# Energy Act 2004, Section 97: Offences relating to safety zones


(1) Where a vessel enters or remains in a safety zone in contravention of section 96(1), the vessel’s owner and her master are each guilty of an offence.
(2) Where—
(a) a vessel enters or remains in a safety zone with a permission granted for the purposes of section 96, and
(b) there is a contravention of a condition of that permission in relation to the vessel or individuals on the vessel,
the vessel’s owner and her master are each guilty of an offence.
(3) A person who carries on an activity wholly or partly in a safety zone in contravention of section 96(2) is guilty of an offence.
(4) Where—
(a) a person carries on an activity wholly or partly in a safety zone with a permission granted for the purposes of section 96, and
(b) there is a contravention of a condition of that permission in relation to the carrying on of that activity,
that person is guilty of an offence.
(5) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—
(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;
(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine, or to both.
(6) In proceedings against a person as the owner of a vessel for an offence under subsection (1) or (2), it is a defence for him to show that the existence of the safety zone—
(a) was not known to the master of the vessel in question at the time of the offence; and
(b) would not have become known to the master had he made reasonable inquiries before that time.
(7) In any other proceedings against a person for an offence under this section, it is a defence for that person to show that the existence of the safety zone—
(a) was not known to him at the time of the offence; and
(b) would not have become known to him had he made reasonable inquiries before that time.
(8) It is also a defence in proceedings against a person for an offence under this section for that person to show that he took all reasonable steps to prevent the contravention in question.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/20/section/97 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/energy-act-2004/section-97
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.