Background and Policy Objectives Examination of accused through intermediary
22.Article 17 (Examination of witness though intermediary) of the Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 is one of a suite of special measures. Before a court may use a special measure, it must be issued with a Statutory Notice by the Department of Justice. In bringing forward a similar provision in respect of the examination of an accused through an intermediary (Article 21BA of the 1999 Order, as inserted by section 12 of Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2011), providing for the issue of a statutory notice was overlooked. The Act corrects this, thereby providing legislative consistency between the provisions for examination of witnesses and the accused through an intermediary.