Additional procedure if electronic application
149A Additional procedure if electronic application
For an application made under section 149, the magistrate may issue the warrant (the original warrant) only if the magistrate is satisfied—
it was necessary to make the application under section 149; and
the way the application was made under section 149 was appropriate.
After the magistrate issues the original warrant—
if there is a reasonably practicable way of immediately giving a copy of the warrant to the inspector, including, for example, by sending a copy by fax or email, the magistrate must immediately give a copy of the warrant to the inspector; or
otherwise—
the magistrate must tell the inspector the information required to be stated in the warrant under section 148, 148A or 148B; and
the inspector must complete a form of warrant, including by writing on it the information mentioned in subparagraph (i).
The copy of the warrant mentioned in subsection (2)(a), or the form of warrant completed under subsection (2)(b) (in either case the duplicate warrant), is a duplicate of, and as effectual as, the original warrant.
The inspector must, at the first reasonable opportunity, send to the magistrate—
the written application complying with section 148, 148A or 148B; and
if the inspector completed a form of warrant under subsection (2)(b), the completed form of warrant.
The magistrate must keep the original warrant and, on receiving the documents under subsection (4)—
attach the documents to the original warrant; and
give the original warrant and documents to the clerk of the court of the relevant magistrates court.
Despite subsection (3), if—
an issue arises in a proceeding about whether an exercise of a power was authorised by a warrant issued under this section; and
the original warrant is not produced in evidence;
the onus of proof is on the person relying on the lawfulness of the exercise of the power to prove a warrant authorised the exercise of the power.
This section does not limit section 148, 148A or 148B.
In this section—relevant magistrates court, in relation to a magistrate, means the court that the magistrate constitutes under the Magistrates Act 1991.
This Act’s bill:Explanatory memorandum
The statute text is free to read above. View subscription options to unlock the case-law research tools for each provision.