)1950 - SECT 2 Probation orders requiring treatment for mental condition. 2.(1) Where the court is satisfied, on the evidence of a registered medical practitioner [appointed for the purposes of section nineteen of the Mental Health Act (Northern Ireland), 1961, that the mental condition of an offender is such as requires and may be susceptible to treatment but is not such as to warrant his detention in pursuance of a hospital order under Part III of that Act], the court may, if it makes a probation order, include therein a requirement that the offender shall submit, for such period not extending beyond twelve months from the date of the order as may be specified therein, to treatment by or under the direction of a registered medical practitioner with a view to the improvement of the offender's mental condition. (2) The treatment required by any such order shall be such one of the following kinds of treatment as may be specified in the order, that is to say <[(a)treatment (whether as an in-patient or an out-patient) at such hospital as may be specified in the order, being a hospital within the meaning of the [Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972], approved by the [Ministry of Health and Social Services] for the purposes of this section; or (b)... (c)...] (d)treatment by or under the direction of such registered medical practitioner as may be specified in the order; (3) A court shall not make a probation order containing such a requirement as aforesaid unless it is satisfied that arrangements have been ... made for the treatment intended to be specified in the order, and, if the offender is to be treated as an in-patient, for his reception. (4) While the probationer is under treatment pursuant to a requirement of the probation order as an in-patient, the probation officer responsible for his supervision shall carry out the supervision to such extent only as may be necessary for the purpose of the discharge or amendment of the order. (5) Where the medical practitioner by whom or under whose direction a probationer is being treated for his mental condition in pursuance of a probation order is of opinion that part of the treatment can be better or more conveniently given in or at a hospital or place not specified in the order, being a hospital or place in or at which the treatment of the probationer will be given by or under the direction of a registered medical practitioner, he may make arrangements for him to be treated accordingly; and the arrangements may provide for the probationer to receive part of his treatment as a resident patient in a hospital or place notwithstanding that the hospital or place is not one which could have been specified in that behalf in the probation order. (6) Where any such arrangements as are mentioned in the last preceding sub-section are made for the treatment of a probationer (a)the medical practitioner by whom the arrangements are made shall give notice in writing to the probation officer responsible for the supervision of the probationer, specifying the hospital or place in or at which the treatment is to be carried out; and (b)the treatment provided for by the arrangements shall be deemed to be treatment to which he is required to submit in pursuance of the probation order. Subs.(7) rep. by 1961 c.15 (NI) s.116(2) sch.7 [(8) Sub-sections (2) and (3) of section fifty of the Mental Health Act (Northern Ireland), 1961 (which relate to medical reports tendered in evidence under that section), shall apply for the purposes of this section as if for the reference in the said sub-section (2) to paragraph (a) of sub-section (1) of section forty-eight of that Act there were substituted a reference to sub-section (1) of this section. (9) ...] (10) Except as provided by this section, a court shall not make a probation order requiring a probationer to submit to treatment for his mental condition: Proviso rep. by 1961 c.15 (NI) s.116(2) sch.7 PROBATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND)1950 - SECT 3 Discharge and amendment of probation orders. 3.(1) The provisions of the Second Schedule to this Act shall have effect in relation to the discharge and amendment of probation orders. Subs.(2)(3) rep. by 1968 c.29 (NI) s.35(3) sch.5 Pt.I (4) Where, under the following provisions of this Act, a probationer is sentenced for the offence for which he was placed on probation, the probation order shall cease to have effect. PROBATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND)1950 - SECT 4 Breach of requirement of probation order. 4.(1) If at any time during the probation period it appears on information or complaint to a justice of the peace on whom jurisdiction is conferred by the next succeeding sub-section that the probationer has failed to comply with any of the requirements of the order, the justice may issue a summons requiring the probationer to appear at the place and time specified therein, or may, if the information or complaint is in writing and on oath, issue a warrant for his arrest. (2) The following justices shall have jurisdiction for the purposes of the preceding sub-section, that is to say (a)if the probation order was made by a court of summary jurisdiction, any justice acting for the petty sessions district for which that court or the supervising court acts; (b)in any other case, any justice acting for the petty sessions district for which the supervising court acts; (3) If it is proved to the satisfaction of the court before which a probationer appears or is brought under this section that the probationer has failed to comply with any of the requirements of the probation order, that court may, without prejudice to the continuance of the probation order, impose on him a fine not exceeding [#50] or may (a)if the probation order was made by a court of summary jurisdiction, deal with the probationer, for the offence in respect of which the probation order was made, in any manner in which the court could deal with him if it had just convicted him of that offence; (b) if the probation order was made by [the Crown Court], commit him to custody or release him on bail (with or without sureties) until he can be brought or appear before [the Crown Court]; [(c) subject to sub-section (7) of this section, make a community service order within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the Treatment of Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 in respect of him.] (4) Where the court of summary jurisdiction deals with the case as provided in paragraph (b) of the last preceding sub-section then (a)the court shall send to [the Crown Court] a certificate signed by a resident magistrate, certifying that the probationer has failed to comply with such of the requirements of the probation order as may be specified in the certificate, together with such other particulars of the case as may be desirable; and a certificate purporting to be so signed shall be admissible as evidence of the failure before [the Crown Court]; and (b) where the probationer is brought or appears before [the Crown Court], and it is proved to the satisfaction of that court that he has failed to comply with any of the requirements of the probation order, that court may deal with him, for the offence in respect of which the probation order was made, in any manner in which the court could deal with him if he had just been convicted before that court of that offence [or, subject to sub-section (7) of this section, that court may make a community service order within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the Treatment of Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 in respect of him.] (5) A fine imposed under this section in respect of a failure to comply with the requirements of a probation order shall be deemed for the purposes of any enactment to be a sum adjudged to be paid by a conviction. (6) A probationer who is required by the probation order to submit to treatment for his mental condition shall not be treated for the purposes of this section as having failed to comply with that requirement on the ground only that he has refused to undergo any surgical, electrical or other treatment if, in the opinion of the court, his refusal was reasonable having regard to all the circumstances; and without prejudice to the provisions of section six of this Act, a probationer who is convicted of an offence committed during the probation period shall not on that account be liable to be dealt with under this section for failing to comply with any requirement of the probation order. [(7) Article 7(4) of the Treatment of Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 and, so far as applicable, the other provisions of that Order relating to community service orders shall have effect in relation to a community service order under this section as they have effect in relation to a community service order in respect of an offender, but as if the power conferred by Articles 9 and 10 of that Order to deal with the offender for the offence in respect of which the community service order was made were a power to deal with the probationer for the failure to comply with the requirements of the probation order in respect of which the community service order was made. (8) Any exercise by a court of its powers under sub-section (3)(c) or (4)(b) of this section to make a community service order within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the Treatment of Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 in respect of a probationer shall be without prejudice to the continuance of the probation order.] PROBATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND)1950 - SECT 5 Absolute and conditional discharge. 5.(1) Where a court by or before which a person is convicted of any offence other than an offence mentioned in the First Schedule to this Act is of opinion, having regard to the circumstances including the nature of the offence and the character of the offender, that it is inexpedient to inflict punishment and that a probation order is not appropriate, the court may make an order discharging him absolutely, or, if the court thinks fit, discharging him subject to the condition that he commits no offence during such period, not exceeding [three years] from the date of the order, as may be specified therein. (2) An order discharging a person subject to such a condition as aforesaid is in this Act referred to as "an order for conditional discharge", and the period specified in any such order as "the period of conditional discharge". (3) Before making an order for conditional discharge the court shall explain to the offender in ordinary language that if he commits another offence during the period of conditional discharge he will be liable to be sentenced for the original offence. (4) Where, under the following provisions of this Act, a person conditionally discharged under this section is sentenced for the offence in respect of which the order for conditional discharge was made, that order shall cease to have effect. PROBATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND)1950 - SECT 6 Commission of further offence. 6.(1) If it appears to a judge or justice of the peace on whom jurisdiction is conferred by the next succeeding sub-section that a person in respect of whom a probation order or an order for conditional discharge has been made has been convicted by a court in any part of Northern Ireland of an offence committed during the probation period or during the period of conditional discharge, and has been dealt with in respect of that offence, the judge or justice may issue a summons requiring that person to appear at the place and time specified therein, or may issue a warrant for his arrest. (2) The following persons shall have jurisdiction for the purposes of the preceding sub-section, that is to say: (a)if the probation order or the order for conditional discharge was made by [the Crown Court, a judge of that] Court or a committing justice; <[(b)if the order was made by a county court judge on an appeal made to him under section 140, 141 or 142 of the Magistrates' Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 1964, a county court judge acting for the division of the county court in which the order was made or a committing justice;] (c)if the order was made by a court of summary jurisdiction, a justice acting for the petty sessions district for which that court acts; or (d)in the case of a probation order, by whatever court it was made, a justice acting for the petty sessions district for which the supervising court acts. (3) A summons or warrant issued under this section shall direct the person so convicted to appear or to be brought before the court by which the probation order or the order for conditional discharge was made: Provided that (a)if that court is a court of summary jurisdiction and the summons or warrant is issued by a justice acting for the petty sessions district for which the supervising court acts, the summons or warrant may direct him to appear or to be brought before the supervising court; and (b)if a warrant is issued requiring him to be brought before [the Crown Court], and he cannot forthwith be brought before that court because that court is not being held, the warrant shall have effect as if it directed him to be brought before any justice of the peace or court of summary jurisdiction acting for any petty sessions district of the county in which he is arrested; and that justice or court of summary jurisdiction shall commit him to custody or release him on bail (with or without sureties) until he can be brought or appear before [the Crown Court]. (4) If a person in respect of whom a probation order or an order for conditional discharge has been made by [the Crown Court] is convicted and dealt with by a court of summary jurisdiction in respect of an offence committed during the probation period or during the period of conditional discharge, the court of summary jurisdiction may commit him to custody or release him on bail (with or without sureties) until he can be brought or appear before the court by which the order was made; and if it does so the court of summary jurisdiction shall send to [the Crown Court] a copy of the entry of the conviction made in the Order Book required to be kept under section twenty-one of the Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851, signed by the clerk of petty sessions by whom the Order Book is kept. (5) Where it is proved to the satisfaction of the court by which a probation order or an order for conditional discharge was made, or if the order (being a probation order) was made by a court of summary jurisdiction, to the satisfaction of that court or the supervising court, that the person in respect of whom that order was made has been convicted and dealt with in respect of an offence committed during the probation period, or during the period of conditional discharge, as the case may be, the court may deal with him, for the offence for which the order was made, in any manner in which the court could deal with him if he had just been convicted by or before that court of that offence. (6) If a person in respect of whom a probation order or an order for conditional discharge has been made by a court of summary jurisdiction is convicted before [the Crown Court] of an offence committed during the probation period or during the period of conditional discharge, or is dealt with by [the Crown Court] for an offence so committed in respect of which he was committed for sentence to that court, [the Crown Court] may deal with him, for the offence for which the order was made in any manner in which the court of summary jurisdiction could deal with him if it had just convicted him of that offence. (7) If a person in respect of whom a probation order or an order for conditional discharge has been made by a court of summary jurisdiction is convicted by another court of summary jurisdiction of any offence committed during the probation period, or during the period of conditional discharge, that court may deal with him, for the offence for which the order was made, in any manner in which the court could deal with him if it had just convicted him of that offence. (8) In this section the expression "committing justice", in relation to a person in respect of whom a probation order or an order for conditional discharge has been made by [the Crown Court], includes any resident magistrate or other justice of the peace acting for the petty sessions district for which the resident magistrate or justice by whom he was committed for trial or for sentence acted. PROBATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND)1950 - SECT 7 Supplementary provisions as to probation and discharge. 7.(1) Without prejudice to the provisions of [sub-section (2) of section seventy-six] of the Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland), [1968] (which enables a court to order the parent or guardian of a child or young person charged with an offence to give security for his good behaviour), any court may, on making a probation order or an order for conditional discharge under this Act, if it thinks it expedient for the purpose of the reformation of the offender, require the offender, or if the offender is a child, his parent or guardian, or if the offender is a young person, the offender or his parent or guardian to give security for the good behaviour of the offender. Any security given under this section shall be given by way of recognizance. Subs.(2)(3) rep. by 1980 NI 6 art.13 sch.2 (4) In proceedings before [the Crown Court] under the foregoing provisions of this Act, any question whether a probationer has failed to comply with the requirements of the probation order or has been convicted of an offence committed during the probation period, and any question whether any person in respect of whom an order for conditional discharge has been made has been convicted of an offence committed during the period of conditional discharge, shall be determined by the court and not by the verdict of a jury. (5) The provisions of the Summary Jurisdiction Acts (Northern Ireland) relating to the issue and service of summonses and the issue and execution of warrants shall respectively apply to any summons or warrant issued by any court, judge or justice of the peace under any of the foregoing provisions of this Act. PROBATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND)1950 - SECT 8 Effects of probation and discharge. 8.(1) Subject as hereafter in this section provided, a conviction for an offence in respect of which an order is made under this Act placing the offender on probation or discharging him absolutely or conditionally shall be deemed not to be a conviction for any purpose other than the purposes of the proceedings in which the order is made and of any subsequent proceedings which may be taken against the offender under the foregoing provisions of this Act so, however, that <[(a)where the offender did not plead guilty or admit the offence charged he may appeal [against his conviction (i)where he is convicted by [the Crown Court, to the Court of Appeal] in accordance with the provisions of the Criminal Appeal (Northern Ireland) [Act 1980]; or (ii)where he is convicted by a magistrates' court,] to the county court in accordance with the provisions of Part XIII of the Magistrates Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 1964; and] (b)where an offender, being not less than seventeen years of age at the time of his conviction of an offence for which he is placed on probation or conditionally discharged as aforesaid, is subsequently sentenced under this Act for that offence, the provisions of this sub-section shall cease to apply to the conviction. (2) Without prejudice to the foregoing provisions of this section, the conviction of an offender who is placed on probation or discharged absolutely or conditionally as aforesaid shall in any event be disregarded for the purposes of any enactment which imposes any disqualification or disability upon convicted persons, or authorises or requires the imposition of any such disqualification or disability. (3) The foregoing provisions of this section shall not affect (a)any right of any such offender as aforesaid to rely on his conviction in bar of any subsequent proceedings for the same offence; (b)the revesting or restoration of any property in consequence of the conviction of any such offender; or (c)the operation, in relation to any such offender, of any enactment in force at the commencement of this Act which is expressed to extend to persons dealt with under sub-section (1) of section one of the Probation of Offenders Act, 1907, as well as to convicted persons or which expressly provides that any statutory provisions are to apply as if the making of an order under that sub-section were a conviction. PROBATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND)1950 - SECT 9 Reports of probation officers. 9. Where a report by a probation officer is made to any court (other than a juvenile court) with a view to assisting the court in determining the most suitable method of dealing with any person in respect of an offence, a copy of the report shall be given by the court to the offender or his counsel or solicitor: Provided that if the offender is a child or young person and is not represented by counsel or a solicitor, a copy of the report need not be given to him but shall be given to his parent or guardian if present in court. S.10 spent Reception and care of probationers etc. PROBATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND)1950 - SECT 11 11.(1) The Ministry, with the approval of the Ministry of Finance, may (a)enter into arrangements with voluntary societies or other persons whereby such societies or persons undertake, on such terms (including terms as to payment by the Ministry to those societies or persons of such sums as may be agreed upon) as may be specified in the arrangements, the reception and care at institutions provided or managed by them of persons who may be required to reside therein by a probation order; and (b)where it appears to the Ministry to be impracticable to enter into such arrangements, provide and maintain institutions for the reception and care of persons who may be required to reside therein by a probation order. (2) Where on the recommendation of a court it appears to the Ministry to be necessary to do so for the well-being of any child or young person in respect of whom a probation order or an order for conditional discharge has been made under this Act the Ministry, without prejudice to its power under the preceding sub-section, may, with the approval of the Ministry of Finance, contribute towards the expense of maintaining that child or young person elsewhere than at an institution during his probation period or period of conditional discharge as the case may be. (3) The Ministry with the approval of the Ministry of Finance may make regulations providing for the payment, to such persons at such times and in such manner as may be prescribed, of contributions by persons required by a probation order to reside in any institution or place towards the cost of their maintenance thereat where such persons are employed outside the institution or place or are awaiting such employment and for the summary recovery of such contributions. (4) The Ministry may make rules for the regulation, management and inspection of institutions provided by the Ministry under this section or in respect of which arrangements have been entered into by the Ministry under this section. (5) An inspector appointed by the Ministry to inspect any such last-mentioned institution shall, on production (if required) of his authority in that behalf, have power at all reasonable times to enter the institution and to make such investigation of the treatment of persons required to reside there as he may think necessary to ensure that arrangements entered into under this section with respect to the reception and care of such persons are being faithfully carried out. (6) The probation officer responsible for the supervision of any person required by a probation order to reside in any institution or place may, for the purposes of discharging his duties towards that person under this Act, visit that person at all reasonable times and on any such visit shall have such access to that person as may be necessary for those purposes. (7) Any person who obstructs any inspector or probation officer in the exercise of the powers respectively conferred by the preceding sub-sections shall on summary conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding ten pounds. PROBATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND)1950 - SECT 12 Appointment of probation officers. 12.(1) The Ministry with the approval of the Ministry of Finance shall appoint on such terms and conditions as it may think fit such one or more than one full-time or part-time probation officer for such petty sessions district or districts as it thinks necessary so, however, that where more than one probation officer is appointed to act for any petty sessions district or districts, one of the officers so appointed shall be a woman. (2) The qualifications of persons to be appointed as probation officers shall be such as the Ministry may from time to time direct and the Ministry may make arrangements for the training of persons as probation officers and pay to such persons during their training such allowances and other expenses as the Ministry of Finance may approve. Subs.(3) rep. by SLR 1976 (4) Any probation officer appointed by the Ministry before the coming into operation of this Act shall be deemed to have been appointed under this Act and any full-time service rendered by him as a probation officer before the coming into operation of this Act shall, for the purposes of the Superannuation Acts (Northern Ireland), 1921 to 1949, be deemed to have been service in an unestablished capacity within the meaning of sub-section (4) of section three of the Superannuation Act (Northern Ireland), 1935. PROBATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND)1950 - SECT 13 Ministry to select officer to supervise probationer. 13.(1) The probation officer who is to be responsible for the supervision of any probationer shall, where more than one probation officer is attached to a petty sessions district or districts, be selected [under arrangements made by the Ministry], and if the probation officer so selected dies or is unable for any reason to carry out his duties, or if the [Ministry] thinks it desirable that another officer should take his place, the [Ministry] shall select another probation officer from among the probation officers appointed for that petty sessions district or the petty sessions districts: Provided that, if the [Ministry] thinks it desirable to do so having regard to the place of residence of a probationer or for any other special reason, it may select a probation officer for any other petty sessions district to supervise the probationer. (2) Where the circumstances permit the [Ministry] shall select a probation officer who is a woman to supervise a woman or a girl and a probation officer experienced in dealing with children or young persons to supervise a probationer who is a child or young person. PROBATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND)1950 - SECT 14 Duties of probation officers. 14.(1) It shall be the duty of probation officers to supervise the persons placed under their supervision and to advise, assist and befriend those persons, to enquire in accordance with any direction of the court into the circumstances or home surroundings of any person with a view to assisting the court in determining the most suitable method of dealing with him, and to perform such other duties as may be prescribed or imposed by or under any enactment or as the Ministry may from time to time direct. (2) Where any offender (being a person under twenty-one years of age) is dealt with under the provisions of section one of this Act and is subsequently committed to a training school under the Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland), 1950, or to a Borstal Institution, the probation officer who supervises the case shall send such documents and information relating to the case as he considers likely to be of assistance to the managers of the school or the governor of the Borstal Institution as the case may be. (3) A probation officer may give to persons under his supervision [or to any other person in connection with whom he is required to perform any duties] such financial or other assistance as the Ministry may with the consent of the Ministry of Finance approve. PROBATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND)1950 - SECT 15 Financial provisions. 15.(1) ... all administrative and other expenses incurred by the Ministry in carrying the provisions of this Act into effect, including: (a)payments made by the Ministry in pursuance of arrangements entered into by it under sub-section (1) of section eleven of this Act for the reception and care at institutions of persons required to reside therein by a probation order; (b)contributions made by the Ministry under sub-section (2) of the said section eleven towards maintaining any child or young person elsewhere than at an institution during his probation period or period of conditional discharge; (c)salaries, remuneration, travelling expenses and other allowances or sums payable to probation officers or to persons being trained as probation officers and superannuation allowances or gratuities payable in respect of service as a probation officer; and (d)expenses incurred by a probation officer in giving to a person under his supervision any financial or other assistance approved by the Ministry under sub-section (3) of section fourteen of this Act; Subs.(2) rep. by 1954 c.9 (NI) s.29 sch.7 PROBATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND)1950 - SECT 16 Rules and regulations. 16.(1) The Ministry may, with the approval of the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, make rules for prescribing the procedure to be followed and the forms to be used for the purposes of proceedings under or in consequence of this Act [and the Treatment of Offenders Act (Northern Ireland) 1968]. (2) The Ministry may make regulations providing for any matter in regard to which regulations may be made under this Act and generally for the purposes of carrying this Act into effect. (3) All rules and regulations made under this Act shall be laid before each House of Parliament as soon as may be after they are made and if either House of Parliament, within the statutory period next after the day on which such regulations or rules are laid before it, resolves that the regulations or rules be annulled, the regulations or rules shall thereupon cease to have effect, but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done thereunder or to the making of new regulations or rules. PROBATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND)1950 - SECT 17 Interpretation. 17.(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, the following expressions have the meaning hereby respectively assigned to them, that is to say: "child" means a person under the age of fourteen years; Definition rep. by 1954 c.9 (NI) s.29 sch.7 "enactment" includes any provision in any Act of the Parliament of Northern Ireland or of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, whether public general, local or private, and any provision in any order in council, order, regulation or other instrument having effect by virtue of any such Act; "the Ministry" has the meaning assigned to it by sub-section (7) of section one of this Act; "order for conditional discharge" has the meaning assigned to it by section five of this Act; "period of conditional discharge" has the meaning assigned to it by section five of this Act; "prescribed" means prescribed by rules or regulations made under this Act; "probation order" has the meaning assigned to it by section one of this Act; "probation period" means the period for which a probationer is placed under supervision by a probation order; "probationer" means a person for the time being under supervision by virtue of a probation order; Definitions rep. by SLR 1976 "supervising court" means, in relation to a probation order, a court of summary jurisdiction acting for the petty sessions district for the time being named in the order; and, where the probationer was a child or young person when the probation order was made, means a juvenile court for that district; "young person" means a person who has attained the age of fourteen years and is under the age of seventeen years. (2) Where the age of any person at any time is material for the purposes of any provision of this Act his age at the material time shall be deemed to be or to have been that which appears to the court after considering any available evidence to be or to have been his age at that time. (3) For the purposes of this Act, except sub-section (6) of section one thereof, where a probation order or an order for conditional discharge has been made on appeal, the order shall be deemed to have been made by the court from which the appeal was brought. (4) Where any provision of this Act empowers a court on conviction of an offender to pass a sentence or make an order in lieu of dealing with him in any other manner, that provision shall not be construed as taking away any power of the court to order the offender to pay costs, damages or compensation. Subs.(5) rep. by 1954 c.33 (NI) s.48(1) sch. S.18 rep. by SLR 1976. Ss.19,20 rep. by SLR (NI) 1954 PROBATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND)1950 - SECT 21 Short title. 21. This Act may be cited as the Probation Act (Northern Ireland), 1950. Sections 1 & 5. 1. An offence for which the court is required to sentence the offender to death or imprisonment for life or to detention during the pleasure of the Governor of Northern Ireland. [2. An offence under any provision of the Road Traffic [(Northern Ireland) Order 1981] where a person convicted of that offence is required to be sentenced to a term of imprisonment.] [3. An offence under section forty of the Foyle Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland), 1952.] [4. An offence under section 46 of the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966.] [5. An offence under section 41(1)(a), 53, 56, 57, 62(1) or 72 of the Licensing Act (Northern Ireland) 1971.] 1. The court by which a probation order was made may, upon application made by the probation officer or by the probationer, discharge the order. 2.(1) If the supervising court is satisfied that a probationer proposes to change, or has changed his residence from the petty sessions district named in the probation order to another petty sessions district, the court may, and if application in that behalf is made by the probation officer, shall, by order amend the probation order by substituting for the petty sessions district named therein the petty sessions district where the probationer proposes to reside or is residing: Provided that if the probation order contains requirements which, in the opinion of the court, cannot be complied with unless the probationer continues to reside in the district named in the order, the court shall not amend the order as aforesaid unless, in accordance with the following provisions of this Schedule, it cancels those requirements or substitutes therefor other requirements which can be so complied with. (2) Where a probation order is amended under this paragraph, the supervising court shall send to the clerk of petty sessions for the district substituted in the order a copy of the order, together with such documents and information relating to the case as it considers likely to be of assistance to the court acting as the supervising court for that district. 3. Without prejudice to the provisions of the last preceding paragraph, the supervising court may, upon application made by the probation officer or by the probationer, by order amend a probation order by cancelling any of the requirements thereof or by inserting therein (either in addition to or in substitution for any such requirement) any requirement which could be included in the order if it were then being made by that court in accordance with the provisions of sections one and two of this Act: Provided that (a)the court shall not amend a probation order by reducing the probation period, or by extending that period beyond the end of three years from the date of the original order; (b)the court shall not so amend a probation order that the probationer is thereby required to reside in any institution, or to submit to treatment for his mental condition, for any period exceeding twelve months in all; (c)the court shall not amend a probation order by inserting therein a requirement that the probationer shall submit to treatment for his mental condition unless the amending order is made within three months after the date of the original order. 4. Where a probationer is being treated for his mental condition in pursuance of any requirement of the probation order and the Northern Ireland Hospitals Authority or the medical practitioner (as the case may be) by whom or under whose authority the probationer is being so treated is satisfied (a)that the treatment of the probationer should be continued beyond the period specified in that behalf in the order, or (b)that the probationer needs different treatment, being treatment of a kind to which he could be required to submit in pursuance of a probation order, or (c)that the probationer is not susceptible to treatment, or (d)that the probationer does not require further treatment, 5. Where the supervising court proposes to amend a probation order under this Schedule, otherwise than on the application of the probationer, it shall summon him to appear before the court; and if the probationer is not less than fourteen years of age, the court shall not amend a probation order unless the probationer expresses his willingness to comply with the requirements of the order as amended: Provided that this paragraph shall not apply to an order cancelling a requirement of the probation order or reducing the period of any requirement, or substituting a new petty sessions district for the district named in the probation order. 6. On the making of an order discharging or amending a probation order, the clerk to the court shall forthwith give copies of the discharging or amending order to the probation officer; and the probation officer shall give a copy to the probationer and to the person in charge of any institution in which the probationer is or was required by the order to reside: Provided that if the order amends the probation order by substituting a new petty sessions district for the district named in the probation order the copies of the order shall be sent to the clerk of petty sessions for the new petty sessions district and he shall be responsible for giving copies of the order to the probation officer. 7. Sub-section (7) of section one of this Act shall apply to any order made under this Schedule which contains, amends or discharges any requirement as to residence as it applies to a probation order made under that section. Third Schedule rep. by 1964 c.21 (NI) s.172 sch.7. Fourth Schedule rep. by SLR (NI) 1954