Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

CHAPTER 5 - MISCELLANEOUS  

SECTION 319   Stay of proceedings  

319(1)    
A court may stay proceedings (the POCA proceedings ) under this Act that are not criminal proceedings if the court considers that it is in the interests of justice to do so.

319(2)    
The court must not stay the POCA proceedings on any or all of the following grounds:

(a) on the ground that criminal proceedings have been, are proposed to be or may be instituted or commenced (whether or not under this Act) against the person subject to the POCA proceedings;

(b) on the ground that criminal proceedings have been, are proposed to be or may be instituted or commenced (whether or not under this Act) against another person in respect of matters relating to the subject matter of the POCA proceedings;

(c) on the ground that:

(i) a person may consider it necessary to give evidence, or to call evidence from another person, in the POCA proceedings; and

(ii) the evidence is or may be relevant (to whatever extent) to a matter that is, or may be, at issue in criminal proceedings that have been, are proposed to be or may be instituted or commenced (whether or not under this Act) against the person or any other person;

(d) on the ground that POCA proceedings in relation to another person have been, are to be or may be stayed.

319(3)    
Paragraph (2)(a) applies even if the circumstances pertaining to the POCA proceedings are or may be the same as, or substantially similar to, the circumstances pertaining to the criminal proceedings.

319(4)    
Paragraph (2)(b) applies even if the subject matter of the POCA proceedings is the same as, or substantially similar to, the matter at issue in the criminal proceedings.

319(5)    
Paragraph (2)(d) applies even if the staying of the POCA proceedings would avoid a multiplicity of POCA proceedings.

319(6)    
In considering whether a stay of the POCA proceedings is in the interests of justice, the court must have regard to the following matters:

(a) that the POCA proceedings, and any criminal proceedings of a kind referred to in paragraph (2)(a) or (b), should proceed as expeditiously as possible;

(b) the cost and inconvenience to the Commonwealth of retaining property to which the POCA proceeding relates and being unable to expeditiously realise its proceeds;

(c) the risk of a *proceeds of crime authority suffering any prejudice (whether general or specific) in relation to the conduct of the POCA proceedings if the proceedings were stayed;

(d) whether any prejudice that a person (other than a proceeds of crime authority) would suffer if the POCA proceedings were not stayed may be addressed by the court by means other than a stay of the proceedings;

(e) any orders (other than an order for the stay of the POCA proceedings) that the court could make to address any prejudice that a person (other than a proceeds of crime authority) would suffer if the proceedings were not stayed.

Note:

Examples of orders the court could make to address any prejudice that a person (other than a proceeds of crime authority) would suffer if the POCA proceedings were not stayed include an order under section 319A (closed court) or an order prohibiting the disclosure of information.