Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations shall be known as the Juries (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 and shall come into operation on 1st August 2016.

Amendment to the Juries Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

2.  Schedule 1 to the Juries Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996(2) is amended as follows-

(1) In Form 1-

(a)under "PURPOSE OF THIS NOTICE", for "aged between 18 and 70", substitute "aged over 18";

(b)in Section A, after paragraph 2, insert-

"2A.  Any person who has at any time been convicted of an offence and had imposed on him an indeterminate custodial sentence under Article 13 of the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2008.";

(c)in Section B-

(i)after the entry relating to the Policing Board, insert-

"Members of the National Crime Agency and National Crime Agency officers."; and

(ii)omit the following entries-

"A person appointed for the purposes of Article 7(6) of the Treatment of Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1976."; and

"Members of the Royal Irish Regiment."; and

(d)in Section C, for the entries-

"Representatives to the European Parliament.", substitute "Members of the European Parliament.";

"The Secretary and any Director of the Northern Ireland Audit Office", substitute "The Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland and any Assistant Auditor General for Northern Ireland."; and

"Persons aged between 65 and 70 years" and the heading immediately before it, substitute-

"Persons aged over 70 years

Persons aged over 70 years.".

(2) In Form 2-

(a)in Part 1,

(i)under the heading, omit "(please tick relevant boxes)"; and

(ii)omit question 1; and

(b)renumber questions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 respectively as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

(3) In Form 4-

(a)under "PURPOSE OF THIS NOTICE" for "aged between 18 and 70", substitute "aged over 18";

(b)in Section A, after paragraph 2, insert-

"2A.  Any person who has at any time been convicted of an offence and had imposed on him an indeterminate custodial sentence under Article 13 of the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2008.";

(c)in Section B-

(i)after the entry relating to the Policing Board, insert-

"Members of the National Crime Agency and National Crime Agency officers."; and

(ii)omit the following entries-

"A person appointed for the purposes of Article 7(6) of the Treatment of Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1976."; and

"Members of the Royal Irish Regiment."; and

(d)in Section C for the entries-

"Representatives to the European Parliament", substitute "Members of the European Parliament.";

"The Secretary and any Director of the Northern Ireland Audit Office", substitute "The Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland and any Assistant Auditor General for Northern Ireland."; and

"Persons aged between 65 and 70 years" and the heading immediately before it, substitute-

"Persons aged over 70 years

Persons aged over 70 years.".

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Justice on 4th July 2016

Claire Sugden

Minister of Justice

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend Forms 1, 2 and 4 in Schedule 1 to the Juries Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 in consequence of sections 77 and 79 to 81 of the Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2015.

Sections 77 and 79 to 81 amend the Juries (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 to remove the upper age limit for jurors and to update the lists of persons who are disqualified, ineligible or excusable as of right from jury service. The amendments to Forms 1, 2 and 4 reflect these changes.