The Armed Forces (Interpretation, Translation and Alcohol and Drug Tests) Rules 2013

Summary hearings etc rules

11.  After rule 15 insert—

“Offences under sections 20(1)(a) and 20A of the Act: use of specimens

15A.—(1) This rule and rule 15B apply to the hearing of a charge of an offence under—

(a)section 20(1)(a) of the Act (unfitness for duty through alcohol or drugs); or

(b)section 20A of the Act (exceeding alcohol limit for prescribed safety-critical duties).

(2) In this rule and rule 15B “drug”, “medical establishment”, “service police establishment” and “service policeman” have the meanings given by section 93I of the Act.

(3) Evidence of the proportion of alcohol or any drug in a specimen of breath, blood or urine provided by or taken from the accused shall, in all cases (including cases where the specimen was not provided or taken in connection with the alleged offence), be taken into account and, subject to paragraph (4), it shall be assumed that the proportion of alcohol in the accused’s breath, blood or urine at the time of the alleged offence was not less than in the specimen.

(4) That assumption shall not be made if the accused proves—

(a)that he consumed alcohol before he provided the specimen or had it taken from him, and after the time of the alleged offence; and

(b)that had he not done so the proportion of alcohol in his breath, blood or urine—

(i)in the case of an offence under section 20(1)(a) of the Act, would not have been such as to impair his ability to carry out the duty in question;

(ii)in the case of an offence under section 20A of the Act, would not have exceeded the relevant limit (within the meaning of that section).

(5) A specimen of blood shall be disregarded unless—

(a)it was taken from the accused under section 93E of the Act; or

(b)it was taken from the accused under section 93G of the Act and the accused subsequently gave his permission for a laboratory test of the specimen.

(6) Where, at the time a specimen of blood or urine was provided by the accused, he asked to be provided with such a specimen, the commanding officer may not adduce evidence of the proportion of alcohol or any drug found in the specimen unless—

(a)the specimen in which the alcohol or drug was found is one of two parts into which the specimen provided by the accused was divided at the time it was provided; and

(b)the other part was supplied to the accused.

(7) Where a specimen of blood was taken from the accused under section 93G of the Act, the commanding officer may not adduce evidence of the proportion of alcohol or any drug found in the specimen unless—

(a)the specimen in which the alcohol or drug was found is one of two parts into which the specimen taken from the accused was divided at the time it was taken; and

(b)any request to be supplied with the other part which was made by the accused at the time when he gave his permission for a laboratory test of the specimen was complied with.

Offences under sections 20(1)(a) and 20A of the Act: documentary evidence as to specimens

15B.—(1) Evidence of the proportion of alcohol or any drug in a specimen of breath, blood or urine may, subject to paragraphs (3) and (4) and to rule 15A(6) and (7), be given by the production of a document or documents purporting to be whichever of the following is appropriate, that is to say—

(a)a statement automatically produced by the device by which the proportion of alcohol in a specimen of breath was measured and a certificate signed by a service policeman (which may but need not be contained in the same document as the statement) that the statement relates to a specimen provided by the accused at the date and time shown in the statement; and

(b)a certificate signed by an authorised analyst as to the proportion of alcohol or any drug found in a specimen of blood or urine identified in the certificate.

(2) Subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), evidence that a specimen of blood was taken from the accused with his consent by a registered medical practitioner or a registered nurse may be given by the production of a document purporting to certify that fact and to be signed by a registered medical practitioner or registered nurse.

(3)  Subject to paragraph (4)—

(a)the commanding officer may, in pursuance of this rule, adduce in evidence a document purporting to be such a statement or such a certificate (or both such a statement and such a certificate) as is mentioned in paragraph (1)(a) only if the accused was handed a copy of it when the document was produced, or has been provided with a copy not later than seven days before the hearing; and

(b)the commanding officer may so adduce any other document only if the accused has been provided with a copy of it not later than seven days before the hearing.

(4) The commanding officer may not so adduce a document purporting to be a certificate (or so much of a document as purports to be a certificate) if the accused, not later than three days before the hearing or within such further time as the commanding officer may in special circumstances allow, has notified the commanding officer that he requires the attendance at the hearing of the person by whom the document purports to be signed.

(5) In this rule “authorised analyst” means—

(a)any person possessing the qualifications prescribed by regulations made under section 27 of the Food Safety Act 1990 as qualifying persons for appointment as public analysts under that Act; and

(b)any other person authorised by the Secretary of State to make analyses for the purposes of section 16 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 or this rule.”.