Commentary on Sections Northern Ireland Section 51: Restrictions on exercise of functions
144.Section 51 prevents the Commissioner from exercising his functions on behalf of individual victims or witnesses. He cannot, for example, ask the police or Crown Prosecution Service to bring or reconsider a particular charge against an individual offender, or ask for the courts to impose a particular sentence. On the other hand, the Commissioner will not be prevented from commenting on charging or sentencing policy, or any other wider policy issue relating to victims and witnesses.