{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/crime-and-punishment-scotland-act-1997/section-27",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/crime-and-punishment-scotland-act-1997/section-27.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1997/48",
  "legislation_title": "Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/crime-and-punishment-scotland-act-1997",
  "path": "section/27",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "27",
  "heading": "Proof of age.",
  "text": "After section 255 of the 1995 Act there shall be inserted the following section—\n“ Proof of age\nProof of age.\n255A Where the age of any person is specified in an indictment or a complaint, it shall, unless challenged—\n(a) in the case of proceedings on indictment by giving notice of a preliminary objection under paragraph (b) of section 72(1) of this Act or under that paragraph as applied by section 71(2) of this Act; or\n(b) in summary proceedings—\n(i) by preliminary objection before the plea of the accused is recorded; or\n(ii) by objection at such later time as the court may in special circumstances allow,\nbe held as admitted.”.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1997/48/section/27",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:24:52.618556+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}