Criminal Law (Jurisdiction) Act, 1976

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Offences committed in Northern Ireland and related offences committed in State.

2.—(1) Where a person does in Northern Ireland an act that, if done in the State, would constitute an offence specified in the Schedule, he shall be guilty of an offence and he shall be liable on conviction on indictment to the penalty to which he would have been liable if he had done the act in the State.

(2) Where a person—

(a) in the State or in Northern Ireland, aids, abets, counsels or procures the commission of an offence under subsection (1) or section 3, or

(b) in Northern Ireland, aids, abets, counsels or procures the commission of an offence specified in the Schedule,

he shall be guilty of, and may be indicted, tried and punished for, the relevant principal offence, and the following provisions of this Act relating to the commission of any such principal offence shall apply accordingly.

(3) Where a person—

(a) in the State or in Northern Ireland, attempts, conspires or incites another person to commit an offence under subsection (1) or section 3, or

(b) in Northern Ireland, attempts, conspires or incites another person to commit an offence specified in the Schedule,

he shall be guilty of an offence and he shall be liable on conviction on indictment to a penalty not greater than the penalty to which he would have been liable if he had been convicted of the relevant principal offence.

(4) Where a person has committed an offence under subsection (1) or section 3 or attempted to commit any such offence, any other person who, in the State or in Northern Ireland, knowing or believing him to be guilty of the offence or attempt or of some other such offence or attempt, does without reasonable excuse any act with intent to impede his apprehension or prosecution in the State or in Northern Ireland shall be guilty of an offence.

(5) If, upon the trial on indictment of an offence under subsection (1) or section 3 or an attempt to commit any such offence, it is proved that the offence charged (or some other offence of which the accused might on that charge be found guilty) was committed, but the accused is found not guilty of it, the accused may be found guilty of any offence under subsection (4) of which it is proved that he is guilty in relation to the offence charged (or that other offence).

(6) Where a person has committed an offence specified in the Schedule or attempted to commit any such offence, any other person who, in Northern Ireland, knowing or believing him to be guilty of the offence or attempt or of some other such offence or attempt, does without reasonable excuse any act with intent to impede his apprehension or prosecution in the State or in Northern Ireland shall be guilty of an offence.

(7) If, upon the trial on indictment of an offence specified in the Schedule or an attempt to commit any such offence, it is proved that the offence charged (or some other offence of which the accused might on that charge be found guilty) was committed, but the accused is found not guilty of it, the accused may be found guilty of any offence under subsection (6) of which it is proved that he is guilty in relation to the offence charged (or that other offence).

(8) A person committing an offence under subsection (4) or (6) with intent to impede another person's apprehension or prosecution shall be liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment according to the gravity of the offence that the other person has committed or attempted to commit, as follows:

(a) in case that offence is murder, he shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years;

(b) in case it is one for which a person (of full age and capacity and not previously convicted) may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of fourteen years, he shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years;

(c) in case it is not one included in paragraph (a) or (b) but is one for which a person (of full age and capacity and not previously convicted) may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of ten years, he shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years;

(d) in any other case, he shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years.

(9) The enactments and rules of law as to when a person charged with an offence committed in the State may be convicted of another offence shall apply so as to enable a person charged with an offence under subsection (1) to be convicted of another offence, being an offence under that subsection, or of attempting to commit the offence charged or that other offence, and so as to enable a person charged with an offence under section 3 to be convicted of attempting to commit that offence.