51.— (1) Where, at any stage of proceedings to which this section applies, a person fails, without reasonable excuse, to appear before the court before which the proceedings are for the time being taking place, the court may do any thing or make any order that it would be entitled to do or make had the person so appeared.

(2) Where, by virtue of a person’s failure to appear in proceedings to which this section applies, the person does not enter a plea (whether before the District Court or the trial judge), the trial of the person may proceed as though he or she had entered a plea of not guilty.

(3) This section applies to proceedings for an offence to which section 50 applies brought against a person upon whom—

(a) a payment deposit notice under that section has been served, and

(b) a document in respect of those proceedings has been served—

(i) in accordance with subsection (1) of section 81 of the Act of 2008,

(ii) otherwise than by post, pursuant to a request referred to in subsection (2) of that section, or

(iii) in accordance with an arrangement to which subsection (4) of that section applies.

(4) In this section—

“Act of 2008” means the Criminal Justice (Mutual Assistance) Act 2008;

“document” means a document—

(a) to which subsection (1) of section 80 of the Act of 2008 applies, and

(b) that requires a person to appear as a defendant in proceedings for an offence.