Page:Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980.pdf/78

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70c. 43
Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980

Part VI

(3) Where a warrant has been endorsed for bail under subsection (1) above, then, on the person referred to in the warrant being taken to a police station on arrest under the warrant, the officer in charge of the police station shall (subject to his approving any surety tendered in compliance with the endorsement) release him from custody as directed in the endorsement.

Varying or dispensing with requirement as to sureties. 118.—(1) Subject to subsection (2) below, where a magistrates’ court has committed a person to custody in default of finding sureties, the court may, on application by or on behalf of the person committed, and after hearing fresh evidence, reduce the amount in which it is proposed that any surety should be bound or dispense with any of the sureties or otherwise deal with the case as it thinks just.

(2) Subsection (1) above does not apply in relation to a person granted bail in criminal proceedings.

Postponement of taking recognizance. 119.—(1) Where a magistrates’ court has power to take any recognizance, the court may, instead of taking it, fix the amount in which the principal and his sureties, if any, are to be bound; and thereafter the recognizance may be taken by any such person as may be prescribed.

(2) Where, in pursuance of this section, a recognizance is entered into otherwise than before the court that fixed the amount of it, the same consequences shall follow as if it had been entered into before that court; and references in this or any other Act to the court before which a recognizance was entered into shall be construed accordingly.

(3) Nothing in this section shall enable a magistrates’ court to alter the amount of a recognizance fixed by the High Court.

Forfeiture of recognizance. 120.—(1) Where a recognizance to keep the peace or to be of good behaviour has been entered into before a magistrates’ court or any recognizance is conditioned for the appearance of a person before a magistrates’ court or for his doing any other thing connected with a proceeding before a magistrates’ court, and the recognizance appears to the court to be forfeited, the court may, subject to subsection (2) below, declare the recognizance to be forfeited and adjudge the persons bound thereby, whether as principal or sureties, or any of them, to pay the sum in which they are respectively bound.

(2) Where a recognizance is conditioned to keep the peace or to be of good behaviour, the court shall not declare it forfeited except by order made on complaint.