The Magistrates' Courts (Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996) (Tainted Acquittals) Rules (Northern Ireland) 1997
These Rules are made in connection with the provision made by sections 54 and 55 of the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 (“the Act”) for an application to be made to the High Court for an order quashing a person’s acquittal of an offence. Under section 54(3) of the Act, an application may be made to the High Court for such an order where:a person has been convicted of an administration of justice offence involving interference with or intimidation of a juror or a witness (or potential witness) in any proceedings which led to the acquittal; andthe court before which the above conviction takes place certifies (under section 54(2) of the Act) that it appears to the court that there is a real possibility that, but for the interference or intimidation, the acquitted person would not have been acquitted and that it is not contrary to the interests of justice to take proceedings against the acquitted person for the offence of which he has been acquitted.