85Criminal proceedings—reliability of admissions by accused

85 Criminal proceedings—reliability of admissions by accused S. 85(1) amended by No. 68/2009 s. 97(Sch. item 55.18(a)). (1) This section applies only in a criminal proceeding and only to evidence of an admission made by an accused— (a) to, or in the presence of, an investigating official who at that time was performing functions in connection with the investigation of the commission, or possible commission, of an offence; or S. 85(1)(b) amended by No. 68/2009 s. 97(Sch. item 55.18(b)). (b) as a result of an act of another person who was, and who the accused knew or reasonably believed to be, capable of influencing the decision whether a prosecution of the accused should be brought or should be continued. Subsection (1) was inserted as a response to the decision of the High Court of Australia in Kelly v The Queen (2004) 218 CLR 216. (2) Evidence of the admission is not admissible unless the circumstances in which the admission was made were such as to make it unlikely that the truth of the admission was adversely affected. (3) Without limiting the matters that the court may take into account for the purposes of subsection (2), it is to take into account— (a) any relevant condition or characteristic of the person who made the admission, including age, personality and education and any mental, intellectual or physical disability to which the person is or appears to be subject; and (b) if the admission was made in response to questioning— (i) the nature of the questions and the manner in which they were put; and (ii) the nature of any threat, promise or other inducement made to the person questioned.