Sir John Gillen

Sir John Gillen, a retired Court of Appeal judge, was appointed in April to carry out an independent review which was expected to be completed by January 2019.

However, Sir Gillen’s proposals are now expected to go out for public consultation in November 2018, The Irish News reports.

The retired judge previously carried out the judge-led review of Northern Ireland’s civil and family justice systems.

The latest review was commissioned by the Criminal Justice Board, which provides oversight of the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland, in the wake of a controversial nine-week rape trial in Belfast which ended with the acquittal of two high-profile rugby players.

It was charged with examining subjects including disclosure of unused material; support for victims and witnesses; measures to ensure the anonymity of the complainant; the arguments for defendant anonymity; the impact of social media on trials; reporting restrictions; and public attendance at trials.