62.This section provides that in the case of a scheduled offence, the maximum period of remand in custody will be 28 days. The justification for this dates back to Sir George Baker’s report in 1984 (Cm 9222, paragraphs 84–88). He reported that to bring a person charged with a scheduled offence before a magistrate every seven days was meaningless, especially since the magistrates’ court was precluded from granting bail in the majority of scheduled cases.
Commentary Part Vii: Northern Ireland Section 69: Maximum period of remand in custody