In this Act unless the contrary intention appears the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them, that is to say:—

• “Act of 1851 F1” has the meaning assigned to it by section two of this Act;

• “Act of 1935 F2” has the meaning assigned to it by section two of this Act;

• “capital offence” means an offence for which the punishment imposed might, apart from this Act, be death;

• “court of summary jurisdiction” includes a resident magistrate or justice of the peace sitting out of petty sessions to hear or determine any matter he has power so to hear or determine or conducting the preliminary F5inquiry into an indictable offence;

• “magistrate” means any person who acts as a member of a court of summary jurisdiction;

• Definition rep. by SLR 1980

• “resident magistrate” means a resident magistrate within the meaning of the Act of 1935F3;

• Definition rep. by SLR 1980

In this Act and in the Act of 1935 the expression “constable” shall be construed as including a head-constableF4 and a sergeant.