Criminal Justice Act, 1984

Failure to surrender to bail.

13.—(1) If a person who has been released on bail in criminal proceedings fails to appear before a court in accordance with his recognisance, he shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months or to both.

(2) It shall be a defence in any proceedings for an offence under subsection (1) for the accused to show that the he had a reasonable excuse for not so appearing.

(3) For the purpose of section 11 an offence under this section shall be treated as an offence committed while on bail.

(4) Where a person has failed to appear before a court in answer to his bail and the court has directed that a warrant be issued for the arrest of that person by reason of his failure to answer his bail, a member of the Garda Síochána may arrest such a person notwithstanding that he does not have the warrant in his possession at the time of the arrest.

(5) Where a person is arrested pursuant to subsection (4) the member arresting him shall as soon as practicable produce and serve on the said person the said warrant.