Children (Amendment) Act 2021
Amendment of section 252 of Children Act 2001 | ||
1. (1) Section 252 of the Children Act 2001 is amended— | ||
(a) in subsection (1), by the substitution of “Subject to this section,” for “Subject to subsection (2),”, | ||
(b) by the insertion of the following subsections after subsection (1): | ||
“(1A) Subsection (1) shall not apply to the publication or inclusion in a broadcast of a report or picture referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of that subsection relating to a child where— | ||
(a) the proceedings concerned relate to the death of the child, and | ||
(b) such publication or inclusion in a broadcast would not result in a contravention of— | ||
(i) that subsection in so far as it relates to another child who is alive, or | ||
(ii) section 93. | ||
(1B) Subsection (1) shall not apply to the publication or inclusion in a broadcast of a report or picture referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of that subsection relating to the person against whom the offence concerned is alleged to have been committed where— | ||
(a) the person has attained the age of 18 years on or before the date on which the proceedings commence, and | ||
(b) such publication or inclusion in a broadcast of the report or picture would not result in a contravention of— | ||
(i) that subsection in so far as it relates to another person, who is a child and is alive, or | ||
(ii) section 93. | ||
(1C) Subsection (1B) is without prejudice to any other enactment or rule of law applicable to proceedings referred to in subsection (1) that operates to prohibit the publication or inclusion in a broadcast of a report or picture referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of that subsection relating to any person.”, | ||
and | ||
(c) by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (2): | ||
“(2) The court— | ||
(a) shall, subject to such conditions (if any) as it considers appropriate, dispense with the requirements of subsection (1) in relation to a child referred to in that subsection where the proceedings concerned relate to the death of that child unless it is satisfied that to do so would— | ||
(i) not be in the best interests of another child referred to in that subsection who is alive, or | ||
(ii) contravene section 93, | ||
and | ||
(b) may, subject to such conditions (if any) as it considers appropriate, dispense with the requirements of subsection (1) in relation to a child referred to in that subsection where the proceedings concerned do not relate to the death of a child and where the court is satisfied that to so do— | ||
(i) is appropriate having regard to the best interests of that child, | ||
(ii) would not be contrary to the best interests of another child referred to in that subsection who is alive, and | ||
(iii) would not contravene section 93.”. | ||
(2) The amendments effected by subsection (1) shall, on and from the date on which this section comes into operation, apply to the publication or inclusion in a broadcast of a report or picture to which section 252 (1) of the Children Act 2001 applies, irrespective of whether the proceedings referred to in that subsection were commenced before that date. |