Criminal Evidence Act 1896 (WA)

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ANNO SEXAGESIMO

VICTORIA] BEGINS

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No. XXXI.

AN ACT to amend the Laws of Evidence.

[Assented to, nth October, 496.]

Legislative Assembly of Western Australia, in this present Parlia- BE it enacted by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and

ment assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows :—

1. (i.) EVERY person charged with any offence punishable In certain cases the

on summary conviction before a Justice or Justices of the Peace in	accused, dm., to be
Petty Sessions or otherwise, and the wife or husband of a person so	competent witness.
charged, shall be a competent witness.
(2.) Nothing in this Act shall affect a case where the wife or husband of a person charged with any offence is at common law a competent and compellable witness.

60° VICTORIIE, No. 3L

Criminal Evidence—Amendment.

IF a person charged with an offence, other than an offence evidence on his or her own behalf, or from calling his wife or her husband, as the case may be, as a witness, such person shall not be prejudiced thereby, and no comment adverse to the person charged shall be allowed to be made thereon.

2.

Accused not to be

prejudiced by not	in the last preceding section mentioned, shall refrain from giving
giving evidence.

Short title. 3. THIS Act may be cited as the Criminal Evidence Act,

1896.

In the name and on behalf of the Queen I hereby assent

to this Act.

ALEX. C. (MEOW, Governor's Deputy.

By Authority : Iticutsuo PETTIER, Government Printer, Perth.