The Criminal Procedure Rule Committee has made the first consolidating edition of the Criminal Procedure Rules, which affect all criminal courts in England and Wales – magistrates’ courts, the Crown Court and the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division). The purpose of consolidation is to ensure that the rules can be found in one authoritative edition, ensuring that the public can obtain an up-to-date paper copy of the rules and have confidence that they can easily see what is required of the participants in a criminal trial in England and Wales. An understanding of the rules is both essential and mandatory.

The Criminal Procedure Rules 2010 will come into force on 5 April 2010 and consolidate The Criminal Procedure Rules 2005 and the eight statutory instruments which subsequently amended them. This re-statement of the rules includes new procedure rules about the investigation of anonymity orders; witness anonymity orders; and appeal against recognition of a foreign driving disqualification.

Amended rules about objecting to the reading of committal statements at trial in the Crown Court are included, as are measures to assist a witness or defendant to give evidence. Other additions and revisions about introducing hearsay evidence and about introducing evidence of bad character; about final representations at trial in a magistrates’ court; and about requests to the Court of Justice of the European Union for preliminary rulings are also included.

A Guide for Court Users, Staff and Practitioners has been prepared by the Secretariat to the Criminal Procedure Rule Committee, and the full text can be found at:

http://www.justice.gov.uk/news/docs/crim-proc-rules-2010-guide.pdf

This guide states that The Criminal Procedure Rules 2010 will not appear on the website until 5 April, 2010.