Updated Criminal Procedure Rules 2020 [1] and Criminal Practice Direction 2020 came into force on 5 October 2020.
Details
The Criminal Procedure Rules 2020 and Criminal Practice Directions 2020 revoke the 2015 Criminal Procedure Rules and Criminal Practice Directions.
The changes between the 2013 and 2015 procedure rules mainly consist of a consolidation of the 2015 rules with the amendments made to the rules since then, rearrangements of the rules about case management and pre-trial preparation, replacement of rules with no practical use in light of amendments made and a maintenance of temporary amendments to the Criminal Procedure Rules in light of the coronavirus. [2]
There have been no changes to the Practice Directions that would specifically affect child defendants (3D Vulnerable people in the Courts, 3E Ground rules hearing to plan the questioning of a vulnerable witness or defendant, 3F Intermediaries, 3G Vulnerable defendants).
The 2020 amendments are available on www.judiciary.gov.uk and www.justice.gov.uk.
Footnotes