HC Deb 15 February 1995 vol 254 c682W
Rev. Ian Paisley

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provisions there are in the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 1994 to protect the principle that a person is innocent until proven guilty by due process of law.

Sir John Wheeler

Generally speaking the prosecution bears the burden of proving all the elements of the offence necessary to establish guilt. It would not be necessary therefore for the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 1994 to provide any specific protection as the common law rule is not affected by this legislation.