Criminal Law (Rape) Act, 1981

Exclusion of the public.

6.—(1) Subject to subsection (2), notwithstanding section 111 (4) of the Children Act, 1908, section 20 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1951 , and section 16 of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1967 , during the hearing of an application under section 3 (including that section as applied by section 5 ) or under section 4 (2), the judge, the justice or the court, as the case may be, shall exclude from the court all persons except officers of the court and persons directly concerned in the proceedings.

(2) Subsection (1) is without prejudice to the right of a parent, relative or friend of the complainant or, where the accused is a person under the age of 21 years, the accused to remain in court.