CRIMINAL LITIGATION

These rules add a number of new provisions to the Criminal Procedure Rules 2005, with effect from 1 October 2007:

(i) new rules 37.6 and 39.3, prescribing the procedure for making an application to change a plea of guilty in summary trials and trials on indictment respectively;

(ii) new Pt 65, providing rules of general application to appeals to the Court of Appeal;

(iii) new Pt 66 (appeal to the Court of Appeal against ruling at preparatory hearing);

(iv) new Pt 67 (appeal to the Court of Appeal against ruling adverse to prosecution);

(v) new Pt 68 (appeal to the Court of Appeal about conviction or sentence);

(vi) new Pt 69 (appeal to the Court of Appeal regarding reporting or public access restriction);

(vii) new Pt 70 (reference to the Court of Appeal of point of law or unduly lenient sentencing); and

(viii) Pt 63 (appeal to the Crown Court against conviction or sentence) is amended so that the Crown Court may, in certain circumstances, enter on an appeal with the judge sitting with a single justice, when hearing an appeal from a magistrates’ court.