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Evidence Act 2011
115Exclusion of evidence of identification by pictures
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115 Exclusion of evidence of identification by pictures
picture identification evidence means identification evidence
relating to an identification made completely or partly by the person
who made the identification examining pictures kept for the use of
police officers.
(2) Picture identification evidence presented by the prosecutor is not
admissible if the pictures examined suggest that they are pictures of
people in police custody.
(3) Subject to subsection (4), picture identification evidence presented by
the prosecutor is not admissible if—
(a) when the pictures were examined, the defendant was in the
custody of a police officer of the police force investigating the
commission of the offence with which the defendant has been
charged; and
(b) the picture of the defendant that was examined was made before
the defendant was taken into police custody.
(4) Subsection (3) does not apply if—
(a) the defendant’s appearance had changed significantly between
the time the offence was committed and the time the defendant
was taken into the custody; or
(b) it was not reasonably practicable to make a picture of the
defendant after the defendant was taken into the custody.
(5) Picture identification evidence presented by the prosecutor is not
admissible if, when the pictures were examined, the defendant was in
the custody of a police officer of the police force investigating the
commission of the offence with which the defendant has been
charged, unless—
(a) the defendant refused to take part in an identification parade; or
(b) the defendant’s appearance had changed significantly between
the time the offence was committed and the time the defendant
was taken into the custody; or
(c) it would not have been reasonable to have held an identification
parade that included the defendant.
(6) Sections 114 (3) to (6) (Exclusion of visual identification evidence)
apply in deciding, for subsection (5) (c), whether it would have been
reasonable to have held an identification parade.
(7) If picture identification evidence presented by the prosecutor is
admitted into evidence, the judge must, on the defendant’s request—
(a) if the picture of the defendant was made after the defendant was
taken into the custody—tell the jury that the picture was made
after the defendant was taken into the custody; or
(b) otherwise—warn the jury that they must not assume that the
defendant has a criminal record or has previously been charged
with an offence.
Note Section 116 (Directions to jury) and s 165 (Unreliable evidence) also deal
with warnings about identification evidence.
(8) This section does not render inadmissible picture identification
evidence presented by the prosecutor that contradicts or qualifies
picture identification evidence presented by the defendant.
(9) This section applies in addition to section 114 (Exclusion of visual
identification evidence).
(10) In this section:
(a) a reference to a picture includes a reference to a photograph; and
(b) a reference to making a picture includes a reference to taking a
photograph.