Page:Prosecution of Offences Act 1985.pdf/25

Rh

(2) The regulations may, in particular—
 * (a) be made so as to apply only in relation to proceedings instituted in specified areas;
 * (b) make different provision with respect to proceedings instituted in different areas:
 * (c) make such provision with respect to the procedure to be followed in criminal proceedings as the Secretary of State considers appropriate in consequence of any other provision of the regulations;
 * (d) provide for the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 and the Bail Act 1976 to apply in relation to cases to which custody or overall time limits apply subject to such modifications as may be specified (being modifications which the Secretary of State considers necessary in consequence of any provision made by the regulations); and
 * (e) make such transitional provision in relation to proceedings instituted before the commencement of any provision of the regulations as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

(3) The appropriate court may, at any time before the expiry of a time limit imposed by the regulations, extend, or further extend, that limit if it is satisfied—
 * (a) that there is good and sufficient cause for doing so ; and
 * (b) that the prosecution has acted with all due expedition.

(4) Where, in relation to any proceedings for an offence, an overall time limit has expired before the completion of the stage of the proceedings to which the limit applies, the accused shall be treated, for all purposes, as having been acquitted of that offence.

(5) Where—
 * (a) a person escapes from the custody of a magistrates’ court or the Crown Court before the expiry of a custody time limit which applies in his case; or
 * (b) a person who has been released on bail in consequence of the expiry of a custody time limit—
 * (i) fails to surrender himself into the custody of the court at the appointed time; or
 * (ii) is arrested by a constable on a ground mentioned in section 7(3)(b) of the Bail Act 1976 (breach, or likely breach, of conditions of bail);

the regulations shall, so far as they provide for any custody time limit in relation to the preliminary stage in question, be disregarded.