48. Presumption as to age

Where, in a charge for an offence triable under this Act, it is alleged that the person by whom the offence was committed was below or had attained any specified age, and he or she appears to the court to have been at the date of the commission of the alleged offence below or to have attained the specified age (as the case may be) he or she is for the purposes of this Act presumed at that date to have been below or to have attained that age (as the case may be) and any order made therein is not invalidated by any subsequent proof that the age has been incorrectly stated.

Where the court or a police officer dealing with any person by whom an offence is alleged to have been committed is in doubt as to the exact age of that person, the certificate of a registered medical practitioner who has assessed that person, stating to the effect that, in the medical practitioner’s opinion, that person has or has not attained a specified age, may be given in evidence.[43