Criminal law act, 1997

• Act Number: 14
• Enactment Date: 22 April 1997

Number 14 of 1997
CRIMINAL LAW ACT, 1997
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Section 1. Commencement. 2. Interpretation. 3. Abolition of distinction between felony and misdemeanour. 4. Arrest without warrant. 5. Arrest on warrant or order of committal. 6. Entry and search of premises to effect an arrest. 7. Penalties for assisting offenders. 8. Penalty for concealing offence. 9. Trial of offences. 10. Powers of dealing with offenders. 11. Abolition of penal servitude, hard labour and prison divisions. 12. Abolition of corporal punishment. 13. Amendment of particular enactments. 14. Amendment of Defence Act, 1954. 15. Savings and other general provisions. 16. Repeals. 17. Short title.
FIRST SCHEDULE
Amendment of Particular Enactments
SECOND SCHEDULE
Amendment of Defence Act, 1954
THIRD SCHEDULE
Enactments Repealed
Acts Referred to Accessories and Abettors Act, 1861 24 & 25 Vict., c.94 Carriers Act, 1830 11 Geo. 4 & 1 W. 4, c.68 Civil Rights of Convicts Act, 1828 9 Geo. 4, c. 32 Coinage Offences Act, 1861 24 & 25 Vict., c.99 County Dublin Grand Jury Act, 1844 7 & 8 Vict., c.106 Courts-Martial Appeals Act, 1983 1983, No. 19 Criminal Costs (Dublin) Act, 1815 55 Geo. 3, c.91 Criminal Evidence Act, 1710 9 Anne, c.6 Criminal Justice Act, 1951 1951, No. 2 Criminal Justice Act, 1960 1960, No. 27 Criminal Justice Act, 1990 1990, No. 16 Criminal Justice Administration Act, 1914 4 & 5 Geo. 5, c.58 Criminal Justice (Community Service) Act, 1983 1983, No. 23 Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1885 48 & 49 Vict., c. 69 Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1935 1935, No. 6 Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act, 1990 1990, No. 32 Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act, 1993 1993, No. 20 Criminal Law (Suicide) Act, 1993 1993, No. 11 Criminal Procedure Act, 1851 14 & 15 Vict., c.100 Criminal Procedure Act, 1865 28 & 29 Vict., c.18 Criminal Procedure Act, 1967 1967, No. 12 Debtors Act (Ireland), 1872 35 & 36 Vict., c.57 Defence Act, 1954 1954, No. 18 Defence Acts, 1954 to 1993 Electoral Act, 1992 1992, No. 23 Forcible Entry Act, 1786 26 Geo. 3, c.24 Forfeiture Act, 1870 33 & 34 Vict., c.23 Forgery Act, 1861 24 & 25 Vict., c.98 Forgery Act, 1913 3 & 4 Geo. 5, c.27 Garrotters Act, 1863 26 & 27 Vict., c.44 General Prisons (Ireland) Act, 1877 40 & 41 Vict., c.49 Grand Jury (Ireland) Act, 1836 6 & 7 Will. 4, c.116 Habeas Corpus Act, 1781 21 & 22 Geo. 3, c.11 Hard Labour Act, 1822 3 Geo. 4, c.114 Hard Labour (Ireland) Act, 1826 7 Geo. 4, c.9 Infant Felons Act, 1840 3 & 4 Vict., c.90 Larceny Act, 1861 24 & 25 Vict., c.96 Larceny Act, 1916 6 & 7 Geo. 5, c.50 Local Government Act, 1994 1994, No. 8 Malicious Damage Act, 1861 24 & 25 Vict., c.97 Merchant Shipping Act, 1894 57 & 58 Vict., c.60 Offences against the Person Act, 1861 24 & 25 Vict., c.100 Official Secrets Act, 1963 1963, No. 1 Penal Servitude Act, 1857 20 & 21 Vict., c. 3 Penal Servitude Act, 1864 27 & 28 Vict., c.47 Penal Servitude Act, 1891 54 & 55 Vict., c.69 Prevention of Corruption Act, 1906 6 Edw. 7, c.34 Prevention of Crime Act, 1879 42 & 43 Vict., c.55 Prevention of Crime Act, 1908 8 Edw. 7, c.59 Prevention of Crimes Act, 1871 34 & 35 Vict., c.112 Prevention of Crimes Amendment Act, 1876 39 & 40 Vict., c.23 Prevention of Offences Act, 1851 14 & 15 Vict., c.19 Prison Act, 1898 61 & 62 Vict., c.41 Prisons Acts, 1826 to 1980 Prisons (Ireland) Act, 1856 19 & 20 Vict., c.68 Prisons (Visiting Committees) Act, 1925 1925, No. 11 Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act, 1889 52 & 53 Vict., c.69 Rescue Act, 1821 1 & 2 Geo. 4, c.88 Riot Act, 1787 27 Geo. 3, c.15 Slave Trade Act, 1824 5 Geo. 4, c.113 Slave Trade Act, 1843 6 & 7 Vict., c.98 South Australia Act, 1842 5 & 6 Vict., c.61 Statute of Limitations, 1957 1957, No. 6 Summary Jurisdiction Over Children (Ireland) Act, 1884 47 & 48 Vict., c.19 Sunday Observance Act, 1695 7 Will. 3, c.17 Town Police Clauses Act, 1847 10 & 11 Vict., c.89 Trials for Felony Act, 1836 6 & 7 Will. 4, c.114 Vagrancy Act, 1824 5 Geo. 4, c.83 Whipping Act, 1820 1 Geo. 4, c.57 Whipping Act, 1862 25 & 26 Vict., c. 18
Number 14 of 1997
CRIMINAL LAW ACT, 1997
AN ACT TO ABOLISH ALL DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN FELONY AND MISDEMEANOUR AND TO AMEND AND SIMPLIFY THE LAW IN RESPECT OF MATTERS ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO ANY SUCH DISTINCTION, TO ABOLISH PENAL SERVITUDE, HARD LABOUR, PRISON DIVISIONS AND CORPORAL PUNISHMENT, AND TO PROVIDE FOR CERTAIN OTHER MATTERS CONNECTED WITH THE MATTERS AFORESAID. [22nd April, 1997]
BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:
	Commencement.	1.—This Act shall come into operation three months after the date of its passing.
	Interpretation.	2.—(1) In this Act, and in any amendment made by this Act in any other enactment—
	“arrestable offence” means an offence for which a person of full capacity and not previously convicted may, under or by virtue of any enactment, be punished by imprisonment for a term of five years or by a more severe penalty and includes an attempt to commit any such offence;
	“fixed by law”, in relation to a sentence for an arrestable offence, means a sentence which the court is required by law to impose on an offender, being a person of full capacity.
	(2) Any reference in this Act to any other enactment shall, except so far as the context otherwise requires, be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended by or under any other enactment, including this Act.
	(3) In this Act, a reference to a section is to a section of this Act and a reference to a subsection or paragraph is to the subsection or paragraph of the provision in which the reference occurs, unless it is indicated that reference to some other enactment or provision, as may be appropriate, is intended.
	Abolition of distinction between felony and misdemeanour.	3.—(1) All distinctions between felony and misdemeanour are hereby abolished.
	(2) Subject to the provisions of this Act, on all matters on which a distinction has previously been made between felony and misdemeanour, including mode of trial, the law and practice in relation to all offences (including piracy) shall be the law and practice applicable at the commencement of this Act in relation to misdemeanour.
	Arrest without warrant.	4.—(1) Subject to subsections (4) and (5), any person may arrest without warrant anyone who is or whom he or she, with reasonable cause, suspects to be in the act of committing an arrestable offence.
	(2) Subject to subsections (4) and (5), where an arrestable offence has been committed, any person may arrest without warrant anyone who is or whom he or she, with reasonable cause, suspects to be guilty of the offence.
	(3) Where a member of the Garda Síochána, with reasonable cause, suspects that an arrestable offence has been committed, he or she may arrest without warrant anyone whom the member, with reasonable cause, suspects to be guilty of the offence.
	(4) An arrest other than by a member of the Garda Síochána may only be effected by a person under subsection (1) or (2) where he or she, with reasonable cause, suspects that the person to be arrested by him or her would otherwise attempt to avoid, or is avoiding, arrest by a member of the Garda Síochána.
	(5) A person who is arrested pursuant to this section by a person other than a member of the Garda Síochána shall be transferred into the custody of the Garda Síochána as soon as practicable.
	(6) This section shall not affect the operation of any enactment restricting the institution of proceedings for an offence or prejudice any power of arrest conferred by law apart from this section.
	Arrest on warrant or order of committal.	5.—A warrant for the arrest of a person or an order of committal may be executed by a member of the Garda Síochána notwithstanding that it is not in the member's possession at the time; but the warrant or order shall be shown to him or her as soon as practicable.
	Entry and search of premises to effect an arrest.	6.—(1) For the purpose of arresting a person on foot of a warrant of arrest or an order of committal, a member of the Garda Síochána may enter (if need be, by use of reasonable force) and search any premises (including a dwelling) where the person is or where the member, with reasonable cause, suspects that person to be, and such warrant or order may be executed in accordance with section 5 .
	(2) For the purpose of arresting a person without a warrant for an arrestable offence a member of the Garda Síochána may enter (if need be, by use of reasonable force) and search any premises (including a dwelling) where that person is or where the member, with reasonable cause, suspects that person to be, and where the premises is a dwelling the member shall not, unless acting with the consent of an occupier of the dwelling or other person who appears to the member to be in charge of the dwelling, enter that dwelling unless—
	(a) he or she or another such member has observed the person within or entering the dwelling, or
	(b) he or she, with reasonable cause, suspects that before a warrant of arrest could be obtained the person will either abscond for the purpose of avoiding justice or will obstruct the course of justice, or
	(c)...