Section 6 Offences, &c.C6

Any person who—

shall be guilty of an offence under this Act, and shall on summary conviction be liable—

• in the case of an offence under paragraph (a), paragraph (b) or paragraph (d) of this subsection, to a penalty of F1level 2 on the standard scale, or if the offence was committed in respect of more than four animals, to a penalty of F2level 1 on the standard scale in respect of each animal;

• in the case of an offence under paragraph (c), to a penalty of level 1 on the standard scale, and to a further penalty of forty shillings for every day on which the offence continues after conviction therefor;

• in the case of an offence under paragraph (e), to a penalty of level 2 on the standard scale; and

• in the case of an offence under paragraph (f), to a penalty of level 1 on the standard scale;

and the court before which any person is convicted of an offence under paragraph (a) , paragraph (b) or paragraph (c) of this subsection may order any musk rats in respect of which the offence was committed to be forfeited and destroyed.

Any officer of police and any person duly authorised in that behalf by the appropriate department may seize any musk rats with respect to which he has reason to believe that an offence under paragraph (a) of the last preceding subsection has been committed, and may detain them pending the determination of any proceedings to be instituted under that subsection, or until the appropriate department are satisfied that no such proceedings are likely to be instituted.

Proceedings in England and Wales for an offence under this section may be brought within the period of 6 months beginning with the date on which evidence sufficient in the opinion of the prosecutor to warrant the proceedings came to his knowledge.

But subsection (3) does not authorise the commencement of proceedings for an offence more than 2 years after the date on which the offence was committed.

For the purposes of subsection (3), a certificate signed by or on behalf of the prosecutor and stating the date on which evidence sufficient in his opinion to warrant the proceedings came to his knowledge shall be conclusive evidence of that fact.

A certificate stating that matter and purporting to be so signed shall be deemed to be so signed unless the contrary is proved.