Legal Aid and Coroners' Courts Bill - Notice of Amendments tabled on 10 September 2014 for Consideration Stage

New Clause

After clause 8 insert -

‘Majority verdicts

8A.—(1) The Coroners Act (Northern Ireland) 1959 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 31(1) after “all” insert “or the majority of the”.

(3) In section 31(2) after the first “all” insert “or the majority of the”.

(4) After sub-paragraph (2) insert—

“(3) In this section “the majority of the members of the jury” refers to—

(a) all but one or two members of the jury if the jury has deliberated for a period of time thecoroner thinks reasonable in view of the nature and complexity of the inquest.

before accepting a verdict not agreed on by all members of the jury, the coroner must requireone of them to announce publicly how many agreed and how many did not.”.’

Mr Alban Maginness
Mr Patsy McGlone