The Criminal Procedure Rules 2020

When this Part appliesE+W

3.1.—(1) Rules 3.1 to 3.15 apply to the management of each case in a magistrates’ court and in the Crown Court (including an appeal to the Crown Court) until the conclusion of that case.

[F1(2) Rules 3.16 to 3.18 apply where the case must be tried in a magistrates’ court, or the court orders trial there.]

(3) Rules 3.19 to 3.34 apply where―

(a)the defendant is sent to the Crown Court for trial;

(b)a High Court or Crown Court judge gives permission to serve a draft indictment; or

(c)the Court of Appeal orders a retrial.

[F2(4) Rules 3.35 to 3.39 apply where the court can give a live link direction.]

[Note. Rules that apply to procedure in the Court of Appeal are in Parts 36 to 42 of these Rules. [F3Rules that apply to procedure in extradition proceedings are in Part 50 of these Rules: see in particular rules 50.3, 50.4, 50.17 and 50.18.]

[F4At the first hearing in a magistrates’ court the court may (and in some cases must) order trial in that court, or may (and in some cases must) send the defendant to the Crown Court for trial under section 51 or 51A of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998(1). See Part 9 (Allocation and sending for trial) for the procedure. The decision depends upon—

(a) the classification of the offence (and the general rule, subject to exceptions, is that an offence classified as triable only on indictment must be sent to the Crown Court for trial; an offence classified as triable only summarily must be tried in a magistrates’ court; and an offence classified as triable either way, on indictment or summarily, must be allocated to one or the other court for trial, subject to the defendant’s right to choose Crown Court trial: see in particular sections 50A, 51 and 51A of the 1998 Act(2) and section 19 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980(3));

(b) the defendant’s age (and the general rule, subject to exceptions, is that an offence alleged against a defendant under 18 must be tried in a magistrates’ court sitting as a youth court: see in particular sections 24 and 24A of the 1980 Act(4));

(c) whether the defendant is awaiting Crown Court trial for another offence;

(d) whether another defendant, charged with the same offence, is awaiting Crown Court trial for that offence;

(e) in some cases (destroying or damaging property; aggravated vehicle taking), whether the value involved is more or less than £5,000; and

(f) in a case of low-value shoplifting, whether the defendant chooses Crown Court trial: see section 22A of the 1980 Act(5).]

Under paragraph 2(1) of Schedule 17 to the Crime and Courts Act 2013 and section 2 of the Administration of Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1933, the Crown Court may give permission to serve a draft indictment where it approves a deferred prosecution agreement. See Part 11 for the rules about that procedure and Part 10 for the rules about indictments.

The procedure for applying for the permission of a High Court judge to serve a draft indictment is in rule 10.9 (Application to a High Court judge for permission to serve a draft indictment).

The Court of Appeal may order a retrial under section 8 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968(1) (on a defendant’s appeal against conviction) or under section 77 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003(2) (on a prosecutor’s application for the retrial of a serious offence after acquittal). Section 8 of the 1968 Act, section 84 of the 2003 Act and rules 27.6 and 39.14 require the arraignment of a defendant within 2 months.]