{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/draft-unauthorised-encampments-northern-ireland-order-2005/article-6",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/draft-unauthorised-encampments-northern-ireland-order-2005/article-6.json",
  "legislation": "ukdsi/2005/0110490975",
  "legislation_title": "The Unauthorised Encampments (Northern Ireland) Order 2005",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/draft-unauthorised-encampments-northern-ireland-order-2005",
  "path": "article/6",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "6",
  "heading": "Failure to comply with direction under Article 5: offences",
  "text": "(1) A person commits an offence if he knows that a direction under Article 5(1) has been given which applies to him and—\n(a) he fails to leave the relevant land as soon as reasonably practicable; or\n(b) he enters any land in the district of the relevant district council as a trespasser before the end of the relevant period with the intention of residing there.\n(2) The relevant period is the period of 3 months starting with the day on which the direction is given.\n(3) A person guilty of an offence under this Article is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale or both.\n(4) A constable in uniform who reasonably suspects that a person is committing an offence under this Article may arrest him without a warrant.\n(5) In proceedings for an offence under this Article it is a defence for the accused to show—\n(a) that he was not trespassing on the land in respect of which he is alleged to have committed the offence;\n(b) that he had a reasonable excuse—\n(i) for failing to leave the relevant land as soon as reasonably practicable; or\n(ii) for entering land in the district of the relevant district council as a trespasser with the intention of residing there; or\n(c) that, at the time the direction was given, he was under the age of 18 years and was residing with his parent or guardian.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2005/0110490975/article/6",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-30T15:24:13.506776+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."
}