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Regulation 18 Offences and penalties

Changes not yet applied. Later legislation changes this provision in ways not yet written into the text below:

(1)

If—

(a)

any person (other than a food authority) contravenes or fails to comply with any of the provisions of these Regulations; or

(b)

the occupier of any production holding or dairy establishment fails to take all reasonable steps to secure the compliance by any person employed by him or any person admitted to that production holding or dairy establishment with any provision of these Regulations,

he shall be guilty of an offence.

(2)

A person guilty of an offence under paragraph (1) above shall be liable—

(a)

on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum; or

(b)

on conviction on indictment, to a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both.

(3)

No prosecution for such an offence shall commence after the expiry of—

(a)

three years from the commission of the offence; or

(b)

one year from the date on which evidence sufficient in the opinion of the Procurator Fiscal to justify proceedings comes to his knowledge.

(4)

For the purposes of paragraph (3) above—

(a)

proceedings shall be deemed to be commenced on the date on which a warrant to apprehend or cite the accused is granted provided such warrant is executed without undue delay; and

(b)

a certificate by the Procurator Fiscal as to the date on which such evidence came to his knowledge shall be conclusive evidence of that fact.