4Related criminal acts

4 Related criminal acts (1) Subject to this section, a criminal act is related to another criminal act for the purposes of this Act if— (a) they were committed against the same person and they— (i) occurred at approximately the same time; or (ii) occurred over a period of time and were committed by the same person or group of persons; or (iii) share some other common factor— unless the Tribunal considers that, having regard to the particular circumstances of those acts, they ought not to be treated as related criminal acts; or (b) they contribute to the injury or death on which the application to the Tribunal is based unless the Tribunal considers that, having regard to the particular circumstances of those acts, they ought not to be treated as related criminal acts; or (c) the Tribunal considers that they ought to be treated as related criminal acts. (2) For the purposes of this Act, a criminal act in respect of which an award of assistance has been made under this Act is not related to another criminal act occurring after the award was made. (3) A criminal act may be related to another criminal act even though charges for offences arising out of those criminal acts are tried or heard separately. (4) For the purposes of this Act, a series of related criminal acts, whether committed by one or more persons, constitutes a single act of violence.