Justices Act 1886

If upon a consideration of all the evidence adduced upon an examination of witnesses in relation to an indictable offence (including any answer made by the defendant to the words addressed to the defendant pursuant to section 104(2)) the justices are of the opinion that the evidence is not sufficient to put the defendant upon the defendant’s trial for any indictable offence, the justices shall order the defendant, if the defendant is in custody, to be discharged as to the charge the subject of the examination but if the justices are of the opinion that the evidence is sufficient to put the defendant upon trial for an indictable offence they shall, subject to section 113, order the defendant to be committed to be tried for the offence before a court of competent jurisdiction, and in the meantime shall by their warrant commit the defendant to prison, to be there safely kept until the defendant is delivered by due course of law or granted bail.

If, having regard to the length of time which should elapse before a court of competent jurisdiction next sits at a place to which the defendant would in the absence of this subsection be committed to be tried, the justices are of the opinion—

that it would be just that the trial of the defendant should be held at some other place before a court of competent jurisdiction, the justices may, with the prior consent in writing of the defendant (which consent shall be kept with the depositions of the witnesses), order the defendant to be committed to be tried for the offence at such other place before such a court; or

that, by reason of the expense likely to be incurred in the keeping or preservation of any exhibit tendered in evidence upon the examination of witnesses and to be, or proposed to be, tendered in evidence at the trial of the defendant, the trial of the defendant should be held at some other place before a court of competent jurisdiction, the justices may order the defendant to be committed to be tried for the offence at such other place before such a court.