Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851

By whom warrants may be executed.

26. The execution of warrants so addressed to the sub-inspector or head constable of constabulary shall be subject to the following provisions:

1. Whenever the person against whom any warrant so ad- dressed shall have been issued shall be to be found in case of committal, or shall have goods in case of distress, in. any place for which such sub-inspector or head constable shall act, it shall be lawful for the sub-inspector or head constable who shall act for the time being for such place, or for any head or other constable to be appointed by him, to execute the same:

2. Whenever it shall appear that the said person or his goods, as the case may be, are not to be found in any place for which such sub-inspector shall act, but that they are to be found elsewhere in the same county, the said sub-inspector or head constable shall certify on the warrant, according to the form (G b.), the place where he believes that the said person or his goods are to be found, and also (having first satisfied himself as to the fact) that he believes the signature to the warrant to be genuine, and shall forthwith transmit the said warrant to the sub-inspector or head constable who shall act for such last-mentioned place; and the same shall be executed in like manner as any warrant addressed to him in the first instance:

3. Whenever it shall appear that the said person or his goods, as the case may be, are not to be found in the county to which such sub-inspector or head constable shall belong, but that such person, or his goods, as the case may be, are to be found elsewhere out of the said county, the said sub-inspector or head constable shall, as before, certify on the warrant, according to the form (G b.), and forthwith transmit the same to the inspector general of the constabulary force, to be backed as herein-after mentioned:

Provided always, that in any case which shall appear to the justice by whom any warrant shall be issued to be a case of emergency, he may address such warrant to any constable of the county; and it shall be lawful for such constable to execute such warrant at any place within the county in which the justice issuing such warrant shall have jurisdiction, or, in case of fresh pursuit of an offender, at anyplace in the next adjoining county; but the constable to whom any such warrant shall be so addressed shall, if the time will permit, show or deliver the same to the sub-inspector or head constable under whose command the said constable shall be, who shall proceed in respect to the same according to the Acts regulating the constabulary force.