The Act New section 66H of the 1998 Act: Interpretation Section 60:  Contents of an accused’s defence statement
430.Section 60 amends the defence disclosure regime in Part I of the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 so that an accused’s defence statement will, in addition to the existing requirements, also have to set out particulars of any matters of fact on which he intends to rely in his defence.
431.Subsection (1) amends section 6A of the 1996 Act to add this new requirement to the list of matters to be included in a defence statement. Subsection (2) amends section 11(2)(f)(ii) of the 1996 Act so that the sanctions for failure to comply with the defence statement requirements (comment by the court or another party and the drawing of inferences by the court or jury) will apply.