Uimhir 37 de 1924.

ACHT BREITHIÚNAIS CHOIRIÚLA (FIANAISE), 1924.

[1adh Lúnasa, 1924.]

Inniúlacht fínnithe i gcásanna coiriúla.

1.—Beidh gach duine a cúiseofar i gcionta, agus bean no fear an té a cúiseofar amhlaidh, pe'ca aca é, ina fhínné inniúil i gcóir na cosanta i ngach céim de sna himeachta, pe'ca ina aonar no i dteanta éinne eile a cúiseofar an té a cúiseofar amhlaidh: Ach foráltar mar leanas:—

(a) ní déanfar duine a cúiseofar amhlaidh do ghlaoch mar fhínné do réir an Achta so ach ar iarratas uaidh féin:

(b) mara ndinidh éinne áirithe a cúiseofar i gcionta, ná bean ná fear an té a cúiseofar amhlaidh, pe'ca aca é, fianaise do thabhairt, ní dhéanfidh an lucht cúisimh aon trácht ar an ní sin:

(c) ach amháin mar a luaidhtear san Acht so, ní déanfar fear ná bean an té a cúiseofar amhlaidh, do ghlaoch mar fhínné do réir an Achta so ach ar iarratas ón té a cúiseofar amhlaidh:

(d) ní féadfar, de bharr éinní san Acht so, a chur fhiachaint ar fhear céile aon eolas a thug a bhean do le linn bheith pósta dhóibh do nochta, ná a chur fhiachaint ar bhean chéile aon eolas a thug a fear di le linn bheith pósta dhóibh do nochta:

(e) i gcros-cheistiú féadfar aon cheist do chur chun duine a cúiseofar agus a bheidh ina fhínné do réir an Achta so bíodh is go raghadh san chun é chiontú sa chionta ina gcúisítear é:

(f) ní cuirfar chun duine a cúiseofar agus a glaofar mar fhínné do réir an Achta so aon cheist a raghadh chun a thaisbeáint gur dhin sé aon chionta, no gur ciontuíodh no gur cúisíodh é in aon chionta, seachas an cionta ina mbeidh sé á chúiseamh an uair sin, no gur droch-dhuine é, agus má cuirtar ceist den tsórt san chuige ní bheidh air í fhreagairt, ach amháin i gcás—

(i) an cruthúnas gur dhin sé an cionta san eile no gur ciontuíodh ann é do bheith ionghlactha mar fhianaise chun a thaisbeáint go bhfuil sé ciontach sa chionta ina mbeidh sé á chúiseamh an uair sin; no

(ii) gur dhin sé, go pearsanta no tré n'abhcóide, ceisteanna chur chun fínnithe an lucht cúisimh d'fhonn a dheimhniú gur dea-dhuine é féin, no gur thug sé fianaise gur dea-dhuine é; no go dtugfí o nádúir na cosanta no ón gcuma ina bhfuil sí á déanamh go bhfuil amhrus á chaitheamh ar chlú an chúisitheora no ar chlú fínnithe an lucht cúisimh; no

(iii) gur thug sé fianaise i gcoinnibh éinne eile a cúisíodh sa chionta chéanna:

(g) as bínse na fianaise no as pé áit eile as a dtugaid na fínnithe eile a bhfianaise isea dhéanfidh gach éinne a glaofar mar fhínné do réir an Achta so a fhianaise do thabhairt mara n-orduighidh an chúirt a mhalairt:

(h) ní dhéanfidh éinní san Acht so aon difir don cheart atá ag an duine cúisithe chun ráiteas do dhéanamh gan dul fé mhionn.

Fianaise an duine a cúiseofar.

2.—Má sé an duine cúisithe an t-aon fhínné amháin ar dhátáin an cháis atá le glaoch ag an lucht cosanta glaofar é mar fhínné díreach tar éis críochnú na fianaise ar thaobh an lucht cúisimh.

Ceart freagartha.

3.—I gcásanna ina seasuíonn an ceart freagartha ar ce'ca glaodhadh ar fhianaise ar son na cosanta no nár glaodhadh, má glaodhadh mar fhínné an duine cúisithe ní bhronnfidh san amháin ceart freagartha ar an lucht cúisimh.

Féadfar bean no fear an duine chúisithe do ghlaoch i gcásanna áirithe.

4.—(1) Féadfar bean no fear duine atá cúisithe i gcionta fé aon achtachán a luaidhtear sa Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht so do ghlaoch mar fhínné ar thaobh an chúisimh no ar thaobh na cosanta agus san gan cead ón duine cúisithe.

(2) Ní dhéanfidh éinní san Acht so difir do chás in ar féidir do réir na dlí coitinne bean no fear duine atá cúisithe i gcionta do ghlaoch mar fhínné gan cead ón duine sin.

Foráil i dtaobh sean-Achtanna.

5.—Bainfidh an tAcht so le gach imeacht choiriúil in ainneoin aon achtacháin a bheidh i bhfeidhm i dtosach feidhme an Achta so, ach ná déanfidh éinní san Acht so difir don Evidence Act, 1877.

Gearr-theideal.

6.—(1) Féadfar an tAcht Breithiúnais Choiriúla (Fianaise), 1924, do ghairm den Acht so.

(2) Tiocfidh an tAcht so i bhfeidhm pé lá a cheapfidh an tAire Dlí agus Cirt le hordú.

SCEIDEAL.

Na hAchtachain Da dTagartar.

Alt 4.

Number 37 of 1924.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE (EVIDENCE) ACT, 1924.

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

SCHEDULE.

Number 37 of 1924.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE (EVIDENCE) ACT, 1924.

Competency of witnesses in criminal cases.

1.—Every person charged with an offence, and the wife or husband, as the case may be, of the person so charged, shall be a competent witness for the defence at every stage of the proceedings, whether the person so charged is charged solely or jointly with any other person: Provided as follows:—

(a) a person so charged shall not be called as a witness in pursuance of this Act except upon his own application:

(b) the failure of any person charged with an offence, or of the wife or husband, as the case may be, of the person so charged, to give evidence shall not be made the subject of any comment by the prosecution:

(c) the wife or husband of the person charged shall not, save as in this Act mentioned, be called as a witness in pursuance of this Act except upon the application of the person so charged:

(d) nothing in this Act shall make a husband compellable to disclose any communication made to him by his wife during the marriage, or a wife compellable to disclose any communication made to her by her husband during the marriage:

(e) a person charged and being a witness in pursuance of this Act may be asked any question in cross-examination notwithstanding that it would tend to criminate him as to the offence charged:

(f) a person charged and called as a witness in pursuance of this Act shall not be asked, and if asked shall not be required to answer, any question tending to show that he has committed or been convicted of or been charged with any offence other than that wherewith he is then charged, or is of bad character, unless—

(i) the proof that he has committed or been convicted of such other offence is admissible evidence to show that he is guilty of the offence wherewith he is then charged; or

(ii) he has personally or by his advocate asked questions of the witnesses for the prosecution with a view to establish his own good character, or has given evidence of his good character, or the nature or conduct of the defence is such as to involve imputations on the character of the prosecutor or the witnesses for the prosecution; or

(iii) he has given evidence against any other person charged with the same offence:

(g) every person called as a witness in pursuance of this Act shall, unless otherwise ordered by the court, give his evidence from the witness box or other place from which the other witnesses give their evidence:

(h) nothing in this Act shall affect the right of the person charged to make a statement without being sworn.

Evidence of person charged.

2.—Where the only witness to the facts of the case called by the defence is the person charged, he shall be called as a witness immediately after the close of the evidence for the prosecution.

Right of reply.

3.—In cases where the right of reply depends upon the question whether evidence has been called for the defence, the fact that the person charged has been called as a witness shall not of itself confer on the prosecution the right of reply.

Calling of wife or husband in certain cases.

4.—(1) The wife or husband of a person charged with an offence under any enactment mentioned in the Schedule to this Act may be called as a witness either for the prosecution or defence and without the consent of the person charged.

(2) Nothing in this Act shall affect a case where the wife or husband of a person charged with an offence may at common law be called as a witness without the consent of that person.

Provision as to previous Acts.

5.—This Act shall apply to all criminal proceedings, notwithstanding any enactment in force at the commencement of this Act, except that nothing in this Act shall affect the Evidence Act, 1877.

Short title.

6.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Criminal Justice (Evidence) Act, 1924.

(2) This Act shall come into force on such day as the Minister for Justice shall by order appoint.

SCHEDULE.

Enactments Referred To.

Section 4.