Dates during which a s 229B maintaining offence is alleged to have been committed are not essential elements of the offence, so differences between a Crown Law Officer's consent and the indictment as to dates do not invalidate the prosecution. An indictment alleging a period partially predating the creation of the s 229B offence can be amended under s 572 Criminal Code at the appellate stage. A prior dismissal of an application for extension of time to appeal (being interlocutory) does not preclude a further application on different grounds, though the position regarding applications for leave to appeal against sentence was left open.
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