Part II Miscellaneous

18 Payment of interpreters in criminal cases (Northern Ireland).

C11

In the Costs in Criminal Cases Act (Northern Ireland) 1968, after section 5 thereof, there shall be inserted the following section—

5A Fees of required interpreter.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Act, where in any criminal proceedings an interpreter is required because of a defendant’s lack of English, the expenses properly incurred on his employment shall, in accordance with rules made pursuant to section 7, be defrayed by the Ministry.

2

Where in any of the following proceedings, that is to say,—

a

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

b

any proceedings before . . . F2 the High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland in a criminal cause or matter;

c

any proceedings on an appeal to F3the F4Court of Judicature from a decision in proceedings within . . . F5 (b) above or an application for leave to appeal from such a decision;

an interpreter is required because of a defendant’s lack of English, the expenses properly incurred on his employment shall be defrayed by the F6Department of Justice, up to an amount allowed by F7the High Court or (in the case of proceedings in F3the F4Court of Judicature) by F3the F4Court of Judicature.

In this subsection “defendant” means the person (whether convicted or not) who is alleged to be guilty of an offence.

3

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F8